Bus hits schoolgirl

[Mully]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2612...us-in-Auckland

Who (living in Auckland, and having seen Auckland bus drivers) is surprised that he didn't stop after doing it?

Anyone?

No.

[firefighter]

I'm not surprised at all that it happened.

I AM surprised that he didn't stop however.....

Makes it seem suspicious......

[inlinefour]

Has either of you ever put in a few hundred hours behind the driving wheel of a very busy vehicle of that size? It would be really hard to know that you had hit someone if they was in a blind zone, or if you was also looking at traffic and trying to merge to drive on. Its sad that it happened, but it was an accident and Im sure the driver would have stopped, had he/she known that someone had been run over by their vehicle.

[SARGE]

Has either of you ever put in a few hundred hours behind the driving wheel of a very busy vehicle of that size? It would be really hard to know that you had hit someone if they was in a blind zone, or if you was also looking at traffic and trying to merge to drive on. Its sad that it happened, but it was an accident and Im sure the driver would have stopped, had he/she known that someone had been run over by their vehicle.

sorry IL4.. you do know we are talking about AUCKLAND busdrivers right? ..

(and yes i have put a few hundred hours behind the wheel of a vehicle that size on busy city streets and trying to do a 200 point turn in a parking lot surrounded by Lamborghinis and Ferraris)

[Blackshear]

""We think he was more focused on getting to the next stop on time rather than preserving evidence. But we're keeping an open mind on that."

Open mind? I seriously doubt that, Mr Kluessien. If you had an open mind, your statement would have been something along the lines of "We are not sure what happened, as we haven't interviewed the driver, yet. He may have not noticed or felt anything."

Damnit, Mully. Stop posting, I simply HAVE to reply!

[inlinefour]

sorry IL4.. you do know we are talking about AUCKLAND busdrivers right? ..

(and yes i have put a few hundred hours behind the wheel of a vehicle that size on busy city streets and trying to do a 200 point turn in a parking lot surrounded by Lamborghinis and Ferraris)

Yup and overall the driving up there is much better than the piss poor effort put in by road users in my area...

[Mully]

Has either of you ever put in a few hundred hours behind the driving wheel of a very busy vehicle of that size? It would be really hard to know that you had hit someone if they was in a blind zone, or if you was also looking at traffic and trying to merge to drive on. Its sad that it happened, but it was an accident and Im sure the driver would have stopped, had he/she known that someone had been run over by their vehicle.

Actually, in hindsight, I agree with some of what you say. I would hope that he would stop had he known he'd hit someone.

I have, however, witnessed bus drivers taking bumpers off cars (I put the note on the car cos the driver pissed off and have been forced out of my (legally occupied) lane by these guys.

The also *constantly* run red lights in the city (including lights controlling pedestrian crossings), and go through intersections when there is no room on the other side for them, thereby holding up all the other traffic when the lights change. In general (and I realise I'm probably tarring some people that I shouldn't) they are a terrible bunch of drivers. Some of that responsibility probably rests with the powers that be and their scheduling of the services.

Just out of curiousity, if you were in a bus going forwards, where is the blind spot that a pedestrian could be in to be knocked down? That wouldn't be seen by mirrors?

[firefighter]

Has either of you ever put in a few hundred hours behind the driving wheel of a very busy vehicle of that size? It would be really hard to know that you had hit someone if they was in a blind zone, or if you was also looking at traffic and trying to merge to drive on. Its sad that it happened, but it was an accident and Im sure the driver would have stopped, had he/she known that someone had been run over by their vehicle.

Well being a pump op' /driver i'd have to say yes........

Plus I used to drive airport crash trucks and drive a tanker part-time....
So i'm certainly aware of the very real possibility that he didn't even know....it was the cops words which insenuate he knew but kept on anyway which inspired my post.


I respond through traffic with less risk taking than the bus drivers up here dude..........seriously.....they are maniacal.....

They just are....

Mully is bang on above about them.

[avgas]

Bus hits girl.......anger at system

This is why i don't read the news anymore......its missing the "new" part

[GOONR]

Not sure if it was reported right or not but on the news this morning they said that he initially stopped then took off. IF that is right then he knew all to well what had happened.

Overall bus drivers in Auck are mental, push you out of a lane that you are entitled to be in, pull out of bus stops without indicating etc.. My mate's car was hit by a bus, the bus driver hadn't seen the temporary sign saying that it was Ok to use the lane we were in to go straight ahead (not normally allowed) so he just rammed the car thinking he was in the right and would get away with it. I went and took photo's of the sign etc, god his face changed then.

[Swoop]

Overall bus drivers in Auck are mental, push you out of a lane that you are entitled to be in, pull out of bus stops without indicating etc.

I was surprised by the novel approach by a few bus driver's in D'auckland.
Why use the nice bus-stop pull in bay (whattever ya call it) on the side of the road? I have seen busses simply stop in the left hand lane, blocking traffic completely, while the passengers walk from the footpath, across the pull in bay thingy, to where the bus is.
Lovely attitude to other road users.

[Skyryder]

It would depend at what point of the bus that hit the girl and at what speed the bus was travelling.
Anything forward or in close proximity of the driver may or may not be 'heard'

It is doubtfull that the humane body would render any kind of impact at a slowish speed to alert the driver.

Anywhere back from two thirds of the bus length then it is highly doubtfull that the driver would have been aware.

If however other passangers had alerted him to hitting the girl and he did not stop to check it out then he/she is rooted.


Skyryder

[Skyryder]

I was surprised by the novel approach by a few bus driver's in D'auckland.
Why use the nice bus-stop pull in bay (whattever ya call it) on the side of the road? I have seen busses simply stop in the left hand lane, blocking traffic completely, while the passengers walk from the footpath, across the pull in bay thingy, to where the bus is.
Lovely attitude to other road users.

Sounds like the driver is picking up passangers from the road. Iillegal and dangerouse not to mention inconsiderate too.


Skyryder

[Mully]

Why use the nice bus-stop pull in bay (whattever ya call it) on the side of the road? I have seen busses simply stop in the left hand lane, blocking traffic completely, while the passengers walk from the footpath, across the pull in bay thingy, to where the bus is.
Lovely attitude to other road users.

Indeed, have seen this happen also. Or they go half into the bay and can't be bothered going all the way in.

I particularly like when you have two of them on the same road, playing leapfrog around each other as they stop at alternating busstops. Holding up the traffic as the each force their way into the other lane. Happens too often on Gt Nth Road and Te Atatu Road.

EDIT: The report does indeed say that he stopped initally and *then* carried on again...... Interesting.

[Skyryder]

Just out of curiousity, if you were in a bus going forwards, where is the blind spot that a pedestrian could be in to be knocked down? That wouldn't be seen by mirrors?

If his mirrows are adjusted correctly there would not be one. However if the driver was pulling out from the kerb he would be concentrating on his right hand mirrow and keeping an eye out for a gap in traffic so that he can merg.

The correct way is to close the back door, check that the side is clear then concentrate on pulling out.

When I was doing timetable work I always held off closing the back door for a second or two to give the passanger time to clear the door.

However having said that it is surprisingly difficult to see someone that is close to the side of a bus due to the fact that there is difficulty in contrast from the passanger and the background.


Skyryder