Bus seatbelts?

[Paul in NZ]

I’m confused. Don’t worry, its probably my natural state but in particular I’m confused why in the wake of the school bus accident the media are asking questions about seat belts in busses? Granted it may have reduced the injury a little (or a lot) but fails to address the primary cause of the accident. The bus got rammed up the jacksee by an unladen logging truck.

Our own experience earlier in the year of being repeatedly passed by unladen trucks in that area and in one case almost forced into a bridge abutment does tend to make one jump to conclusions. Sure I was probably ‘asking for it’ by being a stranger in the area and merely romping along at a sluggish 100kph in the dodgy Camry BUT running into the back of anything surely the law is clear?

So why the heck isn’t anyone investigating the notorious driving standards of these guys?

[James Deuce]

If you're going to knee jerk in response to this accident how about parking up the entire logging truck fleet, check them for road worthiness, go through every driver's log book and drug test every single driver?

[imdying]

If you're going to knee jerk in response to this accident how about parking up the entire logging truck fleet, check them for road worthiness, go through every driver's log book and drug test every single driver?

Shit James, you'd stop with only the logging truck drivers? Plenty more crazy P fueled truckies out there!

[Paul in NZ]

If you're going to knee jerk in response to this accident how about parking up the entire logging truck fleet, check them for road worthiness, go through every driver's log book and drug test every single driver?

Are you having an especially trying day Jim? not knee jerking and I dont think for a minute they are not road worthy, in fact they out drove and powered the Camry easily so I assume these are stonking things to drive. I'm just trying to understand why the media are focussing on the seatbelt thing when the cause of the accident goes un mentioned. It seems silly.

The truck ran into the back of the bus on a straight bit of road..... um...... Either the bus has got amazing brakes or the truck driver was closing waaay to fast or (insert anyone of a 100 things here)

[Stirts]

While we are at playing the "emotional and fanatical reaction" game, as per the media right now....what about the bus driver?

I have seen plenty of fuck-tardish-I-own-the-farking-road-I-am-pulling-out-here-pulling-over-there-and-don't-give-a-rats-arse-if-you-have-to-swerve driving behavour from bus drivers.


EDIT:
Transport Minister Steven Joyce said ....
"the accident was tragic, but would not commit to changes such as compulsory safety belts on school buses" (who is going to ensure that the little kiddies can actually put the seatbelts on? The bus driver? Run the risk of getting a kiddie fiddler accusation...I think not)

"Obviously it was a tragic accident yesterday and we've just got to wait and give the police serious crash unit an opportunity to investigate what actually happened and how the accident occurred,'' he said. (which apparently takes a month )

Mr Joyce said it was too early to comment on whether logging trucks should be banned from school bus routes between 3pm and 4pm on school days. (SERIOUSLY??!!! This is a actually a consideration?!!!)

[James Deuce]

Are you having an especially trying day Jim?

Not pointed at you. It was pointed at "The Media".

[pete376403]

Seat belts aren't going to do much for all the kids standing in the aisle. According to one of the passengers the bus was standing room only.

[Paul in NZ]

Seat belts aren't going to do much for all the kids standing in the aisle. According to one of the passengers the bus was standing room only.

Exactly - some trips home on da bus when da train aint working (again) have been horrificly squashed in.... seat belts???

[Indiana_Jones]

Mr Joyce said it was too early to comment on whether logging trucks should be banned from school bus routes between 3pm and 4pm on school days. (SERIOUSLY??!!! This is a actually a consideration?!!!)

Welcome to the new and improved PC western world.

If something goes wrong, sod the fact it's a one in some-silly-huge-number-here event.....Ban it.

It's just useless feel good BS to show the serfs that we're fixing it....

....lest they gain literacy and threaten the landed gentry

-Indy

[James Deuce]

Welcome to the new and improved PC western world.

If something goes wrong, sod the fact it's a one in some-silly-huge-number-here event.....Ban it.

It's just useless feel good BS to show the serfs that we're fixing it....

....lest they gain literacy and threaten the landed gentry

-Indy

It may be that mr Joyce is entirely cognisant of the state of some of the truck drivers on NZ roads and how they drive.
This could be an entirely common sense approach to drug raddled truck drivers and school buses staying away from
each other.

This approach would minimize the economic damage of jailing 90% of logging truck drivers for DUI, drug dealing, and ignoring their log book.

[Road kill]

It may be that mr Joyce is entirely cognisant of the state of some of the truck drivers on NZ roads and how they drive.
This could be an entirely common sense approach to drug raddled truck drivers and school buses staying away from
each other.

This approach would minimize the economic damage of jailing 90% of logging truck drivers for DUI, drug dealing, and ignoring their log book.

Fuck, your full of shit.

[James Deuce]

Fuck, your full of shit.

Yes, I know I am, but what are you?

[thehovel]

Don't start me on milk tankers!!!!!!!
Regards Richard

[Banditbandit]

While we are at playing the "emotional and fanatical reaction" game, as per the media right now....what about the bus driver?

I have seen plenty of fuck-tardish-I-own-the-farking-road-I-am-pulling-out-here-pulling-over-there-and-don't-give-a-rats-arse-if-you-have-to-swerve driving behavour from bus drivers.

I won't defend bus drivers - I've seen way to many idiots as you describe ..

In this case (from reports in Whakatane, where I work) the bus driver was pulling over to allow children off. The reason why the kid labelled the hero in the media was first off the bus was that he was close to the door because the bus was slowing for his stop. So it looks like it was all the truck driver's fault - he ran into a slowing school bus

Second, from the reports here (in Whakatane) the child in critical care in Starship Hospital is the grand-daughter of the bus driver ... that means the bus driver is probably related to half the kids on the bus - if not all. I'm sure you would not play "fuck-tardish-I-own-the-farking-road-I-am-pulling-out-here-pulling-over-there-and-don't-give-a-rats-arse-if-you-have-to-swerve driving" with your own grandchildren and other relations - why would he?

So yes, in general terms you make a point - in this specific case, I doubt it .. all the truckie's fault as far as I can see.

[Maha]

Save them all...compulsary home schooling.....fixed..