Bus drivers are bad drivers

Reading this article from the Chicago Tribune was shocking and not shocking at the same time. A bus driving through someone's home? Wow, that's crazy! Can I imagine any of my bus drivers doing the same? Yes.

Just the other day one driver (who I often refer to as Angry White Haired Guy) blatantly drove through a red light by Duquesne University. Student pedestrians on the sidewalk were all shooting him enraged looks as he pulls right through throngs of people attempting to cross the street--he drove right through the red light. I've been in the bus with this same driver when he was involved in a bit of a fender bender in Oakland. He has road rage and thinks because his vehicle is bigger than most of the others, he can drive however he wants. It's definitely a bit disturbing at times.

Cell Phones

Msnbc.com did this article last week on regulating cell phone use by bus drivers and truck drivers. I know I've been on a bus where the driver is on their cell phone and it does make me a bit nervous, especially when their driving usually makes me nervous without a cell phone distracting them. I've even seen school bus drivers chatting away on their cells while kids fill the seats behind them. It just doesn't seem like a good idea. In fact, talking on your cell phone as a passenger isn't a good idea either because you're in pretty close quarters and no one wants to hear your business, and it's always the most inappropriate business that fellow riders are shouting into their phones while the people next to them pretend not to notice.

Unless it's really important and can't wait, just stay off the phone on the bus--drivers and passengers alike.