It was a sad sad day on January 2nd, 2004 when the Ontario Ministry of Transportation gave the TTC and all other Transit Operators in Ontario the "above the law" legislation, also know as "Yield to Bus", to basically do whatever they want on the roads, and to allow for them to never be blamed in any kind of traffic accident.Over the past couple of days, we've heard at least 3 incidents involving a Public Transit Bus Driver (either TTC or other), who killed a Pedestrian. Many people will say that it was an accident, but in truth, as soon as this "Yield to Bus" legislation came into effect, these Bus Drivers have been reaking havoc on the roads and its just getting worse and worse everyday.
(http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/752089--woman-dead-after-being-hit-by-bus) -> Killed due to bad visibility eh?... She was wearing dark clothing and therefore she got hit by the bus. Yeah. You blame the 60 year old woman because of the clothes she was wearing, and not the Bus Driver who doesn't care about anyone else on the road due to the Yield to Bus legislation...
(http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/01/14/12462236.html) -> Gurleen Thabal was killed around 6:30 a.m. Thursday when she was struck and dragged by a McMurchy bus as it pulled into the transit company’s terminal at the Shopper’s World Mall. -Not only struck, but dragged until it parked in the company's terminal?!!!
I can't count the number of times that I've been driving along, I see a Bus pulled over dropping off and taking on Passengers, and as soon as I'm about to go past them, they pull out without a seconds thought or concern, and I have to slam on the brakes to allow them to proceed. If not, I will be hit with a $90 ticket in the least.
It's not just that. So many times I've been driving along, and all of a sudden I have a bus pull right in front of me and sit there while waiting to complete it's left turn. No concern for the fact that I should have the right of way, and that I'm currently moving and it would be dangerous to just pull out in front of me. No... This is not the concern.
The concerns is that, oh, the Bus Driver will not make his/her schedule, so all other cars on the road better watch out. The Bus Driver has the ultimate right of way, and if we are in the way of him/her making their schedule, then we better be ready to either get hit, or face a fine.
What kind of Bullshit is this?!!!!!
And I'm sure it's not just me who's noticed how Bus Drivers have just become more and more ignorant of others on the road. I'm sure if you were to investigate the number of TTC-involved traffic incidents ever since the introduction of this "yield to bus" legislation, I'm sure you'll see that they've sky-rocketed.
You see, even though the law makes sense in some ways, it has had an adverse effect on the quality of driving that these TTC drivers apply. When a person is considered above the law, it usually results in them breaking the law all the time. If there are no consequences, then in actuality, it is ok. Why do they need to concern themselves with others on the road, when others should be watching for them?
This is the problem.
Lately, I've seen Bus Drivers running red lights, not stopping for emergency vehicles, making all kinds of driving mistakes that truly shouldn't be happening.
Yet am I surprised by this? No. Because our lawmakers gave them this power, and why should they be blamed for abusing it?
All I can say at this point is, FUCK THESE BUS DRIVERS and the Government that allows them to rule the road!!!
Just don't come back and wonder why all of these Pedestrians are getting killed by Public Transit. The day you took away accountability and gave them free-reign on the road, was the day that you put a death sentence on anyone other than Public Transit Drivers on our city streets.
--jackandcokewithalime
(image taken from:
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/faq/other.shtml#ytb6)
3 comments:
I agree with you fully!
I knew I wasn't the only one who felt that way!!
--jackandcokewithalime
Jack, I think you've had too much alcohol. "Yield to bus" is a good idea. In the same amount of road space that would typically carry one or two cars with one person per car, a bus would typically carry a dozen people. It makes no sense to let one or two drivers delay a bus with a dozen people. The only part of what you said that I agree with is that drivers should have 2-3 seconds warning to get out of the way. That could be accomplished with a "yield to bus" sign on the back of the bus, that starts flashing when the doors close. But, even without a flashing sign, a bus doesn't start moving very quickly, so drivers already have plenty of warning, it's just that they're used to ignoring it and trying to squeeze by. So you just need to step on the brake instead of trying to cut in front of a dozen people.
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