I was backing into a place off the street one time and had a four-wheeler actually drive over a few dozen feet of sidewalk to get around me while I was in motion, backing in. That was a new one...

 

Yeah four-wheelers do a lot of stupid things out there. I often ask myself are they fools? or do they merely lack common sense?

 

Yes

 

First of all... Look at the size of the cars today... They have room for two kids, the dog, the cat, the canary, two suitcases, a potted plant, and... no, they don't have room for common sense... That's going to have to stay home.

I wish they still had the show "STREET SMARTS" on TV. It was about the best example of America's intelligence I've ever seen.

Example:
Question: What does it mean when they say someone is a VIP?

Answer: It means that person only has a few weeks to live.

 

I believe before a new liscense is issued and all liscenses are renewed 4-wheeler drivers should have to take a written exam on how to behave around any large bus or truck. Strange that it may seem, but the general 4-wheeler driving public is not educated enough on the dangers of sharing the road with an 18-wheeler, and yes there are the truly stupid, no amount of educating is gonna help. I believe also the general driving public should be held to the same kind of standards the trucking industry uses, for instance using preventables and non preventables to determine if they are allowed to continue driving. I'm paying $172 for the bare basic auto insurance coverage,monthly, and have never had an accident in a truck or car in my life. Now some jackwipe down the block has had 3 accidents in 2 years, get him off the road, if like 2 of them were preventables, and lower my payments.

 

I was backing up to hook my trl that was at a dock and looking in the left mirror when all of a sudden a guy comes running out from between! :shock: I didn't see him till he came out and was REAL close to bumping the trailer. I was so stunned I just sat there for a second before setting the brakes and takeing a look behind me 3-4 feetof room! the other guyacted like it was no big deal :evil:

 

Was it a dock worker in his car? Or did other cars come through the area? If it was a dock worker they should know better.

 

Fair? Did someone tell you life was fair? You choose to be a professional driver, so yes you have much more resposibility than the 16-90 year olds behind the wheel. And you have to constantly watch and try to out think them. Just yesterday, I was in the right turn lane, signaling to make a turn and some dumb blonde in a mini van full of kids makes a right turn from the left lane right in front of me. No signal, nothing. They don't think at all. And yes if I had hit her it would be a preventable.

The "best" bus accident story however, happened about a week ago. Bus stopped, loading passengers. A man running on foot across 4 lanes of traffic runs into the side of the bus. Knocked himself out cold. Blood all over the side of the bus from his face. Told the police he didn't see the 40 foot transit bus sitting there. When asked if he'd been drinking, he replied "oh yeah, all day". And yes, I had to fill out an Accident report, and take a breathalyzer and drug test. Company policy.

I'm sure in review it will be "preventable" because as I'm loading passengers and taking fares, bus in neautral and parking brake on, I'm also supposed to be able to watch 360 degrees around the bus.
I truly beleive that transit busses become "invisible" to people. They see them so much, they don't see them.