Get to the root of the problem as to why that terrible accident happened. In my opinion (and I know my opinion doesn't count for shit), the root of the problem was that the operator's field of vision was blocked by the left mirror ...when it didn't have to be if the mirror was mounted in such a way as to NOT block an operator's crucial field of vision when making a left turn.
I don't blame that accident on the operator, I blame it on management. Most of the managers who have the decision-making capabilities have never driven a transit bus in service. Yet they proclaim to be experts at safety and believe it is wise to spend money on a talking bus rather than getting to "the root of the problem." They don't understand (the way I do ...one who has had several close calls making a left turn in a transit bus and almost running over pedestrians) that removing the obstructions that hinder an operators field of vision when making a left turn would virtually eliminate a left turn accident with a pedestrian. Sure, an operator can "bob and weave" and "rock and roll" before making a left turn but why SHOULD THEY HAVE TO when all that is necessary is to remove the unnecessary obstructions? There are so many other things that a transit operator needs to do while multitasking than to remember to "rock and roll" before making a left turn.
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| Authored by HH |
5 comments:
For anybody reading this, the words were mine and not Al's. I only say this because I don't want Al to take the criticism for being a lunatic on this issue. Although I think that Al agrees with me on this left mirror thing, I'm to blame for "ranting" on this problem and I will continue to do so until transit agencies, especially TriMet because of what happened in April of 2010, start to take some action not only to reposition the left mirror but to remove all obstructions that may block an operator's view when making left turns.
Training operators to bob-and-weave or rock-and-roll before making left turns is the easy way out. As said, transit operators have many more things on which to concentrate than to have the added burden to consciously remember to rock-and-roll before and while making a left turn when the obstruction that is making it necessary to rock-and-roll can easily be removed. Just one lapse of an operator not remembering to rock-and-roll could conceivably result in a collision with a pedestrian. Again, rock-and-rolling should NOT have to be necessary!
Talking buses are not the answer. Removing the obstructions that hinder an operator's field of vision is a much more responsible method of spending money in the quest for increased safety and for prevention of a left-turning bus not to come into contact with an innocent pedestrian. My opinion only ...and I know, my opinion doesn't mean much.
". . . is the easy [and less safe] way out."
FTFY
+1 Truth
Their response is to buy over a hundred busses with added obstructions.
HB
HH finally comes out of the closet.
"I only say this because I don't want Al to take the criticism for being a lunatic"
You're many many years too late for that! :-)
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