Good thing this happened in Europe

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Because your typical drum brake on all 5 axles tractor trailer combo in North America would have ran over this kid.
The Euro school bus and the fact the drivers aren't stopping is a concern in itself.
 
Why doesn't the school bus have 'STOP' signs like here?....especially on a main road like that.
If that was my son....and he was killed...I wouldn't be very happy with the school bus driver.
 
I think in most European countries, the kids walk or take public transportation. They don't use a school bus.

Drum brakes on trucks here can stop quite well.
 
In my area kids can't cross the road when getting to/from the school bus. The bus should stop on both sides of the road. That was impressive braking but my fleet of drum brake semi's do have enough power to lock up the axles when braking, would be fun to test it.
 
What is the bus driver supposed to do?. Get out and shepherd the kids across the road?. Don't forget he has other kids on board he (or she) is responsible for. Save your ire for the authorities who haven't initiated a similar system to the USA (and Canada?).
I do agree everywhere should have a code requiring traffic to stop for school buses loading and unloading. I doubt the truck was travelling much over 25mph btw, and was probably prepared to stamp on his brakes. Many trucks have abs in Europe, do many in North America?.

Claud.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I think in most European countries, the kids walk or take public transportation. They don't use a school bus.


A very large proportion are ferried to and from school by parents. That in itself has become a problem, in part because of perking, and also because once the parent has their own kids on board the barrel off trying to clear a path through the congestion caused by all the other parents collecting their kids......

Claud.
 
In America they would be dead because the driver would've been texting and never even touched the brakes until 3 miles further down the road.
 
The bus had turned off its warning lights and started to move again. The law in the USA is that you can't pass a school bus until the lights have been turned off and it has moved forward from the stop. What the truck did would be legal.

Kids are supposed to cross in front of the bus while it is still stopped with the lights on. If they go around to the back of the bus like these did, neither the bus driver nor oncoming traffic can see that they intend to cross the road.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
In America they would be dead because the driver would've been texting and never even touched the brakes until 3 miles further down the road.

Woah, Woah

Let's back down a bit:

What happen with teaching the kids how to safely cross the road???

Like, look, listen, check left right couple times, then cross if safe?

They teach me this in a communist east Europe country 35 year ago....
 
I was definitely told at kindergarten age to look both ways before going into the street for any reason, and always go around the front of the school bus.

At college there were city buses, and they had to remind some freshmen that traffic DOES NOT stop for them like it does for school buses.
 
All sorts of fail in Norway in this situation.

If a child crosses in the USA they go in front of the bus only and bus remains with school bus lights flashing. Our laws dictate you must stop for obvious reasons.

The bus driver took off and child ran behind bus.

Hopefully these folks can learn something.
 
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
In America they would be dead because the driver would've been texting and never even touched the brakes until 3 miles further down the road.

Woah, Woah

Let's back down a bit:

What happen with teaching the kids how to safely cross the road???

Like, look, listen, check left right couple times, then cross if safe?

They teach me this in a communist east Europe country 35 year ago....


Child likely did look but a large bus was blocking their way. Listen does not work well with large diesel exhaust.
 
Well if you're looking but you can't tell if someone's oncoming in the left lane or not because there is a bus in the way, you wait.
 
In the U.S. school buses have a front stop arm that requires the kids to walk well out in front of the bus so the bus driver can see them cross. Only 4 small warning lights on the back of the bus. In the U.S. school buses have huge amber and red flashing lights front and back. The red car goes by the bus while the kids are exiting the bus, and why are the kids crossing the road BEHIND the bus? Several potentially deadly scenarios happening here, and yes the truck should have slowed when approaching the stopped bus.
 
The arm on the front is a recent thing. In my school years the buses didn't have them. They did have fisheye mirrors on the front corners of the hood to see if anyone was in the blind spot right in front of the bus, but the driver didn't always check them and a few kids were run over.

Again a kindergarten rule-- before walking out in front of any vehicle that is stopped but not parked, make eye contact with the driver.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
In America they would be dead because the driver would've been texting and never even touched the brakes until 3 miles further down the road.

Woah, Woah

Let's back down a bit:

What happen with teaching the kids how to safely cross the road???

Like, look, listen, check left right couple times, then cross if safe?

They teach me this in a communist east Europe country 35 year ago....



Good one.
lol.gif


I agree though. When I grew up my parents taught me the same thing. Even walking or riding my bike on the road, I stood basically on the shoulder when I heard a car coming. Now kids walk three wide down the street or ride their bikes in the middle of the street. A few nights ago I almost hit a kid riding his bike on the yellow line at 9:30 at night wearing dark clothing.
 
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