What to do when you see a school bus

[snyper316]

Here is something interesting because no one seems to know what to do besides me. I am still fuming over being rearended while I stopped for a school bus I was right in front of state farm stopped for a bus. Here is copy of google maps exact location I stopped.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.0839035,-94.464939,3a,75y,97.31h,88.05t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sC0pIymsFJd7wO0p9X77oLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[SpencerPJ]

In Indiana, unless their is a concrete median strip, you must stop both directions. With your picture, we must stop.

[snyper316]

I know my truck can be fixed granted the girl had insurance, it appeared like she did but something else was going on there and the cop figured that out real quick and I was trying to remember when the special circumstance comes in where you don't have to stop. Here is the photo of the back of my truck. I am just thankful no one was seriously hurt. I was really pissed when I got out of my truck and seen her take a baby out so first thing to her was is your baby ok she tells me know the brakes wouldn't work!! She also had to people get out of her truck and take off running. I am still trying to figure out I was hit in the rear how my drivers door is kinda jacked, and earlier when I was making a turn I felt something odd like a front tire wobblin... I am seriously debating on putting the bike up for sale, I could have been killed if I had been on it!!

 

Anyone got an Idea how to get my lift gate open?

[cimmer]

Glad you are ok.. and from the picture, you had to stop for the school bus no matter what lane he was in as this isnt a divided highway. I have always been trained that you must stop back of the school bus when the red lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended out.

 

I am thinking you will need to get the bummer pushed back down before you can pop open the rear hatch. You might need to use a pry bar to open it but I am sure whoever fixes it is going to replace the rear hatch anyway.

 

Good luck.

 

Rick F.

[Flyinfool]

I did not vote because the question does not say what state the bus is in. Just because a school bus stops does not mean that you have to stop. You only have to stop if the red lights are flashing on the bus. In the case of the link you posted, if the buses red lights are flashing, then all 4 lanes must stop. Around here, when the school buses are in town they only turn on the yellow hazard flashers while loading or unloading. I guess they figure that city kids know how to look for traffic? But you do not have to stop for these buses. I do slow down and pass with great care but do not stop.

 

In Wisconsin the law says that on a divided highway the oncoming traffic does not have to stop, the state definition of a divided highway is if there is a median that has a height difference of more than 1.5 inches from the roadway. There is a 4 lane "divided highway near here that is always under controversy. It is raised an average of 1.4 inches. Now just how many people have eyes calibrated that good. The sheriff often will follow the school bus and loves handing out tickets on that road. They have now posted signage that states traffic in both directions must stop for flashing red school bus.

 

On the other hand I have seen cars swerve around and pass a flashing red school bus on the RIGHT shoulder at near full highway speed. Fortunately the kids all had already stepped thru the bus door and out of the way.

[XV1100SE]

... I am seriously debating on putting the bike up for sale, I could have been killed if I had been on it!!...

 

The driver of the other vehicle couldn't see the back of your truck....maybe you need a bigger vehicle ....painted a bright colour....with flashing lights. Wait... that would describe a school bus....which obviously she didn't see that either.

 

If you are going to worry about whether other people see you or run into you, now isn't any different than years ago. It is up to you to pay attention to what is around you and take countermeasures and be prepared. You have to drive defensively (and also a little on the aggressive side). Be prepared for other people to do stupid things. My comment above....If they don't see the back of your truck then going bigger isn't going to make any difference.

 

I look at it this way...when your number is up, then it's your time. You could live in a secluded place, never go anywhere, never do anything, live in the forest miles from civilization....but then a tree could fall on you. (watch the movies "Final Destination"). I'm not going to stop riding for fear that "something" might happen. "Something" could happen driving my car to work....maybe I shouldn't go to work? Hmmmmm......not a bad idea !

 

Not picking on you. Just saying that I wouldn't stop riding or doing what I enjoy because of one accident that wasn't your fault. Maybe if you were on your bike you would have seen her coming and taken actions to get out of her way.

 

On the drivers door....impact on the back pushed the box forward, maybe bent the frame or unibody enough. Make sure you get the truck properly inspected for alignment and seriously looked at as to why the door is affected. You might be looking at getting the truck written off.

[baylensman]

i've had a license in several states over the years. The rule in all three of them has been the same ALWAYS STOP except on a divided hwy with a median ( i believe PA said that the median had to be a barrier). There are 100's of videos on you tube about people going around school buses.

[snyper316]

Not picking on you. Just saying that I wouldn't stop riding or doing what I enjoy because of one accident that wasn't your fault. Maybe if you were on your bike you would have seen her coming and taken actions to get out of her way.

 

On the drivers door....impact on the back pushed the box forward, maybe bent the frame or unibody enough. Make sure you get the truck properly inspected for alignment and seriously looked at as to why the door is affected. You might be looking at getting the truck written off.

 

I seen her coming I let off the brake about all I had time to do. I honestly didn't know what to do I was stopped for a [emoji590].

 

Ride like your invisible, not invincible. Never ride faster then your angle can fly. I am as free as the wind on my face, ride to live and live to ride.

[snyper316]

i've had a license in several states over the years. The rule in all three of them has been the same ALWAYS STOP except on a divided hwy with a median ( i believe PA said that the median had to be a barrier). There are 100's of videos on you tube about people going around school buses.

People here figure he is going westbound and they are going eastbound they won't even blink just keep barreling thru. I had made a comment about a week ago one of these days someone gonna get into an accident following the law. Its like they didn't see his flashing yellow him come to stop and extend a stop sign with red blinking lights. This is what bothers me more then my truck getting messed up.

 

Ride like your invisible, not invincible. Never ride faster then your angle can fly. I am as free as the wind on my face, ride to live and live to ride.

[snyper316]

People here figure he is going westbound and they are going eastbound they won't even blink just keep barreling thru. I had made a comment about a week ago one of these days someone gonna get into an accident following the law. Its like they didn't see his flashing yellow him come to stop and extend a stop sign with red blinking lights. This is what bothers me more then my truck getting messed up.

 

Ride like your invisible, not invincible. Never ride faster then your angle can fly. I am as free as the wind on my face, ride to live and live to ride.

So called to try and get insurance info and told the cop that No one stopped for that school bus but me he precedes to tell me that oncoming traffic doesn't have to stop since there is a turn lane there!! Really what in the hell. When I took my test you had to stop for school busses 26 yrs ago... But I was still stopped I hadn't slammed on my brakes. But I was stationary waiting for the stop sign to go back in...

 

Ride like your invisible, not invincible. Never ride faster then your angle can fly. I am as free as the wind on my face, ride to live and live to ride.

[Kretz]

We recently had quite a news/ media campaign here in BC about just that. It showed many video examples (taken from the buses) of drivers ignoring the STOP sign & flashing lights. Now buses are being equipped with cameras to catch violators.

I do wonder though if this procedure encourages (or even trains) kids to wander out into the road without looking, by giving them a sense of immunity. (eg I can't get hit 'cause the cars have to stop!)

I have often come to right turns & kids walking parallel with me will just walk into the road without even checking to see if there's a vehicle.

I was brought up to stop at the kerb, actively look for traffic & then cross quickly. Again in this Province "kids" (well, adults too) just wander into the road with impunity, assume a motorist WILL stop & always have that "You daren't touch me" look on their faces. No point saying anything, you just get verbal abuse.

& don't even get me started on the frickin' cyclists!

 

PS I would query the cop's statement. Turn lane or not the kids from that bus could walk across that road in either direction. Maybe the arguement is that the turn lane makes it a divided highway? But it's not! Like I said, kids could walk either way unimpeded across that road.

Edited March 13, 2018 by Kretz

[luvmy40]

I'd have stopped, turn lane or no turn lane. Unless it's a divide road way, you stop in both directions.

 

It shouldn't matter for the insurance claim. Regardless of the school bus, the other driver is at fault. I don't know of any place that would cite you for being rear ended unless you had cut the other driver off or turned in front and even then only if they didn't hit you square on, indicating they had no time to react.

[7 lakes]

I'd have stopped, turn lane or no turn lane. Unless it's a divide road way, you stop in both directions.

 

It shouldn't matter for the insurance claim. Regardless of the school bus, the other driver is at fault. I don't know of any place that would cite you for being rear ended unless you had cut the other driver off or turned in front and even then only if they didn't hit you square on, indicating they had no time to react.

 

Yeah, what he said.

 

In WA it wouldn't matter why you stopped, the driver behind is responsible for maintaining awareness and a following distance which will allow a safe stop if the driver in front has to make a sudden stop. The presence of the school bus would either be moot or act in your favor, as the driver behind should have taken the school bus into account in their evaluation of the situation.

 

Tim

[camos]

On rural roads around here, the school buses will put on their red flashing lights and extend the stop sign when stopping on the road or partially off the road. Both lanes of traffic must stop. Sometimes they will pull into a transit bus drop off point which gets them totally off the road and they don't turn on their flashers or stop sign. In that case it is legal to pass them but always a good idea to moderate your speed.