Its always the bus driver's fault....

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  1. #131

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    For the 30th times or so.....some people are paid to investigate. Can we let them do their work, wait for the results and then comment

    Btw, for the ones claiming bus drivers to not have pressure, please read SCMP from yesterday where KMB union were blaming very tight schedules (i am NOT saying they are right, just saying some of them at least feel they are under pressure).

    Mat, I think for those of us who use buses we do have a right to comment as we are in these buses all the time.

    They probably have very tight schedules but those drivers who drive unnecessarily fast in non-rush are 'bus captains gone crazy' and this is wrong. It happens far too frequently and I don't believe later at night this has anything to do with a tight schedule, just how they want to drive.

    They also rest in many terminals too for those who have never seen a terminal. It is not an easy job but it seems to me for HK it is a good job. I am sure on some routes they feel pressure if they are on timed runs and being timed. I won't take the 691 bus from Macau Ferry to Kwun Tong in rush hour (go MTR as it is cheaper with the fare saver) because he can't get out of Central for what seems far too long and then from Tin Hau to North Point it is like a fast ride in a square wheeled chariot as it looks like the bus captain is trying to make up time. I want to read the paper but can't as I am hanging on and bouncing around. There are many other very smooth bus rides on highways and I take those too. 720 to and from Shau Kei Wan is usually just fine when I take it.

    There is no excuse for turning one of these buses over if you drive at a speed safe for the road and the road conditions unless maybe the vehicle is defective. To avoid being negligent you must drive at a speed that anticipates unforeseen problems like oil slicks, pot holes or stopped vehicles where they shouldn't be.

    In vehicle speeds the 85th percentile rule used by engineers basically says that 85% of the drivers will find the correct speed for the road and conditions and that they don't need a posted speed limit to find it. It is the other 15% like a speeding bus captain you worry about.

  2. #132

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    Quote Originally Posted by Football16:
    Mat, I think for those of us who use buses we do have a right to comment as we are in these buses all the time.

    They probably have very tight schedules but those drivers who drive unnecessarily fast in non-rush are 'bus captains gone crazy' and this is wrong. It happens far too frequently and I don't believe later at night this has anything to do with a tight schedule, just how they want to drive.

    They also rest in many terminals too for those who have never seen a terminal. It is not an easy job but it seems to me for HK it is a good job. I am sure on some routes they feel pressure if they are on timed runs and being timed. I won't take the 691 bus from Macau Ferry to Kwun Tong in rush hour (go MTR as it is cheaper with the fare saver) because he can't get out of Central for what seems far too long and then from Tin Hau to North Point it is like a fast ride in a square wheeled chariot as it looks like the bus captain is trying to make up time. I want to read the paper but can't as I am hanging on and bouncing around. There are many other very smooth bus rides on highways and I take those too. 720 to and from Shau Kei Wan is usually just fine when I take it.

    There is no excuse for turning one of these buses over if you drive at a speed safe for the road and the road conditions unless maybe the vehicle is defective. To avoid being negligent you must drive at a speed that anticipates unforeseen problems like oil slicks, pot holes or stopped vehicles where they shouldn't be.

    In vehicle speeds the 85th percentile rule used by engineers basically says that 85% of the drivers will find the correct speed for the road and conditions and that they don't need a posted speed limit to find it. It is the other 15% like a speeding bus captain you worry about.
    Thanks, I know all this and I take the bus everyday (minibus and double decker bus - used to take the 962 but since moving I know take the 115 so please no lecture on "we take the bus and you don't". I also have seen a terminal - don't think you guys are the only gweilos taking the bus in HK - and I know that many drivers drive like maniac.

    That being said, I wasn't there when that accident happened and while there is high chances the driver is at fault I would refrain form saying "Hang Him" or "he killed them" until a full investigation is out. that is all I am saying. (what if we discover he was speeding because the vehicle had engine / breaks problems??)

  3. #133

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    Quote Originally Posted by MovingIn07:
    I don't think anyone is taking his side. I think all Aussiegal is doing, and I agree with her, is saying let's not lynch the guy before we have all the facts. I see this all the time in the media, and perhaps this case is not a good example as you seem to have got better information from your reports, but usually the media just takes one side of a story and blows it out of all proportion without looking at the other side. THIS really annoys me, even if somebody is wrong, they deserve to have their side of the story told, so that we can all see the full picture. That's all. In my work in Australia I advised Governments on various policy decisions regarding electricity, and every so often the media would decide to run a story on the issue, and the stuff they wrote and the angles they took were designed SOLELY to sell newspapers and had no basis in fact whatsoever. Ever since that time I've been very dubious of reports in newspapers on any subject because when I could see the full story myself and compare it with the media reports, the gaps are really quite scary.
    I agree with you and aussiegal that we need to have all the facts before we can judge the guy, which is why we are not the jury I'm just expressing my opinions on the matter based on what we've seen and experienced.

    And I quite agree the media is almost always wrong. Having made front page in my local Times Colonist in the past, and the paper got just about every thing wrong in the article, I found it quite amusing, and was glad the police didn't take their sensational side. (the police and my roommates had a good laugh together in my basement ... oh fond memories!)

    Quote Originally Posted by Mat:
    (what if we discover he was speeding because the vehicle had engine / breaks problems??)
    Then the first thing that came out of his mouth would have been, "the frogging engine/ breaks went haywire," instead of "there was oil slick on the road."

  4. #134

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    Kids are out again red blobbing - "so you always make the right decisions?"

    No I don't which is why I am broke I guess. But I have never been responsible for someone's death (as far as I am aware).

    On the papers - it's funny isn't it that whenever anyone (including myself) is written up in the paper it is always wrong and yet we keep reading the garbage.


  5. #135

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    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    Kids are out again red blobbing - "so you always make the right decisions?"
    Let's have a show and tell!

    no that's not what she is saying. read her comments properly before showing your stupidity
    I suspect the name-calling red blobber didn't read her original statement blaming the bus company (for no apparent reason) instead of the driver.

    what a bloody ridiculous comment. how shameful of you
    I imagine the blobber refers to the Nazi statement, which is silly because I was arguing against making excuses for bad behaviors. What the Nazi did was bad, no matter how "relativistic" your moral is. So I'm not excusing the Nazis and don't feel particularly shameful, thank you.

  6. #136

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    I am pretty sure who the Phantom red blobber is, whenever I get one you can be sure he has also posted on that thread around the same time as the red blob appears. Even if I say something slightly different to him I can pretty much expect a red blob to follow. Pathetic really. On the other hand I could be totally wrong and blaming the wrong person (you see I can make mistakes)


  7. #137

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    The style of comment that accompanies the red blobs is pretty consistent. Maybe there is more than one Fluffy Bunny Rabbit though.


    Also this is a 'message-board' - if no one posted opinions about stuff and we waited for the official reports it would be 'a board'.

    - Not so much fun to read.


  8. #138

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    Talking about red blobbing, I got this one today...

    "Don't give French people a bad name on GEO Mat, you suck !"

    As if my nationality played a role in this. Btw to the redblobber, when I red (or green) blob, I sign. Show your courage and do the same.


  9. #139

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    Boo hoo sniff sniff red blobs, green blobs... Who frickin' cares about what anonymous morons have to say?

    Oh no! gosh, golly... I might get red blobbed. Whatever will I do?

    Yes the driver will obviously be investigated and that is what will determine his fate. By the facts we do know, it seems that he was irresponsible and whether he was stressed or not doesn't excuse the accident, it may explain it but in the end, he drives the bus and he has most of the responsibility unless there was a mechanical problem which seems very unlikely at this point.


  10. #140

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    gilles, i wanted to green blob you but, sadly, i "have to spread the reputation around"... sorry!