The day I took the bus to work


Kit

Senior Member
Jan 19, 2002
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Upper Bukit Timah
www.arkitecturalphotography.com
Well, heavy vehicles are in the limelight for the past few months for all the wrong reasons. I would like to hare my experience with you folks. I witnessed an incident. Yes, you guessed it. Involved an SMRT bus.

Today is one of those days where I decided to take public transport to work. I was travelling home on service 985. At around 7:05pm, the bus exited PIE and was on Jalan Anak Bukit. Subsequently, it made a large sweeping turn onto Upper Bulit Timah Road, just before the Shell station. At the same time, a group of pedestrians were waiting for the lights to turn green outside Bukit Timah Plaza to cross over to Ngee Ann Poly. Now if you know that junction well, you will know that the bus had the right of way at the moment. Just when the bus was completing the turn into Upper Bukit Timah Road and picking up speed, an individual dashed out from the group of pedestrians and across the road. I SAW HIM DASHED ACROSS THE ROAD! This individual did not leave my sight until he ran to the front of the bus. Passengers on the bus were screaming for his life! I thought to myself.......... the bus must have creamed him....... and I was bracing myself for that E brake.

Surprisingly, the bus came to a stop relatively gently and I saw him lying on the road next to the bus. He then stood up on his own, hand holding his face and obviously in shock. Several pedestrians helped him to the side of the road, including the bus driver. This is a 5-lane major road at peak hour so he was also endangering the life of his samaritans. The driver then ran back to the bus and told us the service was disrupted. He then pulled the bus over to the side of the road and we alighted. His face was as white as ghost. So were the dozens of pedestrians and passengers who saw the damn thing happened.

I have read about all the major accidents involving heavy vehicles and the stereotypical reaction some folks have about those involved. "He must be speeding. He must have beaten the lights. Ban heavy vehicles from the roads." The list goes on. What I am sharing here is my own first hand experience. It is not always the drivers' fault, I've said this before. In case you folks start questioning about the bus driver's nationality, he spoke decent english with a local accent. You might ask why am I able to remember so much details? That's because the bus could not have been travelling at more than 40km/h at that time.

I will be calling SMRT tomorrow and offer myself as a witness to the incident if necessary.

Food for thought.
 

Likewise the other day on SMRT bus, last bus stop before going into Bukit Batok Interchange. Bus starts picking up speed gradually after traffic light turns green. Bell rings so going into the last bus stop. suddenly an elderly fell flat as he goes the the front to alight. Another uncle (not relate to him I think) scream at the driver for jamming the brakes. Saying he want to complain.

I told that uncle that the bus was not speeding n driver did not jam the brakes. Other passengers also said so. He give me the WTF look, than alighted.

At the Interchange, a lady volunteered to be the witness n gave her contact to the driver. She asked if I m will to be the 2nd witness, so I too gave my contact.
 

^
Hahahaha
That was unexpected!
What a punch line haha
 

I do believe there are good bus drivers around, but one can't deny that there are bad ones too.

After few accidents, one can't say all bus drivers are bad. Same as after few time witnessing gracious bus drivers one can't say all bus drivers are angels.

I guess we just have to treat each individual incidents separately.
 

My point being, if you were not there and saw what happened, keep those stereotypical responses checked. Doesn't do any good to anyone. Admittedly, I have also gone through that stereotypical phase before. We are all learning.
 

Ooh forgot to comment on the actual post!

Good on you Kit. I’ve met this masseuse at the foot reflexology center who used to be a relief driver (sit around the depot, drive to interchange which is shorthanded and take over any route)
Have heard him speak of nasty unreasonable passengers, who try to take advantage of their company-enforced calm and polite demeanour
Plus they get sent to the docks easily when complaints come in, and investigations usually don’t turn out in their favour
Not many passengers will come forward to and it becomes a your-word-against-mine situation
 

Good to see all you guys come forward to be witnesses to the incidents.

Bravo!
 

I think this case was pretty clear. The guy had dashed across the road when the bus had the right of way. The bus driver was just plain unfortunate. Any other vehicle could have hit the guy. There should be no lack of witnesses given the number of passengers on the bus(about 30 to 40) and the pedestrians(about a dozen) waiting at the crossing. I gave them my contacts just in case.
 

reminds me of an accident where a very arrogant chap on an expensive sports bike and gopro on his helmet arrived at the scene 5 minutes after and demanded to know what was going on when he saw the biker lying injured on the ground: that injured biker had slammed into my bike, and then hit 2 other vehicles after the collision with me: a taxi and another car.

straightaways he started shouting and scolding the taxi driver and his passenger for not watching out for the injured biker and causing the accident. then he turned to me and demanded to know our particulars.

and just as i was about to start shouting at him, a Traffic Police officer showed up and before we could say anything, he went over, and claimed to be a witness to the whole thing, which he definitely wasn't. he started accusing the car drivers for the accident.

i told the officer that the guy didn't even see jack shite and he appeared a few minutes after the accident. all this while the arrogant jackass was jabbing his finger all over the place.

then the officer calmly said to him "Sir, is that your motorcycle behind? if it is, please leave the scene right now or i'll have you booked for blocking traffic and obstructing a police officer" (the arrogant guy had parked his bike 20 meters behind the scene).

the guy gave us an incredulous look as if he was being slandered for "helping" and decided against it then left after warning the police officer that he'll complain about his attitude.

sheesh.
 

then the officer calmly said to him "Sir, is that your motorcycle behind? if it is, please leave the scene right now or i'll have you booked for blocking traffic and obstructing a police officer" (the arrogant guy had parked his bike 20 meters behind the scene).

closing word shdn't be sheesh, but shd be pwned, and plus an evil smirk.... :bsmilie:
 

I think this case was pretty clear. The guy had dashed across the road when the bus had the right of way. The bus driver was just plain unfortunate. Any other vehicle could have hit the guy. There should be no lack of witnesses given the number of passengers on the bus(about 30 to 40) and the pedestrians(about a dozen) waiting at the crossing. I gave them my contacts just in case.

[video=youtube;vGzHjKm3t2s]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGzHjKm3t2s[/video]

Not sure if the video is posted by someone selling dash cams. But it looks like we have to install one of these.
 

reminds me of an accident where a very arrogant chap on an expensive sports bike and gopro on his helmet arrived at the scene 5 minutes after and demanded to know what was going on when he saw the biker lying injured on the ground: that injured biker had slammed into my bike, and then hit 2 other vehicles after the collision with me: a taxi and another car.

straightaways he started shouting and scolding the taxi driver and his passenger for not watching out for the injured biker and causing the accident. then he turned to me and demanded to know our particulars.

and just as i was about to start shouting at him, a Traffic Police officer showed up and before we could say anything, he went over, and claimed to be a witness to the whole thing, which he definitely wasn't. he started accusing the car drivers for the accident.

i told the officer that the guy didn't even see jack shite and he appeared a few minutes after the accident. all this while the arrogant jackass was jabbing his finger all over the place.

then the officer calmly said to him "Sir, is that your motorcycle behind? if it is, please leave the scene right now or i'll have you booked for blocking traffic and obstructing a police officer" (the arrogant guy had parked his bike 20 meters behind the scene).

the guy gave us an incredulous look as if he was being slandered for "helping" and decided against it then left after warning the police officer that he'll complain about his attitude.

sheesh.

Did the TP asked you guys to be his witnesses?
 

I'm sure a lot of people would have done the same. One of the reason I started this thread was to record what I remembered of the incident. I really hate to see this driver getting into a disadvantaged situation because nobody would relate what they saw.
 

I'm sure a lot of people would have done the same. One of the reason I started this thread was to record what I remembered of the incident. I really hate to see this driver getting into a disadvantaged situation because nobody would relate what they saw.


Not really... I'm a public transportation worker myself... there is always more people that try to blame you... then people who are willing to step up and help you... Thats why I said... "RESPECT"...