Unsuck DC Metro: The Do-Nothing Bus Driver

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Do-Nothing Bus Driver

Illustration. Via FixWMATA

From John:

My bus the other morning (the 7W into Pentagon) got in a fender-bender out on the 395 HOV lane—as far as I can tell we rear-ended a car. It wasn't terrible—a big jolt and my neck's a bit stiff, but I didn't see any damage on the other car.

The issue is how our driver handled this.

He did not say or do anything after the accident—he simply sat there.

He didn't ask if everyone was okay, didn't tell us what had happened, didn't tell us what would happen next or how long we'd be waiting, didn't check on the driver we rear-ended.

We just sat there for 10-15 minutes in silence.

The driver also didn't move out of traffic (which was not helped by the vehicle we hit, which didn't pull up much at all). The rear of the bus was sticking way out into the right lane, forcing rush-hour traffic to go into the left lane to get around us.

I was seated at the right rear of the bus and I was directly over the edge of the lane, so the whole left side of the bus was out in traffic.

I was really disappointed by all this—I have a much higher opinion of MetroBus than MetroRail, because the bus drivers seem to be so polite, there is some customer service, and things are much more efficient and clean. It really surprised me to see something potentially serious like this handled with such nonchalance.

Comments (28)

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+5 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 638 weeks ago

Wow. You said you sat 10 to 15 minutes without any information--is that when a shift supervisor came on the scene? You can let them know that the driver did nothing after the accident to ensure the well-being of his passengers or to let the other driver know that he had called in his supervisor.

But I'm glad nobody is seriously hurt.

+10 Vote up Vote down

Stan Dessel · 638 weeks ago

You should be happy we have bus drivers.

You're welcome!

+24 Vote up Vote down

@FixWMATA · 638 weeks ago

Considering the criminal records of some of these bus drivers I wouldn't have been surprised if the driver in this case took off running on foot.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@ConGrpThink · 638 weeks ago

That's the WMATA I love!

+30 Vote up Vote down

Aruba Maybe · 638 weeks ago

The driver sat in silence for 10-15 minutes, while he was busily thinking about which Carribbean island to visit during the weeks he will be suspended with full pay as 'punishment' for this accident.

+8 Vote up Vote down

jimlcunningham 80p · 638 weeks ago

I think this incident illustrates what I think is the root of a lot of problems at Metro. A lack of empathy within the culture. I don't know if some people just don't teach it to their kids, of if the LACK of empathy is VALUED in certain cultures or what, but the inability to see things through the eyes of others' is practically a disease. It's a value that should be taught and embraced more than it is, that's for sure.

0 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 638 weeks ago

Huh.

+15 Vote up Vote down

@Hell_on_wheelz · 638 weeks ago

From my interactions with bus drivers over the past decade, I'll hazard a guess on the driver's inactions: fear. Fear that if the bus driver did or said anything SOMEONE would use that against them.

I didn't witness this accident - I do know about another where the bus driver, though not at fault, had to go through hell because a car ran a 4-way stop. People claim (and make up) all sorts of nonsense in hopes of getting some financial advantage (including a couple of people who weren't even on the bus - but thought maybe they could say they were).

Seniority in the system tends to over-ride the fear of reprimand. More seasoned bus drivers are less fearful of "coloring outside the lines". However, having seen (and been part of testifying about) a bus accident, I can at least understand why a Metro bus driver would register a non-reaction until a more senior person arrived on scene.

2 replies · active 638 weeks ago

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efroh · 638 weeks ago

This, basically. I'm sure they've been told to not do anything after an accident for fear that any expressions of concern for passengers of the bus or the other vehicle will be seen as admitting liability. I don't condone it, but given the legal climate I understand why they were most likely given that advice.

+7 Vote up Vote down

guest · 638 weeks ago

Agree. I would assume that SOP is to call in the accident and then say and do nothing. Don't even move the bus since that could compromise the investigation.

Actually, one thing I am surprised he didn't do was take a count of all of the passengers on the bus. There have been instances in the past of people claiming there were on a bus that got into an accident just to file a claim and recover some money.

+4 Vote up Vote down

guest · 638 weeks ago

--was the bus driver OK? (my first impression would be that maybe he was kind of dazed himself?)

+6 Vote up Vote down

guest · 638 weeks ago

There has GOT to be a standard procedure for what drivers are supposed to do in the even of an accident. I can understand a driver rigidly sticking to the SOP for fear of getting into (more) trouble, but I can't believe that the SOP doesn't say something along the lines of "assess the wellfare of passengers and/or the people in the other vehicle."

5 replies · active 638 weeks ago

+11 Vote up Vote down

jimlcunningham 80p · 638 weeks ago

Right. Hell, I think the minimum requirement for just being HUMAN would be to say, "Is everybody OK?"

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Another Nick · 638 weeks ago

And then a passenger says they're ok, then the driver accepts this. Then Metro gets sued because the driver wasn't a doctor and wasn't able to verify for himself that the passenger was, in fact, ok.

I can completely believe that procedure says to do nothing because its less likely to get you into trouble for things that an unscrupulous person would do. Unfortunate, but that's reality.

+1 Vote up Vote down

guest · 638 weeks ago

Don't be stupid.

Scenario 1:
A passenger says he's okay, the driver does nothing, gets sued anyway.

Scenario 2:
The driver never even checks on passenger, does nothing, gets sued.

Which of those scenarios do you think will look worse in court? Not even bothering to check the status of your passengers after an accident sounds like a FANTASTIC way to open yourself up to a lawsuit.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Another Nick · 638 weeks ago

The first one. The second one doesn't involve an untrained person making medical decisions. I've had jobs before where we were specifically instructed to not do anything more than call 911 because of that. Can't even help someone up off the floor, because you touched them and now the can is open and worms are everywhere.

Its all moot anyhow, because it happened in VA and you can't be sued for rendering aid. But I can totally see it being Metro's SOP to skirt as far away from extra liability as possible.

+3 Vote up Vote down

guest · 638 weeks ago

There is a huge difference between attempting to render unqualified aid vs. asking if everyone is okay and calling an ambulance (or whatever) for anyone who says they are injured.

I can also guarantee you that when you call 911, one of the first questions will be "Is anyone hurt?" I suggest answering with something other than "I don't know Mr. Dispatcher, our SOP is to not check because then we might get sued!!!"

+13 Vote up Vote down

hrh king friday 13 · 638 weeks ago

I belive it was Voltaire who once said, "Pics or it didn't happen."

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Matt · 638 weeks ago

Why on earth would they ever be afraid of anything?? There is no disipline, no accountability, and no standards. The driver could intentionally run over a whole crosswalk while high on crack and drinking a bottle of jack driving the wrong way on a one-way, at night, with no headlights. And he would get a 2 week paid suspension.

1 reply · active 638 weeks ago

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Cletus Jenkins · 638 weeks ago

Well that sounds like an ideal job to me!

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One take · 638 weeks ago

10-15 minutes?!

Oh, the bus driver was just making sure he didn't drop his half smoke, chips and soda.

+5 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 638 weeks ago

During training some years back we got to see a video taken from a camera at an intersection that showed people jumping on a bus that had just been involved in an accident. And guess who was claiming to be injured?

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The truth · 638 weeks ago

It sound like one many Bus Drivers that ran out Four Mile Bus location. I attemped to call talk "Head Fact Cat in charge whom name is "Tapp" but never in his office to report that one Bus operators drives Bus each day with dumb ass full face - Hat Redshins logo on it. One Bus driver told that Tapp is 'Tapped Out' to write anyone up since scare shitless of union file griavance , and just onye hands out Vebel Warnings or look other way !!!!! It not bus driver id no leadership!!!!!!!

1 reply · active 638 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

transitizen 78p · 638 weeks ago

huh?

+4 Vote up Vote down

dezlboy 76p · 638 weeks ago

Where's McGuff the Crime Dog when you need him?

1 reply · active 635 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

YTK · 635 weeks ago

under the bus

+4 Vote up Vote down

SBr · 638 weeks ago

A very similar accident happened on my bus - fender bender in the 395 HOV. Our bus driver hopped out to make sure the person we hit was okay first and then came back and asked if all of her passengers were okay. She seemed really shaken up as we had narrowly avoided a much bigger accident, so I let it slide that she hadn't checked on us first and foremost. But she handled the situation very well I thought. I felt pretty bad for her knowing she was probably going to have to go through a lot because of the accident, when really the fender bender was a much better outcome than the accident that would have happened if she hadn't swerved to miss some other cars. Anyway, just wanted to put another story out there to show not all bus drivers are bad.