Each incident is logged,& will be laid before the Scottish Parliament as evidence when this is again discussed in October.

 

Again drivers that cannot be bothered looking, yet we continually hear the word "We are professional drivers"

It seems not all are, if they cannot be bothered to check for a sign that should not be showing

 

DEVERON COACHES

Schools on holiday, yet a coach in Banff high street 7^th July with the school sign on the front window

 

KINEAL COACHES

5^th July , Crimond, schools on holiday, yet  both safety signs showing

 

Thanks to a car driver for this, Stagecoach again

Why would a bus be travelling from Banff to Turriff, on a Friday at 2.15, with no one on it, no pupils?  Yet it's showing the school safety sign.

If there are no pupils on the bus why is the sign showing,

 The Scottish Government & local authorities recommend, the sign not be shown unless pupils are being carried.

All any driver has to do is place the sign on show before they carry any pupils & remove it when they are not.

Is this too hard to do?

These are only ones we see, how many others are doing so across the country

 

 

SMITHS - CENTRAL GARAGE -KEITH

So here we are again, spotted leaving Aberdeen & travelling South on June 14^th

A bus with older folks aboard, but the school safety sign showing front & rear.

This coach belongs to Smiths, Central Coaches Keith, registration number

N 347 WPT

 In fact I am unsure if the back sign is even legal, I think possibly it should be the larger of the two signs.

 

On my full sized picture  this sign looks bolted on, does this mean this happens on a regular basis, as the effort to remove the sign would certainly be to much for the driver, after all he could not even remove the small one placed inside his windscreen

 

So your guess is a good as mine.

 

 

 

 

After all the letters that have been sent to all bus operators by the council, after the Scottish Government tell bus companies this is not good practice & they recommend it should not be used on out of school contracts, it still goes on.

 

How blind can any driver be, or is it the fact it has gone on for so long, it’s simply part & parcel of daily life for some.

Did they do a safety walk around the coach before taking it out, it seems not, or possibly the sign is just left on & become an accessory.

 

.............................

KINEAL COACHES, once again features on our site

Seen on STV News, dropping of passengers at the Rock Ness festival.

Ah! but what the driver forgot to do before he left for the festival & In fact drove all they way there with,was  an incorrect safety sign showing.

It appears it was simply too hard for the driver to remove the school bus safety sign.

Was it protecting school children, no, as usual it was being abused & diluting its purpose, which is to warn motorists school children are onboard & could be alighting from the bus..

What is with some bus drivers, these are the ones who let the professional  drivers down although I do have sympathy  with the owners at times, but it’s their job to ensure their drivers operate correctly.

 

According to the Scottish Government, this sign should only be used for its designated purpose that does not include a Rock Concert!

 

It begs the question; do all drivers have a safety walk round the bus before taking to the road? If not, why not?

If so why do they not see the sign is left on & simply remove it, it’s not as if you could miss it!!

What in fact might they also miss!! tyre problems, light problems etc etc

 

One thing however I can congratulate the company on is the sign was visible to all drivers where it was placed.

Unlike some companies or drivers who continue to place it where it is hidden or masked from view by vehicles behind the bus, or in fact a group of children.

Especially when placed at the back r/h side, as low as it can be!

We have already heard court evidence that this could well be a safety factor when the bus unloads

...............................

 

 

 

I would also like to add, to those who find themselves frustrated by what we do & how we do it.

Personally I would add, to those  drivers we upset.

If you place yourself in any of the families position represented on our site, & in fact those who cannot bring themselves to even speak about their loss, you would understand why we do what we do.

If this had been your own daughter, son or grand daughter who had been killed, or left wheel chair bound, you would be where we are now, fighting for common sense & indeed for a change in safety, to say otherwise would be a lie.

 

To the odd bus driver we annoy.

You have a direct bearing on what happens on & of your bus, if you do not display Hazard or headlights, you will probably be in contravention of the rules your company insists you follow.

You will also be responsible for the bus not being clearly see, as two drivers stated at Robyns FAI, " we did not recognise it as a school bus"

The remedy is in your hands, do as your company insists you do.

Most drivers we find are quite happy something needs to be done, things need to change, that is why we argue for better safety. This of course changes when a relative or a close relative of yours is affected

..............................

 

WE WOULD LIKE TO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION   

WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT  OUT TO EVERYONE

REGARDING THE ACCIDENTS

 The children involved in the accidents that affected our families had left the bus stop, none of the children  had walked out from behind the bus, nor in front of it , nor in front of a any car.

NONE WERE USING A PHONE, IPOD OR ANYTHING ELSE

Robyn was well over the road when she was hit !

Alexanderwas  at the verge on his side of the road,  a foot fall from safety!

Erin  was virtually at the kerb on her side of the road!

We would also add, none were wearing iPod's or using a mobile phone, as many would like to point out they were, especially CAR drivers!!

They were leaving school transport & crossing the road, as they were taught to do,as all parents teach their child to do, observing road safety .

None were larking about, there is no accounting for the careless driver who does not pay attention!

RUMOURS HAPPEN FOR A REASON

 OFTEN SPREAD TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL BETTER

YOU NOW HAVE THE TRUTH

AS IT HAPPENED & IS RECORDED IN POLICE STATEMENTS

............................

 

I was speaking to a bus driver a while back now, i thanked her & told her to thank her boss, for displaying the sign correctly.

What she said made me think, "We have got something right then"

So hopefully this might set things right, we only complain when there's a need to do so.

 So to avoid confusion  we know some readers skip through pages so I have condensed this part.

We know that most bus operators abide by the rules set by Aberdeenshire Council, & in fact there own campanies.

I wish I could say that about other areas.

We know most coach/bus drivers do like wise, we know most operators & drivers take a pride in doing things correctly.

We know most have the children's safety at heart.

They make our job easier & have the thanks of the parents involved

We know it is only a minority who let's us all down.

So we would like to congratulate those companies & drivers who stick to the rules & by doing so help in the long run to save school children's lives & injuries.

I would just add, & we have always pointed out, no one in the families involved has blamed any bus driver  for the recent accidents, these were caused by motorists passing the bus incorrectly, or going to fast to take appropriate avoiding action.

 

What does not help is when the school safety sign is left on, we ask that as bus/coach drivers you recognise this fact.