This Week's Column: Stopping for School Buses
Bus 394 pulled away from Alamance Elementary School Tuesday afternoon hauling backpacks, lunch bags, loud children - and a state trooper.
Chris Knox sat directly behind bus driver Cindy Comito, his starched uniform in stark contrast to the ruffled school kids headed home.
"He's not here to take you to jail," Comito told her students before leaving the school. The thought seemed to amuse her. "He's here to watch traffic."
As the bus bounced north along Liberty Road, another trooper, Honda Martin, trailed in an unmarked police cruiser.
Knox and Martin had a combined mission: ticket any driver who passes Bus 394 as it unloads children. Keep these children safe.
The troopers saw no violators on different route Monday, their first day of the week long assignment. Would today be the day?
"It's an attention thing," Knox said of drivers who pass stopped school buses. "People are worried about other things going on."
Highway Patrol troopers from across North Carolina made a concerted push this week to educate motorists about the law when it comes to school buses.
Gov. Mike Easley had proclaimed Feb. 7-11 "Watch Out for the Child" week. Highway Patrol's "Operation Stop Arm" put words into action.
State officials estimate more than 700,000 children ride buses to and from school every day.
And every day, more than 2,000 drivers whiz past those very same buses as they load or unload said students.
Getting caught can cost motorists. Violations carry fines of up to $200 and five points on a driver's license. It's eight points when police pull over commercial vehicles.
"Prosecuting 2,000 people a day doesn't solve a problem," said Derek Graham with the state's Department of Public Instruction. "What really needs to happen is people need to change their mind set."
That's where the media comes in. Television and newspaper reporters clamored this week to ride with Knox and Martin.
The result: stories that tell people when they need to stop for school buses. It's free publicity the state could hardly afford to buy.
The publicity might avoid student fatalities. Two North Carolina children died last year because a driver didn't see, or didn't care, that a blinking stop arm signaled youngsters in the immediate area.
So as Knox and Martin escorted Bus 394, both knew the payoff wasn't in citations. The payoff was in education.
Only no one needed the lesson this day.
Stop 1: the parking lot of Moriah United Methodist Church on Liberty Road. No traffic here, Knox thought. This doesn't bode well.
Stop 2: the parking lot of Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Alamance Church Road. Again, no traffic.
Stop 3: A house on Alamance Church Road, near the church. Finally! A stop where traffic needs to stop.
And stop it did. The black Infiniti SUV didn't budge until the bus started moving.
Stop 4: the parking lot of Sharpe Road Baptist Church. A look of surprise washed over Knox's face. Wasn't this route supposed to pose problems?
And an empty bus signaled the end to his ride.
Both troopers would later express disappointment. Or maybe it was simple frustration.
"We were on heavy roads," Knox said as he walked over to Martin's car for a lift back. "But there weren't any stops (along those roads)."
It was a slow day for the troopers — and a safe day for school children.
Yields (Part Deux)
Jere Hershey of Greensboro quizzed Fast Forward last week on yields at intersections. He made a second request in the same e-mail.
"Persons entering a thoroughfare (such as Interstate 40 or 85 or U.S. 29 or Bryan Boulevard) seem to think traffic in the right lane (on the main road) should move over so they can enter.
"I believe a column explaining what yield means would be useful."
Well, I don't think I can write 700 words on the definition of "yield," but I did consult the Highway Patrol. They agree with Jere 100 percent.
Sgt. A.W. Waddell said it is the responsibility of merging vehicles to make way for cars on the highway.
"If you are already on a road, you have the right of way," Waddell said. "Any time a car is turning from a parking lot or alley or merging on a ramp, they are trying to get on the road you are on...
"The responsibility is on those coming down the ramps to either slow, stop, yield or a combination of the above."
Final Thoughts
Vincent Lynch of Greensboro left this on voice mail. He makes a good observation about another type of distraction unrelated to driving with cell phones, which I covered last week:
"I have another concern. That is people driving with their pets sitting in their laps between themselves and the steering wheel. I wonder if you would address that.
"No one seems to think that's as dangerous as cell phones, driving while eating and various other activities. I even called downtown to talk with the police department and they tell me there's no law against it.
"I find it quite disturbing that people would jeopardize their lives, pets' lives that they so dearly love, as well as my life while driving with their pet sitting in their lap between themselves and the steering wheel. I'd be glad to hear your take on that."
Vincent, I couldn't agree more. Let's hope lawmakers read your comment and take a stand in the General Assembly.
Dogs belong in the back seat. Cats belong strapped to the roof.
Comments (4)
When driving a vehicle are you required to stop when a school bus stops for railroad tracks (the law requires school buses to stop at all railroad tracks and open the door to look for and listen for any approaching train)? Is it permissible to pass the bus on the left side (the side opposite the open door)? I am speaking specifically of my experience several mornings each week on Smith Boulevard heading east toward downtown. Smith Boulevard is four lanes in one direction and the school buses are usually in the far right lane. Almost no one stops for the school bus in the situation I have described, probably because of the assumption that they are not putting a child out on the railroad tracks. It sometimes worries me that a child could leave their seat on the bus and be out the open door before the driver could stop the child. So what is the law regarding other motorists stopping for a school bus which appears to be stopping solely to monitor railroad tracks for an approaching train?
Posted on February 12, 2005 9:46 AM
That's a good question, Joan. State law specifies only two instances where vehicles must stop, and in both instances, it's when the stop arm is activated (unfortunately, I couldn't post the graphic that accompanies the print version). 1.) Cars traveling in both directions on a two-lane road; 2.) Cars traveling both directions on a four-lane road where there is NO median and NO center turn lane.
Posted on February 12, 2005 11:30 AM
I appreciate this blog--now just make everyone in the Triad read it! Good that the N&R did a front-page piece showing when and when not to stop for a schoolbus. That should've been required reading too. Can't tell you how many times some drivers have come to a dangerous stop on Battleground Av when there's a school bus stopped in the far left lane in oncoming traffic. Some people know you don't stop when there's a center turn lane or a median and MANY don't. It's a dangerous mix!
Speaking of danger--some (a lot of them)school bus drivers zoom around our neighborhood like race car drivers. Once, a school bus turned left in front of me off a side street while I was on a straightaway, and I had to veer off the road to avoid a collision. Scary. Who's teaching them to drive???
Posted on February 13, 2005 8:08 AM
I appreciate this blog--now just make everyone in the Triad read it! Good that the N&R did a front-page piece showing when and when not to stop for a school bus. That should've been required reading too. Can't tell you how many times some drivers have come to a dangerous stop on Battleground Av when there's a school bus stopped in the far left lane in oncoming traffic. Some people know you don't stop when there's a center turn lane or a median and MANY don't. It's a dangerous mix!
Speaking of danger--some (a lot of them) school bus drivers zoom around our neighborhood like race car drivers. Once, a school bus turned left in front of me off a side street while I was on a straightaway, and I had to veer off the road to avoid a collision. Scary. Who's teaching them to drive???
Posted on February 13, 2005 8:17 AM