This does sound like a terrible incident. What do you feel should be punishment for the driver ? Also are you are he was going too fast ?
Personally I think the driver should be dismissed and that is the opinion of others I have spoken to about the issue. I guess people don't want bus drivers driving double decker buses through their communities whilst on the phone in an area where there children are walking to school.
I'd put £100 on it to say the driver was doing at least 35Mph.
If there's CCTV or a system that records speed, I expect they will but not that they'll tell you the outcome of any investigation.
I'm seeing more and more drivers texting (or perhaps using IM or even email) now that fewer people call each other and prefer a text based system. I've seen it in town and on a motorway, but only ordinary cars personally.
I'd assume a bus driver would know someone can easily take a photo or video and have it online in seconds. To still do it would mean they probably need to be taken off the road immediately.
I couldn't really take a picture as this was all witnessed in the rear-view mirror.
Obviously totally unacceptable. How seriously First deal with the report would most likely depend on the staff manager at the driver's home depot, who the driver is and how he is perceived as an employee. It should he looked into very thoroughly though, as he is guilty of breaking the law as well as generally poor driving. Were there any other witnesses?
If he is found to be 'guilty' as far as his management are concerned, I would fully expect him to be dismissed. The big groups are rightly no nonsense with that type of behaviour.
There were other passengers on the bus at the time, I'm not sure if they saw anything or not. I don't usually sit downstairs on the bus and so can't usually see the driver. On this particular morning I did because I was carrying a heavy bag and didn't want to drag it up the stairs.
Yep well done at potentially ending someone's carer because you can't mind your own business. Just my 2ps worth.
Why can't people just go about there own business in this day without complaining. Could you not have thought of something better to do?
Had the driver of come off the road he could have potentially ended someone's life. Then would you be telling people to mind their own business?
Oh come on, everyone knows that everyone is a busybody these days with nothing better to do than go out of their way to p##s people off, just look at all the exspurts when there is an incident on the railway with their "why cant they do this" or "I would betrain myself after 30 seconds because I am a superhuman" type posts from the usual subjects on here.
Of course what the OP could have done was say something to the driver at the time but of course that would be far to confrontational wouldnt it, so the OP chose the cowards route and "wrote a letter", yawn!
Why would I be confident that speaking to the driver of my own accord would achieve anything? I've had arguments with the drivers before on the bus and it usually ends with the driver stuck dead in their tracks refusing to admit any fault. It's usually regarding ticket fares, I show the driver the ticket guide on the website via my phone and still they'll refuse to accept it.
Had I of spoken to the driver what is to say he would stop using his phone? He knows the rules laid down by his employer already and still he had decided to break these, so what kind of a threat is going to perceive me as? I can't kind keep an eye on his future driving like his employer can.
I'm really glad we no longer have first generation DMUs where folk can spy on the driver.
I wasn't spying on the driver. I was using my phone myself and glanced up happening to notice the phone in the rear-view mirror, I wasn't watching his every move. Usually I upstairs with no-view of the driver but didn't this morning because I had a few things to carry.
I could sit and add to the scenario all day long and I'm not for one minute suggesting it's right what he's doing but I'll throw this scenario in the bag for you to debate.
A driver I worked with (non public transport but HGV) was on his way back to the depot. He worked for a large and very well known haulage firm.
He had just been told his wife had breast cancer and also found out that his daughter was being domestically abused by her partner.
Someone took a photo of him using his phone (in very slow moving traffic on the M6) which was sent to his bosses. He was using the phone to comfort his wife. (Rightly or wrongly).
He was dragged through the company disciplinary procedure and sacked. No mitigation would have saved him because the company thought that the picture might have gone viral or in the papers and what would it look like if they let him keep his job.
This lad is 55 worked for them for nearly 20 years. What chance do you think he's got of getting a similar job with a company he really enjoys working for.
Ultimately yes he's wrong but you don't know why he's feeling the need to use his phone. One things for sure if First can evidence your claim regardless of the situation he's getting sacked. Well done you.
I hope you feel proud!
Would you feel proud if the driver went on to kill someone? I doubt it. What if he hit someone you know?
If a driver needs to desperately be in touch with someone because of the circumstances you've mentioned then they should take time off work. It's selfish for them to put others in danger because of their own personal circumstances.
I've lost count of how many people have been killed or injured because of idiots who think they can use a mobile phone whilst driving. Its as anti-social and unacceptable as drink driving. Having said that, if the OP was so concerned about it, the correct course of action would have been to nip it in the bud there and then, and before it had the potential to become a problem. Why not just have a quiet word with the driver? If he didn't desist then that would have been the time to contact his employer.
Like I said, how could I be sure he wouldn't do the same again? I can't, his employer can.
