How to persuade obstinate bus drivers that it's not a good idea for passengers to remain on a broken down bus?

Question

I was recently on a bus that broke down and pulled into the hard shoulder. Car drivers/passengers are advised to get out of a car if it's stationary on a busy road, incase something should strike it, which makes sense ... and I believed that the same policy applied to buses, perhaps more so.

However, this bus driver initially refused to open the doors, on the grounds it wasn't safe for people on a busy road. I had a long and loud argument and, after several other passengers joined in on my side, he relented. It all turned out ok in the end (an acquaintance was even passing by, saw me and gave me lift home!), but how could I better persuade a bus driver to immediately allow passengers off in another situation - I don't really like to shout to get my way? Am I correct in thinking I have the legal system on my side? Is there any legislature I can print off to have as handy evidence?

Answer 1

No, I don't think you need any type of legal papers at all.  You were totally right in the situation, and I'm sure that if in some other situation in where a bus driver refused to let the people out, and then the bus was actually hit by another vehicle, a lawsuit could easily be persued.

Answer 2

Am I understanding correctly?? The bus had to pull up on the hard shoulder which surely means for passengers to disembark would have meant using the door which would have been next to the road? You don't think other drivers would notice a stationary bus!! And if they didn't, the chances of you being hurt staying on the bus??!!

A bus driver should not open his doors unless at a bus stop because if an accident occured the companies insurance would not cover it. So no the driver was not in the wrong to try to keep you onboard and probably wasn't that happy about being bullied into letting you off!!

Answer 3

I think your were justified. It's plastered in the highway code that you should move a couple of metres away from a broken down vehicle on a hard shoulder. I would complain to the company.

Answer 4

He could be deemed liable for the well being of his passengers and if has been told by his company to keep passengers on the bus then not only could he lose his job if anything happened he could be held responsible for your death manslaughter

Answer 5

it would in fact be safer for yo to stay on the bus, and as the driver of the bus is responsible for all the passengers he needs to keep you all accounted for , his training requires you to stay on the bus '

you should write him a full letter of apology

and consult the dsa guide to driving pcv's before undermining peoples training,

Fact if a car hits a bus  the car will come off worse!

if 70 people are wondering around by the motorway all h**l could break loose

Answer 6

this situation happen to me on the m6 motorway . i work  for the highways agencey and we came across a bus on the hard shoulder and all the passengers  where on the bankment and some of them were on the hardshoulder so what i done i ordered them all back on to the bus and i told the passengers to move to the front of the bus untill  i told the people over my radio that i wanted all the warning signs on the motorway on and i asked for a crash cushion to sit behind the bus so if some thing was going to hit it would hit the crash cushion so it was about 89% safe in the end this operation only lasted around 30minutes but i had to assure the passenger that it was safe . the replacement bus came and everyone went happy , i personally think its up to the bus driver for your safety and proberly he thought it wasnt safe for you to leave the bus .

Answer 7

Lighten up

Answer 8

Firstly, I am not sure in which country this incident took place   There is no clue.

Lets assume it is the UK. Why did this woman feel she had to shout at the driver ? All she had to do was find the emergency door button and, hey presto, she is off the bus. Wasn't she lucky to have got a lift in a passing car ?  That proves to me that she was out for herself and stuff the other passengers. I was always under the impression that the female of the species could get what they require by persuasion, but I wonder if an Anger Management Course would be appropriate. We will see if she responds to these comments.

Answer 9

From what you have told us, YOU are in the WRONG.

It is safer for passenger's to stay on a broken down bus - buses are much larger than cars so can be seen that much easier.  The Driver is responsible not only for the vehicle, but the passengers as well until you reach the official stop.  If anything had happened to you and the other passengers the Driver would have been sacked from his job and imprisoned for GBH or Manslaughter.

Answer 10

That is a very tough situation, 1. if the bus driver lets you off and you get hurt he would be liable, 2. if he makes you stay on and the bus and it is hit he would liable.

Call your city manager and ask.