So a Metrobus in Rockville hit and killed a man named Tao Sun. He reportedly was jaywalking outside of a crosswalk (redundant, I know). That sucks and all, but an accident is an accident. These things happen. Especially when you're running across a parkway.
Except, of course, those preliminary reports were incorrect. Sun was indeed in the middle of a crosswalk when he was struck and killed.
This shit never happens to the Maryland Ride-On buses, by the way. Metrobuses are almost always responsible for the killing. Why is that? Does DC just have the touch of death?
Which brings me to the news that former Metrobus driver Victor Kolako was sentenced to one year in jail for killing two pedestrians who had the right of way on Pennsylvania Avenue.
I don't know how long this has been available or if I'm the last to see this, but this "accident" happened outside The National Archives Building. Meaning, there's video.
And here it is.
That link will take you to a warning page that has a link directly to the video. Now, despite the warning, it isn't particularly graphic. It is particularly unsettling. These deaths should never have happened. One year in jail is not enough.
The husband of one of the victims is suing the city for $50,000,000.00. He deserves every last cent.
12.06.2007
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I love how after something like this happens, they chastise pedestrians for jaywalking instead of chastising drivers for driving like idiots. After a year in this city I can tell you why people jaywalk so much. It doesn't matter whether you're at a crosswalk or the middle of the street, you have the same chance of getting hit. I can't tell you how many times I've started to cross at a lighted crosswalk (my green) and have almost been hit by assholes making turns. And it's not like they don't see me. They see me and go anyway. God forbid you should ever have to step off a curb. Your life expectancy will plummet. Most walkable town in the U.S.? You've got to be fuckin' kidding me.
ReplyDeleteThe one problem with your rant, is that nothing in the Post article tells me the bus driver is at fault. Crossing in a crosswalk doesn't necessarily mean that he didn't just step in front of the bus. At a controlled intersection, you have DON'T WALK and WALK signs. If the light is green for the oncoming traffic, you do NOT have right of way, even in a crosswalk.
ReplyDeleteThe article says:
"Tao Sun was crossing Parklawn Drive... when he was struck"
"...the bus driver... was heading north on Parklawn Drive when the accident occurred"
So, the bus obviously wasn't turning: he struck the pedestrian on the same road he was traveling on. From this information, it's entirely possible that the guy was crossing against a light. Or maybe he just stepped in front of the bus, albeit in a crosswalk. And at 6:30 it's dark, and as we all know Rockville is a traffic mess. It is entirely possible that this was not the driver's fault based on the information provided.
Metro bus drivers are scary, no doubt about that. But I am going to play the Devil’s advocate here for a moment. Have you ridden a Metro bus lately? Drivers in cars are nothing short of assholes to them: they honk, cut them off, yell at them and drive very defensively. As someone who drives a car, I have to admit that I’m guilty of the above actions myself. Who wants to get stuck behind a damn Metro bus on a two-lane road in downtown? This really slows me down! So yes, I’ve darted around/honked at/cut off busses many, many times before. I think that some Metro bus drivers are driven to careless complacency because the asshole car drivers drive them to it, thus creating all sorts of accidents (with both autos and pedestrians). I would think bus drivers simply become numb and apathetic towards safety after a while. There comes a day when, pulling away from a bus stop, drivers go from patiently waiting with their blinker on to simply pulling out – damn the consequences. It’s a reaction to the disrespect and lack of courtesy they see all day every day. In addition, if drivers think busses are a pain in the ass, they should remember that were it not for that bus, there would be an additional dozen or so cars on the road creating even worse congestion.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a Metro bus driver, I’d probably be plowing people down all the time: both purposely and accidentally. Joking aside, it’s very unfortunate someone lost their life but this is an area with a high number of pedestrians so go figure we have high auto-pedestrian accidents. You
Closing point: when you are a pedestrian, just stay 100 feet from all Metro bus at all times! In the same vein, pedestrians need to not be fuck tarts either; there’s no shortage of stupid acts committed by pedestrians. It’s all about mutual respect. Rant over, back to work…..
DC Dude's mom is a fuck tart.
ReplyDeleteThe bus drivers are absolutely crazy at that intersection. I came so close to dying one morning, I actually had to jump out of the way. I believe that fatal accident happened less than two weeks later.
ReplyDeleteDuh: And your mother has scabs on her p***y. Go play in front of a Metro bus.
ReplyDeleteApologies to everyone else for having to read this...I just don't like fuckers, even if kidding, talking about my mother. That's below the belt.
DC Dude.... let's get off "moms" for now... I just got off yours.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I do hear what you're saying though... watching that video makes me not want to walk OR drive in this city. We'd have a safer city if the fucking lights weren't so un-sync'd and needless construction wasn't constricting the roads all the time. It's more than just the busses, although I'm totally fine with DC citizens finally wising up and suing the shit out of the city for being so horribly mismanaged and neglegent towards pedestrians AND drivers.
Metro bus drivers need drug testing or something. One ran a red light and almost t-boned me the other day and he just waved it off.........complained to Metro and of course nothing
ReplyDelete