It's been one of those days you talk about for weeks

[Big Wallaby]

It all started when I got an Old Key West run out of MK. I picked up two guests in chairs that wanted to go to the front desk and so used me as a shuttle. I have no problem with that, but it sometimes gets other guests on the bus a bit impatient.

Coming back to MK, I'm on Vista Dr, doing about 43 mph, when a Disney bus from another hub turns out across my lane from Fort Wilderness and into the oncoming lane, and I had to slam on my brakes in a way I haven't had to do in a bus for years. It was such a deceleration, that a guest at the back of the bus lost grip of his cell phone and it hit the front wall of the bus right next to my feet. If you read a recent post that helped shut down another thread (sorry about that, by the way), you can imagine what I was thinking about the other driver. How dare he play with the lives of my guests, as well as the lives of his, and putting me in a position where I was planning how to impact his bus. After I got stopped, he was gone. First thing I did was check my passengers out and make sure they were okay, which they seemed to be. I didn't spiel anymore, as I was rather embarassed by my coworker and his actions. Upon arrival at MK, one of my guests got off and beelined to the dispatch booth to tattle, as I must have run a stop sign or been speeding. That's his right, but I wanted them to hear it from me before hearing from my guests. When he saw me coming to the dispatch booth, he all but ran away. I wonder what else he was going to say about me.

Just for the record, the other driver was not Cranbiz. So don't go looking his direction. From following him and watching his routines, I can tell you you are lucky if you get on his bus, as he is a good driver.

Later today, I was on BVD headed for World Drive, coming back from Caribbean Beach. As I was accelerating, a car came careening from the far left lane (I'm pretty sure it was the left turn lane) across my path of travel, and went down Epcot Resort Drive. I didn't think much of it, until I got to Timberline Dr (the turn for Wilderness Lodge) and saw a car do the exact same thing from World Dr. onto Timberline. It was the exact same car. I recognized the woman in the passenger seat from the previous time, in the same make, model and color of car. With my speed of travel, I am guessing that car flipped a b**** on Epcot Resort, came around, did about 70-80 up World Drive (speed limit 50 mph, the highest anywhere on property)... that's what he would have to have done to catch up with me, and he would have had to have gone much faster if he went any distance down Epcot Resort Dr.

I just don't understand. No, I choose not to understand. Unfortunately, in situations like these, you are dealing with people who brought their brain along, but they are sitting on it.

[mechurchlady]

I used to drive parking lot sweepers that do not stop on a dime. Ford half ton tiny truck with a sweeper on it which made it top heavy and waiting for an accident.

I can tell you that I seen it all and it is typical out here in California. I would be sweeping at 7 to 10 mph and zooom a car cuts across a lot in front of me. People would cut me off on the freeway and I would be screeching trying not to drive over them. I did get enjoyment out of people who would pass on the shoulder of the freeway. I would drop the head a bit and as they came zooming up the side I would turn the wheel so that the head would swing at them, Wait this it Southern California so not all of them got scared, lol.


I see you are a very good driver as you prevented two accidents and that make you special. It is however part of a typical day here in the land of tourists. They see the exit and will take out anything in their way. Also there is this mentality where people have to be leader of the pack on the road, they have to be faster and they flip out if they do not get to be number one. They tend to not pay attention to other drivers as they have their schedule.

I wish I could ride your busses as I know I would be safe.

[Big Wallaby]

I used to drive parking lot sweepers that do not stop on a dime. Ford half ton tiny truck with a sweeper on it which made it top heavy and waiting for an accident.

I can tell you that I seen it all and it is typical out here in California. I would be sweeping at 7 to 10 mph and zooom a car cuts across a lot in front of me. People would cut me off on the freeway and I would be screeching trying not to drive over them. I did get enjoyment out of people who would pass on the shoulder of the freeway. I would drop the head a bit and as they came zooming up the side I would turn the wheel so that the head would swing at them, Wait this it Southern California so not all of them got scared, lol.


I see you are a very good driver as you prevented two accidents and that make you special. It is however part of a typical day here in the land of tourists. They see the exit and will take out anything in their way. Also there is this mentality where people have to be leader of the pack on the road, they have to be faster and they flip out if they do not get to be number one. They tend to not pay attention to other drivers as they have their schedule.

Ah, yes, so you know exactly what I am talking about. That second car I was telling you about happens a lot, just not the same car twice in one run. That is what baffled me.

With the bus, it's the fact that I know he's had good training, and he did that anyway. Had it been a car or even an RV, I wouldn't be upset about it. I would have plowed through a Fifth Wheel without a third thought yesterday. Had it been a Mears bus, I wouldn't have been as upset... in Transportation we have a saying: "The Mears buses are big and yellow for a reason."

But you know it's bad when you go on break, and Dispatch tells you to have a good break and oh, check your underwear.

I wish I could ride your busses as I know I would be safe.

Thank you. That means a lot to me.

[mechurchlady]

I got so I could break anything by kicking it as my leg got so strong from breaking and screeching. Then the damned recoil meant I would hit the bar on the seat. My back was bad but got worse for the avoidance of idiots.

I would assume they were late and got lost or they have twins running around. Dont you love the rat fink people who report you when you just saved their rumps from delays or injury. That is the nature or people and especially if they are so busy that they do not see everything. I could not be a bus driver as I have my way of driving and do not need a person in the vehicle yelling at me.

I ws driving along in a car and did a gentle avoidance of a suitcase in the road. Worst would have been me ripping up the oil pan while hitting it straight on but I avoided it. This guy in the back seat flipped out and was screaming while i gently avoided the obstacle. Tempted to throw him out.

I hate people who try to direct me while I am parking or driving. Dude yesterday was making all these gestures and I am trying to look in the mirrors while he his hands were going like a philharmonic conductor. Dad used to have curb feelers on his car. CRUNCH is when you are too close. crunch is close but bending the mirrors is allowable.

Dad said you got a clutch, brakes, mirrors and a gas pedal so you better know how to use them or return the car. lol.

[Cranbiz]

you can imagine what I was thinking about the other driver. How dare he play with the lives of my guests, as well as the lives of his, and putting me in a position where I was planning how to impact his bus. After I got stopped, he was gone.

I cannot understand why another driver would do this either. It's not like we get paid by the run. With no timetable, safety is the ONLY thing that should be a drivers concern. I have sat at an intersection many times waiting for the safe opening before moving my bus. It's too bad that you could not get his bus number, he either needs to be recast or retrained. There is NO EXCUSE to be putting the lives of your guests and the lives of the guests in his bus in jeopardy.

We know that it was not a MK bus, perhaps Bus23 could research this for you and find the driver responsible for this.

Just for the record, the other driver was not Cranbiz. So don't go looking his direction. From following him and watching his routines, I can tell you you are lucky if you get on his bus, as he is a good driver.

Bryan, Thank You. Coming from you, that is high praise indeed.

Big Wallaby is another of those drivers who Disney in very fortunate to have driving. A guest is indeed fortunate to be on his bus. An excellent driver and a caring soul. We need more drivers like him.



Hang in there and don't let this get you down.

[mechurchlady]

He probably will say "What bus? I did not see any bus! I would never cut of another bus."

[darph nader]

I can feel your pain. When I was driving lumber trucks and equipment trucks,you wouldn't believe some of the .....stuff some people would pull.
I guess I'm part of that rare breed who pays 'attention' when I'm driving.(btw I'm not patting myself on the back,just the way I was raised)

[Big Wallaby]

It's like when I get in the car with some friends, and they never check their mirrors. I'll ask what's going on behind them, and they have no clue.

I have a difficult time riding with many people.

@Darph, as far as watching out around you, I believe you. Part of the reason is that you are here and have been for a while. This site attracts a certain type of person who is generally observant of the world around them, and intelligent about interpreting what they see.

[Big Wallaby]

Hang in there and don't let this get you down.

I never would.

I guess I'm part of that rare breed who pays 'attention'

I'm going to cut you off right there. Of course you are. You're here at SGT, aren't you? And while I am sure we have our exceptions, one of the reasons I like being here is that breed from which we come, that we congregate here.

Oh, the other thing that happened yesterday, and I didn't think to tell until today, because today is when the thrown crap finally hit the fan. I was sent to TTC to wait until needed at MK for close. I was on the radio with Zone 2 (MK Bus Labor Operations) and put the radio mic back in the holder, pinching my thumb and drawing a good deal of blood. I wrapped in a towel, went to find a band-aid, and didn't give it much more thought, as it appeared to stop bleeding and I worked to help close the Kingdom.

Today, I was on my way on my first run to Yacht and Beach, in one of the new Gilligs, 4957 (it had 6020 miles on it when I started driving it). As I was turning onto Epcot Resorts Drive, I felt this sticky feeling on the steering wheel, looked down, and my shirt, pants, nametag and the wheel were covered in blood. My mind immediately went to a certain Country Bears song. I offloaded all my guests through the back door to keep them away from me, went back to MK and was given a supervisor van to go to costuming and replace my costume. When I returned, they brought in someone to clean up the bus.

Oh, one guest, a friend from another forum who had finally moved to Orlando and was aboard specifically to meet me, was quite impressed. I have a whole spiel I do about this being a pirate bus, and now she's going to post on that forum that my routine is absolutely amazing. I'm such a showman, I even bleed for my audience.

Everything about it is funny to me, except one thing. When I first boarded that bus, it had the new bus smell. Now, that smell has been replaced, and the bus now smells more like a musty-yet-clean hospital. That almost brings me to tears. :( A bus only has that new bus smell once in it's lifetime, in a lifetime of many, many miles (I have it on good authority that one of the old RTS's has over four million) and many, many years (I drive buses older than me). That bus would have had the smell for at least a few thousand more miles before it faded completely, and with a small cut on my thumb, I brought that to an end prematurely. I am so ashamed.

I'm pretty sure that in the dispatch booth, now, they have nicknamed me "Red", "England", "Gusher" or "Period" behind my back. However, I can't substantiate this.

With one of our coordinators, That might be "Gushing Buttercup".

[mechurchlady]

I found out the you can remove your own blood from stuff with your own saliva. The enzymes in your saliva or spit will take out the blood stain. I have tried this and learned this from a lady who learned this from a nurse. It only can be the person's spit on their own blood. I have used this to get blood out of a shirt of mine.

I wonder if management can change your title to Bus Gusher.