SGT DEC-2013: The Bus edition

[WEDFan]

Having just gotten back from the World, I did witness a few qualifying events for Stupid Guest tricks. Having already fallen into a fortuitous discussion of tights/yoga pants, I figured I'd toss out a couple related to buses, especially since it included my "favorite."

First, we've all seen the stroller on the bus struggles. Well, this time I encountered a new level. A family was rolling through the parks using a 4-seat stroller. With space for luggage. 2x2. It was immense. Amazingly enough, when folded up, it was still immense. The father asked the driver if he could load it through the back door and just keep it there. That didn't work out, so he ended up obstructing the front quarter of the bus. The owner of a smart car sitting near them commented that the stroller was bigger than their car. A joke, sure, but not that far off. The smart car seats two and probably doesn't carry as many bags. The father went on to describe the stepshe took to minimise having to put the thing on buses. I understand that, but I can't even imagine running that thing through the parks fully loaded.

And my favorite was at the Kidani Village bus stops... This SUV drives up the 2nd bus stop (where we happened to be waiting for a bus) and pulled right into the bus zone. The two front doors pop open and out come a mother and father. They proceed to open all the other doors and the hatchback and start unloading kids (3), strollers and bags. It was chaos. Fortunately for them, our bus didn't arrive during this time. The father finally closes it up and drives off while the family moves to the first stop where a bus has pulled in. They proceed to delay the bus while the father and a couple of other adults (not sure where the came from) meander up from the parking area to the stop, then they all load on. Just made me shake my head.

Not an SGT, but I will say that the monitors with the bus arrival times at the Kidani stops were great. Reasonably accurate and really helped with that pervasive sense of "Did we just miss our bus?" I'd give that a big thumbs up.

[Goofyernmost]

I somewhat feel for the bus driver, although not a lot. He could have lost his job or his license because he gave in and "blocked" the front part of the bus with that monster stroller. If there had been an accident or fire and people couldn't get off quick enough it might even have cost him is life or that of his passengers. It is illegal to block any aisle or entry/exit to a public transportation vehicle.

It is surprising that the driver didn't have enough intestinal fortitude to say no to them but was willing to take the chance on something really serious happening. Some things I will never understand.

[WEDFan]

I somewhat feel for the bus driver, although not a lot. He could have lost his job or his license because he gave in and "blocked" the front part of the bus with that monster stroller. If there had been an accident or fire and people couldn't get off quick enough it might even have cost him is life or that of his passengers. It is illegal to block any aisle or entry/exit to a public transportation vehicle.

It is surprising that the driver didn't have enough intestinal fortitude to say no to them but was willing to take the chance on something really serious happening. Some things I will never understand.

Oh, I doubt the driver was in an danger of losing his job or being reprimanded. Blockage by stroller is a constant occurance. It was just that this guy was doing it with a single stroller. The DOT regulations require strollers to be folded, but is silent on the matter of maximum size (according to the text posted on the side of the bus.) He'd likely be in more trouble for refusing to serve the guest than for allowing it on. Having size restrictions would be a nightmare to enforce, and in the absence of specific regulation, the driver can't really discrimenate.

That's why I lay it at the feet of the guest. The family knew they would be riding on buses and even knew what that would be like, since the guy talked about his coping strategies at one point.

[Big Wallaby]

Bus SGTs? Count me in!

As far as the stroller, in the hindsight with which I am blessed in reading your post, here is what I would do: Treat it as an ECV. Put up seats, strap it in, but no one can sit on or in it. Sure it takes away seats, but as Goofyer said, having that aisle blocked during a fire (which has NEVER happened on Disney buses... cough, cough) or a wreck (also, never, ever) would be unconscionable. If you're a professional driver, you plan for the worst and then do everything in your power to keep that from happening. That includes only having bodies blocking the aisle, not equipment.

[Goofyernmost]

I somewhat feel for the bus driver, although not a lot. He could have lost his job or his license because he gave in and "blocked" the front part of the bus with that monster stroller. If there had been an accident or fire and people couldn't get off quick enough it might even have cost him is life or that of his passengers. It is illegal to block any aisle or entry/exit to a public transportation vehicle.

It is surprising that the driver didn't have enough intestinal fortitude to say no to them but was willing to take the chance on something really serious happening. Some things I will never understand.

Oh, I doubt the driver was in an danger of losing his job or being reprimanded. Blockage by stroller is a constant occurance. It was just that this guy was doing it with a single stroller. The DOT regulations require strollers to be folded, but is silent on the matter of maximum size (according to the text posted on the side of the bus.) He'd likely be in more trouble for refusing to serve the guest than for allowing it on. Having size restrictions would be a nightmare to enforce, and in the absence of specific regulation, the driver can't really discrimenate.

That's why I lay it at the feet of the guest. The family knew they would be riding on buses and even knew what that would be like, since the guy talked about his coping strategies at one point.

What DOT leaves out, insurance companies include. No one will lose anything AS LONG AS NOTHING HAPPENS. But if it does all hell will break loose and it will be firmly on the shoulders of the driver. We used to have a saying that the driver is the captain of his ship, what he/she allows will fall back on their heads. Size would be the restriction if there was no way to store and secure that stroller without blocking aisles. At any rate, I know that when I was driving I would gladly give up my job if enforcing the rules meant safety for everyone. If an accident happened, I don't think I could live with that knowing that I could have prevented it and all I needed was a little backbone. I would rather have a family totally pissed at me to the point of screaming then have one dead or injured innocent passenger. Common Sense needs to be reinstated in our society.

[Near Philly]

I like the "treat it like an EVC" idea. But that would mean, like, work, for the driver. And from what I've seen through the years Disney bus drivers just aren't what they used to be.

[Big Wallaby]

Well, Philly... when you take away the best part of the job and give it to a computer, you're bound to get the cream of the crop when it comes to service.

I remember in training, hearing from the trainers who were so glad that they could sit in an air-conditioned bus all day, in a comfortable seat, not actually have to talk to anyone, make some of the best money available in a guest-facing role, and still get access to the parks.

I mean, if that's all it's about to you, go drive for Lynx for more money, get some annual passes and go about it that way.

/rant

[hhsrat]

Speaking of busses ... yesterday I saw the first articulated Nova's with the Disney paint scheme ... Saw 3 in 5 minutes, and I had never seen them before.

[hobie16]

Speaking of busses ... yesterday I saw the first articulated Nova's with the Disney paint scheme ... Saw 3 in 5 minutes, and I had never seen them before.

And you never will again. It was a fig newton of your imagination.

[Zazu]

Speaking of busses ... yesterday I saw the first articulated Nova's....

And you never will again. It was a fig newton of your imagination.

Naw, they're real. They're also real big! Markedly longer than the articulated busses Lynx operates.

They are why the new MK bus terminal has spaces twice as long as the others. They can pull up one articulated bus or two standards. Should make for a bit less screaming at the Projects stops.