Cloud Dancer
San Antonio and Livingston TX USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/08/2001
View Profile
|
With regard to the last post/update by Chris. I've got to say:
I wonder why we were discussing "stopped school buses with all lights flashing while off-loading children"?
The news media fails to report the facts, and we rush to judgement.
Come to think of it, my plan works for me, and there's no reason for me to change how I treat school buses.
* This post was
edited 04/04/11 11:14am by Cloud Dancer *
Willie & Betty Sue
Miko & Sparky
2003 41 ft Dutch Star Diesel Pusher/Spartan
Floorplan 4010
Blazer toad & Ranger bassboat
|
phxmtngirl
arizona
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2010
View Profile
 Offline
|
Chris Thanks for the update 
Just me guessing, but old dude is very liable, and probally going to get the pants sued off of him, and rightly so.
|
Lemons750
Glenpool
Senior Member
Joined: 04/25/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
It don't matter if a bus is stopped or moving you are still required to give it space and not tail gate it.
Tail gating will not make someone go faster and usually makes them slow down so if there is am impact it is a lesser one.
No one died and that is good - but because of his poor driving skills kids got hurt. An accident that did not have to happen if he had backed off and paid attention.
|
dmatt
Ventura County, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/29/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
wp6529 wrote:
I've got to say that if I were an RV dealer, I would find a suitable large area nearby that I could use for driver training and provide at least some training to new owners of large RVs before sending them on their way.
While that is a great idea that would be very helpful, you would be opening up yourself to liability. In our sue happy society, you can bet you'd be included in any lawsuit filed against the driver should they cause an accident. Heck, the driver would probably try to pass the blame on to you....
Don, Jackie and the Boyz
Madison, our loveable Austrailan Shepard
Our new to the clan baby Black Lab, Riley
O'Malley the Alley Cat
2007 Four Winds Dutchmen 29R-Ford E-450 V-10 towing a 2008 Toyota Matrix XR
2009 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
Our camping photos
|
GDAVIS
Rome, GA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/13/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Good grief everyone...give the guy a break! I'd be willing to bet that everyone on this forum has (at least) come close to rear-ending someone. That doesn't mean he was not driving carefully, or is not a good driver. All it takes is one little distraction, momentary lapse, or whatever, and you're in an accident. It may or may not have had anything to do with his age. The fact remains...it was just an accident.
Gary & Mary
2008 Keystone Challenger 29TRL
2005 FR Lexington 235
Foster the pseudo-Pug and Jasper the Scottie/???
|
|
|
ShapeShifter
Buffalo, NY
Senior Member
Joined: 04/03/2007
View Profile
|
Cloud Dancer wrote:With regard to the last post/update by Chris. I've got to say:
I wonder why we were discussing "stopped school buses with all lights flashing while off-loading children"?
The news media fails to report the facts, and we rush to judgement.
Come to think of it, my plan works for me, and there's no reason for me to change how I treat school buses.
Yes, we all jump to conclusions and rush to judgement. But the stopped bus with lights flashing assumption makes sense when you read the description of the accident in the article:
Quote:"We had a bus stop, and then we had another one stop right behind it, and then a motor home ran into the back of one of the buses," said Venus ISD Superintendent Bobby Matthews.
It seems reasonable that the stopped bus was at a bus stop, and another bus stopped behind it. It's only later that the reporter gives additional information that the bus was perhaps not discharging students.
GDAVIS wrote:Good grief everyone...give the guy a break! I'd be willing to bet that everyone on this forum has (at least) come close to rear-ending someone. That doesn't mean he was not driving carefully, or is not a good driver. All it takes is one little distraction, momentary lapse, or whatever, and you're in an accident. It may or may not have had anything to do with his age. The fact remains...it was just an accident.
About the age comment, actually I don't recall much mention of the driver's age in this thread. Most comments seem to focus on a possible lack of attention on the driver's part or lack of familarity with the day old coach.
You make the comment about a little distraction or momentary lapse not meaning he was not driving carefully. One could argue that being distracted or having a lapse of concentration shows a lack of care while driving. If you run into the vehicle in front of you, it's a pretty good bet you weren't being as careful as you should've been.
2007 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40PDQ LE
400 ISL Cummins/Allison
2002 Chevy Avalanche toad
Inside: Him, Her, and a pack of little furballs...
|
GDAVIS
Rome, GA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/13/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
I have to disagree again...I've been driving for for over 50 years, and driving RV's for over 40 years; and, so far, I've never had an accident that was my fault. I still say, no matter how careful you are, a sudden distraction (i.e. loud noise, wife scream, hornet sting, etc.)can cause an accident no matter how carefully you drive. As we get older, reaction time, eyesight, etc. make it even more necessary to slow down, allow more distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, etc. Fortunately, most older drivers that I've seen, put their years of experience to use, and do just that. Again, however, in spite of everyone's best efforts, accidents do happen
|
rockhillmanor
On the Road
Senior Member
Joined: 12/06/2003
View Profile
|
Quote:from police report: "Gloria Pierson used the car they had been towing to drive her husband to Methodist Hospital in Mansfield,..."
Hmmm, does this finally prove our quandary and often debated subject on the forum, if a Toad really helps stop your MH in a panic stop? 
Be interesting to find out what type of toad it was. I see so many of the big coaches pulling huge full size trucks, 'cause they can, and IF they choose to have a brake assist in the toad. Nope, I don't think I would want 6,000 lbs pushing me when I had to stop my MH suddenly.
We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
|
ShapeShifter
Buffalo, NY
Senior Member
Joined: 04/03/2007
View Profile
|
GDAVIS wrote:I have to disagree again...
Nobody said we have to agree, everybody has their own opinion. If we all thought the same thoughts, it would be a pretty boring world.
GDAVIS also wrote:Again, however, in spite of everyone's best efforts, accidents do happen
Yes, there are times when there is nothing you can do. I'll bet a lot of us have seen the video of the semi truck that suddenly looses control and in less than a second crushes a bus against the center divider wall. Sometimes things just happen.
Of course, we don't have the full picture here, but it seems to me like there wasn't a sudden event out of the blue involved here. The motorhome was following a bus, the bus stopped, and the motorhome didn't. Odds are the the driver wasn't paying attention, was too close, was too fast, was too inexperienced with the coach, or some combination of those events. Those all could be chalked up as operator error: he should've been paying more attention, should've left more distance, should've slowed down, or should've done all of the above until he was more experienced with his new coach.
I don't think there is enough information to determine that, since we don't know what kind of toad it was, and what kind of braking system (if any) it has.
rockhillmanor also wrote:Be interesting to find out what type of toad it was. I see so many of the big coaches pulling huge full size trucks, 'cause they can, and IF they choose to have a brake assist in the toad. Nope, I don't think I would want 6,000 lbs pushing me when I had to stop my MH suddenly.
Hey, are you talking about me? I had to make one panic stop so far, and that was pulling my 6,000 pound full size truck toad. I'll admit, I was following too closely in the rain (no question I was in the wrong.) A couple cars ahead a car spun out on the wet pavement and traffic suddenly stopped. I was very impressed how quickly the MH/toad combination stopped. I was worried, but I stopped in time with less than 10 feet to spare, much to my surprise. I don't know how much the toad brakes improved the stopping distance, but I'm pretty sure the outcome wouldn't have been good if I didn't have the toad braking system installed (and turned up fairly high.)
|
Just Bob
SD/CT/FL/WY
Senior Member
Joined: 07/10/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
I can't understand how, with all that was going on, she had the ability to disconnect the toad, and drive to the hospital. Surprised she didn't just wait for the ambulance. I wonder if the hospital did a blood test for alcohol/drugs? And, how did she know where the hospital was?
|
|
|
|
