I am a bus driver for one of our local Yeshivas and would like to warn Crown Heights residents about a dangerous situation that takes place in our neighborhood on a daily basis.
Last week, I was stopped on Crown Street between Kingston and Brooklyn to pick up a 5-year-old child.
As usual, I stopped my bus on a diagonal, to try and block part of the street. Unfortunately, many drivers drive past my bus even while my lights are on and the stop sign is out.
The 5-year-old child stepped off the curb. As he was walking towards the bus, he was hit by a bicyclist and was knocked to the ground.
The child was seriously injured, suffering several broken bones and other injuries.
I have been driving in the neighborhood for quite a few years, and I must warn parents about the dangers their children face every day. This was the second accident that occurred this month on my route, and I would like to point out a few safety measures every parent should take.
1. Drivers should not drive around a bus
When the stop sign is out, do not try and drive around the bus on any side. I cannot tell you how many people disobey the lights and simply continue driving. It is sakonas nefoshos! These are our children. How do you take the responsibility to do something so dangerous? It is literally a “Ch’shash of Shfichas domim.”
2. Accompany your child to the bus
A child is very short, and as in the case of this accident, the cyclist could not see the child, especially if they are coming onto the street from between parked cars. If a parent is with the child, it is more likely that a passing car or cyclist will see them.
3. Wait for the bus to stop
Parents and children should always wait until the bus has come to a complete stop before stepping off the curb into the street. If a child does not learn this at a young age, there is the risk that they will run into the street while the bus is still moving, and could chas V’sholom get run over by the bus.
Unfortunately, if you ask any bus driver in the neighborhood, they will tell you that most of the drivers who risk passing buses, are Jewish.
I don’t think they are doing it maliciously, I believe they are just ignorant of the dangers. It is so important that everyone become educated on bus safety measures, for the safety of all.
I live on Empire, where there is a bike lane, and very often see bikers think that they are exempt from the blinking red lights and continue right past the bus. Just like the bus blacks the street it must also block the bike lane to protect our children.
I’ve been hit by a teenage boy bicyclist in Crown Heights and had a few other close calls. Too often they come out of nowhere and don’t alert you to their presence until they’re whizzing alongside of you. Very disconcerting experience to say the least!
Buses don’t abuse power, people do. In this case it isn’t the bus drivers that are abusing their power, it’s the people who tell the drivers where they must stop. Drivers don’t enjoy making stops every few yards on the same block. they do what they are instructed to do. why blame the drivers?
For those who are concerned-
I hope the child is doing well
Dear #25 If we’re being honest, let’s be really honest. Honest: Some school bus drivers are some of the worst drivers in Brooklyn, constantly swinging round corners and stopping without giving any warning. Really Honest: In general, not specifically buses, some regular drivers -not bus drivers- are the worse drivers in Brooklyn, constantly swinging round corners and stopping without giving any warning. I’m a bus driver and from my point of view (a high one) I see regular drivers doing what you describe. Very shocking to see this especially in or around schools, and being committed by Jewish father and… Read more »
this is so important! SCHOOLS should make phone calls to every home, send flyers with kids, post signs in the neighborhood, whatever it takes to make a change.
it is very sad this is even an issue.
Some school bus drivers are some of the worst drivers in Brooklyn, constantly swinging round corners and stopping without giving any warning.
What did you do after you helped your wife get up?
I know what I would have done.
To #17 “The issue with buses is that they don’t try to get kids off as fast as possible….” 100%. Like I tell my parents, “I don’t like waiting in traffic and I don’t like to be the cause of traffic”. I do my best to make sure my kids are ready to go off right away. Parents must be waiting for the bus, the bus should not be waiting for parents. The kids on the bus need to be informed that when their names or stop is announced, they must be ready to Lech-Lecha (go go go). Kids shouldn’t… Read more »
Just imagine how much worse the street would look without the buses. You think traffic is bad now, imagine several hundred extra cars on the rode, trying to drop off or pick up children to and from school.
The reason traffic is already as bad as it is, is because many of the local public schools have kids coming in from other districts, they don’t have busing and are driven in, as a result we have hundreds of passing through our neighborhood daily.
If your child can not safely bicycle on the side of the street then he or she should not bicycle at all. Last month a child ran in to my wife knocking her over and the boy did not even stop to apologize nor did the boy’s parents who were supervising his reckless behavior say anything at all!
When you have a three year old child and your wife is 9 months pregnant I’ll tell her to walk a block to the corner rather than stopping by her house!
Don’t be silly.
Drivers for the most part do their best not to block the roads unless they absolutely must. But the safety of the children comes first and foremost before anything else including your need to get somewhere quickly.
To #14 I am the bus Morah on this bus, the stop signs were on. It is possible you saw the moment after the incident where the driver pulled over and turned off the stop signs as to not block traffic. Needless to say when driving behind a bus and you see Flashing yellow lights that means a bus is going to stop. A driver behind the bus must slow down, prepare to stop, and not attempt to pass the bus. To #17 busses stop many times on diagonal for this exact reason! Cars are always passing busses with stop… Read more »
Why would someone even take the risk of driving around the bus?
If a cop sees, the ticket is like $500 and points on your license..
and no point in trying to fight it in court, because the judge takes these tickets very seriously.
The issue with buses is that they don’t try to get kids off as fast as possible. Getting kids off as fast as possible helps both other drivers on the road, as well as the kids on the bus who will have a shorter ride. I was once stuck behind a non-Jewish bus near crown heights early in the morning where I had to wait ten minutes because they simply took their time. Granted that is an extreme example, but in general, there should be systems in place to ensure that buses move faster. Bus drivers who do take advantage… Read more »
I totally agree with you. Busses abuse their power.
Growing up (in the 80s and 90s) no bus ever came to the front door, you went to the corner where you met the bus.
I was never able to figure this out, 1 why must they stop on the avenue, block off a big road at will. 2 why must they stop every second house. And it’s way worse in Willi and BP.
Chaim Hershkop: I hope all drivers learn from you.
Yes parents and children should be more cautious, but at the same time if the bus driver stopped in a s here diagonal position any cyclist would have to slow down drastically if he tried squeezing g past such a positioned bus
I was there. This bus did turn to block the street but he did not have the stop sign on.
Bikers run reds constantly. I live on Eastern Parkway and am often more afraid of the bikers than the crazy cars. I’ve almost gotten hit many times ch”v. Let’s also teach our children early about biking rules, and teach them to use their scooters safely as well.
When you pay for door to door bus service you better believe that bus is stopping in front of your house no matter how many stops he has to make on the block. When you have babies in the house and have 3 and 5 year olds loading onto a bus you can’t wait in the middle of the block or corner
VERY IMPORTANT
It’s not enough to wait for the bus to stop, you must also wait for the door to open.
Children and PARENTS should not step off the sidewalk until the driver opens the door(s).
Even then, you must proceed with caution.
Abuse their power? Did you look up the law? There’s no abuse of power, you sound like you dont have children and are ignorant on this.
Dear Number 5 שיחי
I fully understand your frustration. As a bus driver myself, I do not like getting stuck behind other buses.
That said, I do my best to allow traffic to flow.
On our CH Bus Drivers Whatsapp group, the drivers are encouraged to do this when safely possible. It goes without saying that safety first and thus if a driver is not doing it, it’s for good reason.
The “laws” you suggest are unpractical. I’ll assume you don’t have any children yet (going on buses). I assume this based on your suggestions.
Agree with number 6. They also go the opposite direction from the street and sometimes when driving a car they can hardly be seen
My son also got hit by a bicycle while walking towards the bus. It was a bike riding on the sidewalk. (kid about 10 years old). Yes, parents should accompany their child till the bus but I think we also need to tell our kids going to school with a bike to really be extremely careful.
I always see bikes on the street going by reds, especially the electric ones stores have, some nearly hitting me. What makes them different then cars? Why don’t they have the same traffic laws?
Not to take away from every word written above. I agree 100%. But perhaps it would help if these yellow busses won’t abuse their power and stop 4 times in one block. If you’re driving behind them it can get very frustrating and cause a driver to do something stupid.
There should be a law making busses stop no more than once on each street and never on avenues.
Thank u so much for caring for the safety of our children!
If you think crown heights is bad, go to boro Park
B”H If I am behind a school bus with the flashing lights and stop sign and I’m in a rush, I tell myself it’s hashgocho protis – this is where the Aibeshter wants me and I calmly wait. And I care about His children.
If drivers and cyclist would just keep to the law, everything would be Ok.
Oh right, this is CH, sorry.