31 March 2013

The ACTION approach to red lights?

| johnboy
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We’re going to have a lot of fun with dashboard cams in the years to come.

Richard sent in this noteworthy effort by one of ACTION’s beloved bus drivers.

Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it in to images@the-riotact.com .

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i want to interject with psycho cab drivers….*claps and go…

gp said :

I use my cheapie dashcam when driving around as well. Check out my ‘Best of’ collection of Canberra Driving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzBg7t5btNE

GP

All those vehicles running the red lights are the reason that when my light turns green, I look both ways before I proceed into the intersection. Shockers.

The more traffic lights that get installed, the worse it’s going to get.

Not 10 minutes after writing the message above I ventured onto the roads to go to work and passed through Gininderra Drive and Tilyard Street, and guess what? Bus 508 (an articulated bus none the less in the like Canberra livery) turned right off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard when there was no safe gap. End result is the first car had to come to an almost complete stop to avoid hitting it’s ‘trailer’, The 2nd car nearly ran up the arse of the first, I was the 5th car so had plenty of time to slow without stopping. Behind me there was 1 car then nothing as far as I could see. So again please tell me why it is wrong to report someone who drives like this? Why could the bus not wait another 30 seconds for the gap?

Madam Cholet8:15 am 02 Apr 13

JC said :

That intersection that you have described is herendous.

I used to drive a route that used that intersection for about 6 months. I applied to change my shift due to that intersection, as I was worried about loosing my job due to people like you. I have waited at that intersection on so many occaisions with passengers in the bus saying “I can’t understand why drivers don’t slow down or stop and just let you go”. I was for ever late meeting my timing points on that particular route as it was a peak hour route.

I must say though I have never been reported, regarding that intersection and I hope I wasn’t one of the bus drivers that upset you.

I will also add, that it is attitudes like yours that makes driving buses difficult at times.

Why is it that bus drivers expect others on the roads to take responsibility for their actions? Passengers should feel free to complain for bad service or incompetent decisions made whilst driving. It’s worrying that Action does not seem to act on any of the complaints it receives. If that intersection is such a problem then Action need to adjust the bus times, not expect traffic to slow down just to let you out.

iii said :

JC said :

If you have the rego and the date/time report them.

https://www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au/app/forms/action_feedback/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY0NzY2NTg1L3NpZC9FWG12TXptbA%3D%3D

I do it all the time, Action must be getting sick of me. In my case what I report them for is the manner that they turn right off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard Street and right off Tilyard Street onto Gininderra Drive. Almost weekly I will have a bus try that on without any regard to traffic comming along Gininderra Drive. Now whilst of course the intersection is a PIA for them, being busy, simple fact is they need to wait and give way until there is a safe gap, and if I am travelling at the posted speed limit of 80km/h and have to brake to 30km/h to avoid hitting them then they haven’t given way.

That intersection that you have described is herendous.

I used to drive a route that used that intersection for about 6 months. I applied to change my shift due to that intersection, as I was worried about loosing my job due to people like you. I have waited at that intersection on so many occaisions with passengers in the bus saying “I can’t understand why drivers don’t slow down or stop and just let you go”. I was for ever late meeting my timing points on that particular route as it was a peak hour route.

I must say though I have never been reported, regarding that intersection and I hope I wasn’t one of the bus drivers that upset you.

I will also add, that it is attitudes like yours that makes driving buses difficult at times.

Actually I report them for two reasons. One using the shear size of a bus to force your way across an intersection which you quite rightly point out is dangerous and a PIA is in itself dangerous. Secondly I report it in the hope that maybe Action will get off their arses and approach TAMS about fixing it properly, which might I point out I have done myself.

So not sure what is wrong with my attitude. Sorry if I don’t like having a bus turn across my path causing me to take evasive action. Sorry if that causes you inconvenience.

JC said :

If you have the rego and the date/time report them.

https://www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au/app/forms/action_feedback/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY0NzY2NTg1L3NpZC9FWG12TXptbA%3D%3D

I do it all the time, Action must be getting sick of me. In my case what I report them for is the manner that they turn right off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard Street and right off Tilyard Street onto Gininderra Drive. Almost weekly I will have a bus try that on without any regard to traffic comming along Gininderra Drive. Now whilst of course the intersection is a PIA for them, being busy, simple fact is they need to wait and give way until there is a safe gap, and if I am travelling at the posted speed limit of 80km/h and have to brake to 30km/h to avoid hitting them then they haven’t given way.

That intersection that you have described is herendous.

I used to drive a route that used that intersection for about 6 months. I applied to change my shift due to that intersection, as I was worried about loosing my job due to people like you. I have waited at that intersection on so many occaisions with passengers in the bus saying “I can’t understand why drivers don’t slow down or stop and just let you go”. I was for ever late meeting my timing points on that particular route as it was a peak hour route.

I must say though I have never been reported, regarding that intersection and I hope I wasn’t one of the bus drivers that upset you.

I will also add, that it is attitudes like yours that makes driving buses difficult at times.

gp said :

I use my cheapie dashcam when driving around as well. Check out my ‘Best of’ collection of Canberra Driving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzBg7t5btNE

GP

Holy crap !

I’m all for the occasional can’t stop in time and run the orange, but some of those cars clearly entered the intersection AFTER you got the green light…

Belconnen way used to be synchronised, until they installed lights outside bunnings and new lights at the GDE flyover.

Now you have zero chance of getting from one end to the other at 80kmph. Funnily enough though you can do the entire of Belconnen Way at 100kmph and get green lights the whole way!

Good job Gov!

Thumbs up to any bus driver that continues through a just-red light and gets me to my destination faster.

The bus from my place to Woden goes along Erindale drive/Yamba in front of TCH, and the hideous amount of traffic lights (that seem deliberately timed to drive people to frustration) almost make me wish my driver would be as pragmatic as this one.

I use my cheapie dashcam when driving around as well. Check out my ‘Best of’ collection of Canberra Driving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzBg7t5btNE

GP

Madam Cholet11:41 am 01 Apr 13

JC said :

If you have the rego and the date/time report them.

https://www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au/app/forms/action_feedback/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY0NzY2NTg1L3NpZC9FWG12TXptbA%3D%3D

I do it all the time, Action must be getting sick of me. In my case what I report them for is the manner that they turn right off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard Street and right off Tilyard Street onto Gininderra Drive. Almost weekly I will have a bus try that on without any regard to traffic comming along Gininderra Drive. Now whilst of course the intersection is a PIA for them, being busy, simple fact is they need to wait and give way until there is a safe gap, and if I am travelling at the posted speed limit of 80km/h and have to brake to 30km/h to avoid hitting them then they haven’t given way.

I catch the bus three times a week at the moment from the south into the city and I tweet Action probably maybe once a week about dumb stuff their drivers do. Last weeks one was traveling uphill along a designated cycle lane for about three hundred metres so he didn’t inconvenience the traffic. Not really a big deal as there was no cyclists around, but nevertheless illegal.

Buses running red lights is another one I have advised about. They sometimes have come back and asked what time and bus number, so they can follow up, but obviously they aren’t making great headway in getting the message across to their drivers Asia happens all the time.

What I don’t get about it is that it’s not that they can go unnoticed, what with the bright livery and the word Action plastered all over the vehicles. These people are driving for a living and any risk assessment would put running red lights at the topic the list and therfore high on the list of things to educate drivers about. I’m regularly concerned about my safety on my morning and afternoon trips.

Monsieur Cholet thinks that inspectors observing drivers would have to declare themselves to the driver according to some union rule, otherwise I would suggest that telling drivers that inspectors unknown to them will be doing the rounds. Maybe co opt members of the public could assist.

farnarkler said :

When the ACT gov’t makes such cretinous decisions as to where they put lights, then I regard them as non existant. Prime example; Junction of Baldwin Drive and Maribyrnong Avenue, Kaleen.

Because it’s clearly the government’s fault that the driver of any vehicle ignores a red light; moron.

screaming banshee9:50 am 01 Apr 13

Spitfire3 said :

farnarkler said :

When the ACT gov’t makes such cretinous decisions as to where they put lights, then I regard them as non existant. Prime example; Junction of Baldwin Drive and Maribyrnong Avenue, Kaleen.

What a stupid comment. Before the lights were put on that intersection, there were collisions there all the bloody time.

Kaleen must have the quickest cleanup crews then because I never saw signs of an accident there pre-lights. Now they are just a starting line for the race to the lane one form at the highschool….a better spot for a speed camera I have never seen.

farnarkler said :

When the ACT gov’t makes such cretinous decisions as to where they put lights, then I regard them as non existant. Prime example; Junction of Baldwin Drive and Maribyrnong Avenue, Kaleen.

What a stupid comment. Before the lights were put on that intersection, there were collisions there all the bloody time.

Stevian said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Haven’t all y’all heard? Action bus drivers are saints. They can do what they want when they want. They are beyond reproach. Only the scum criticise action drivers.

At least you know what you are

A saint?

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Haven’t all y’all heard? Action bus drivers are saints. They can do what they want when they want. They are beyond reproach. Only the scum criticise action drivers.

At least you know what you are

If you have the rego and the date/time report them.

https://www.canberraconnect.act.gov.au/app/forms/action_feedback/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY0NzY2NTg1L3NpZC9FWG12TXptbA%3D%3D

I do it all the time, Action must be getting sick of me. In my case what I report them for is the manner that they turn right off Gininderra Drive onto Tilyard Street and right off Tilyard Street onto Gininderra Drive. Almost weekly I will have a bus try that on without any regard to traffic comming along Gininderra Drive. Now whilst of course the intersection is a PIA for them, being busy, simple fact is they need to wait and give way until there is a safe gap, and if I am travelling at the posted speed limit of 80km/h and have to brake to 30km/h to avoid hitting them then they haven’t given way.

Bloody cyclists and their sense of entitlement – why don’t they pay rego like the rest of us hardworking types!

IrishPete said :

Golden-Alpine said :

I was nearly skittled by one on the pedestrian crossing at Hibberson street.

Were you on a bicycle? (Sorry, but after 12 comments it was time for a bicycle comment.)

IP

more likely, the action bus was in lycra on a bespoke[d – boom boom] machine

Golden-Alpine said :

I was nearly skittled by one on the pedestrian crossing at Hibberson street.

Were you on a bicycle? (Sorry, but after 12 comments it was time for a bicycle comment.)

IP

I’ve got a video from my dashcam of someone who had driven the wrong way down a street and an ACTION bus running a red light – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8NX_gR8AaA

How_Canberran said :

Golden-Alpine said :

I was nearly skittled by one on the pedestrian crossing at Hibberson street.

Hit by an ACTION bus on a pedestrian crossing? Cha Ching!

How Canberran.

yes; but though in truth, odds of being hit by an action bus on a pedestrian crossing in any other city, globally, are vanishingly small…

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd8:46 pm 31 Mar 13

Haven’t all y’all heard? Action bus drivers are saints. They can do what they want when they want. They are beyond reproach. Only the scum criticise action drivers.

Instant Mash8:31 pm 31 Mar 13

He was just looking for some ACTION.

How_Canberran7:07 pm 31 Mar 13

Golden-Alpine said :

I was nearly skittled by one on the pedestrian crossing at Hibberson street.

Hit by an ACTION bus on a pedestrian crossing? Cha Ching!

How Canberran.

Ah my favourite stretch of road Wentworth Ave/Eyre St.They’ll be doing major roadworks there soon and who knows they might even make an attempt to synchronise the lights(which would be a bloody miracle).Not that that in anyway justifies running a blatant red particularly in a heavy vehicle,besides the lights were red at Giles St so why would the fcuktard even bother?

Golden-Alpine6:06 pm 31 Mar 13

I was nearly skittled by one on the pedestrian crossing at Hibberson street.

It wasn’t that red…

It’s alright. ACTION drivers are professional drivers – they know what they’re doing.

When the ACT gov’t makes such cretinous decisions as to where they put lights, then I regard them as non existant. Prime example; Junction of Baldwin Drive and Maribyrnong Avenue, Kaleen.

A lot of the drivers using the bus lane on Flemington Road seem to think that having the lane gives them a licence to speed.

A large number of Canberrans think stopping at red lights are optional these days, I don’t see why buses would be different.

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