7 year old killed by Millarville

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by 4X4

After thinking about it a bit, I do have some sympathy for the driver. It's easy for a guy like me to say that he should have known to slow down, but the reason I'm so cautious in certain situations like passing big, stopped vehicles is because I've had more than one heart attack while passing a stopped vehicle and then a person comes around from the front of the vehicle to get into the driver seat. That happens to everyone and it's part of gaining experience. Now my brain doesn't even think about it. I just automatically slow down and move as far left as is reasonable safe and possible.
The thing that really scared out of driving like a teenage idiot and into driving like a competent adult was the time I almost creamed someone in a crosswalk.
A 5 ton truck was signalling left and stopped on a two lane each direction road. There was a parking lot right there and I just assumed that he was stopped because there was some traffic flow oncoming. The truck was blocking my view of a pedestrian with a baby carriage crossing the street. Lucky for her (and me) she was super cautious and peeked her head around the front of the truck to see if any one was coming up in the right lane. I think I was about 20 when that happened. Tell you what, that scared me right out of driving like a maniac. I thanked my lucky stars every day for weeks. I couldn't stop thinking about how f'd up my life would be if I hit and killed a mother and baby.
Too bad for this kid. Learned the hard way.

While what you did was wrong, a stopped school bus is a much more obvious warning sign telling you not to pass. I get your point, though, and if this 17 year old had just narrowly missed the child, he may have learned a big lesson like you did.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

School buses don't use their flashing lights and stop sign nearly enough...in fact, in the city, I don't think I've ever seen them used. Why not? I don't speed past school buses anyway, but they should be using all the safety precautions afforded to them in order to keep kids safe.

Millarville school is part of the Foothills School Division. All of the school buses in Foothills School Division use their flashing lights when picking up or dropping off children. They have for as long as I can remember.

I was pretty schocked to find out that is not the case in Calgary. I never knew that until that bad bus accident around a year ago, where a couple of children were killed.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by 4X4

The article says the guy was going 90. I'm going to go out on a limb and just call him an idiot. You see a f'n school bus stopped on a rural road you slow the hell down. Period. I drive rural roads often enough to know that going 100 is kinda the upper limit. I don't care what you're driving. Add snow to the mix and there's no way 90 is a safe speed to go, even without busses pulled over on the side.
Terrible tragedy. My condolences to the family. And just so sad that a bunch of the kids' classmates witnessed it. There's a whole lot of trauma here.

As well as two siblings of the victim, just awful to have that with you for the rest of your life.

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by 4X4

The article says the guy was going 90. I'm going to go out on a limb and just call him an idiot. You see a f'n school bus stopped on a rural road you slow the hell down. Period. I drive rural roads often enough to know that going 100 is kinda the upper limit. I don't care what you're driving. Add snow to the mix and there's no way 90 is a safe speed to go, even without busses pulled over on the side.
Terrible tragedy. My condolences to the family. And just so sad that a bunch of the kids' classmates witnessed it. There's a whole lot of trauma here.

Well said. Even on a clear summer day you shouldn't be going 90 km/h on country roads with or without a school bus in the vicinity. Add in bad weather and it's dangerous including the passenger this kid was driving.

Hopefully the justice system brings the book down on this kid. Tragic story.

[BlackArcher101]

I'm with 4X4 on this one... he was an effing idtiot. Period. Going 90 on a gravel snow covered road is dumb... 70 when snow covered is even too much.

Not long ago when he got his learners, he should have read page 127 in the Basic Drivers Handbook shown here: http://transportation.alberta.ca/2119.htm
It's a shame be probable skipped this part:

Once the bus comes to a stop to load or unload students, its alternating flashing red lights will come on. You may also see a stop sign extended from the left-hand side of the bus. You must come to a complete stop before you reach the school bus.

"Didn't see the lights" and "Brandon’s siblings had both crossed the road for the bus but he stopped at the edge of the road having apparently seen the car speeding up behind the bus." That just tops it all off right there. Throw the book at him and hard. I wonder what kind of vehicle he was driving.

[BlackArcher101]

double post

[moon]

Originally Posted by Dion

I think it would make a difference. Think about all the drivers who leave the bar and get behind the wheel knowing they're maybe over the limit but the chances of getting caught are minimal. Would they take that risk if they knew a conviction meant the loss of thier license forever?

As has been mentioned a million times before, yes they would be just as likely to get behind the wheel.

If killing someone isn't enough of incentive to not drive drunk who the hell cares about losing a license? Especially if as you say the chances of getting caught are slim.

Once again punishing this kid does nothing to reduce the chances of this happening again. Ignoring the fact that 90% of drivers won't even hear about the punishment let alone put 2 and 2 together in the future when encountering a similar situation the fact is that if someone isn't concerned about killing someone then they aren't likely to be concerned about the possibility of jail.

Do you really think that people say "Hey I might kill someone but who cares" and then "Oh no I might lose my license/go to jail I better obey the rules now"?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

School buses don't use their flashing lights and stop sign nearly enough...in fact, in the city, I don't think I've ever seen them used. Why not? I don't speed past school buses anyway, but they should be using all the safety precautions afforded to them in order to keep kids safe.

I believe its actually illegal for school buses to use those lights within city limits.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by moon

As has been mentioned a million times before, yes they would be just as likely to get behind the wheel.

If killing someone isn't enough of incentive to not drive drunk who the hell cares about losing a license? Especially if as you say the chances of getting caught are slim.

Once again punishing this kid does nothing to reduce the chances of this happening again. Ignoring the fact that 90% of drivers won't even hear about the punishment let alone put 2 and 2 together in the future when encountering a similar situation the fact is that if someone isn't concerned about killing someone then they aren't likely to be concerned about the possibility of jail.

Do you really think that people say "Hey I might kill someone but who cares" and then "Oh no I might lose my license/go to jail I better obey the rules now"?

As i said earlier increasing the punishment for this type of crime will IMO cause more people to think more about thier driving habits. You disagree and that's fine.

Not sure how else i could state my point so i'll just agree to disagree with you on this issue.

[Trident]

People shouldn't believe everything they hear or read. I've read most of the news articles that are on the internet, and very few of them have all the facts correct, or even remotly right. And honestly, it wasn't the drivers fault. He didn't go to pass the bus, he was trying to stop the whole time. Everyone is villanizing the driver, and making him sound like he purposely did it, which is not what happened. People should stop making up the facts, and not be spreading around the stories when you don't know what happened.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Trident

People shouldn't believe everything they hear or read. I've read most of the news articles that are on the internet, and very few of them have all the facts correct, or even remotly right. And honestly, it wasn't the drivers fault. He didn't go to pass the bus, he was trying to stop the whole time. Everyone is villanizing the driver, and making him sound like he purposely did it, which is not what happened. People should stop making up the facts, and not be spreading around the stories when you don't know what happened.

The RCMP haven't finished with the accident investigation yet you have all the insider info and facts

[Trident]

Well some one who was there usually knows the facts pretty good.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Trident

Well some one who was there usually knows the facts pretty good.

I'll wait for the RCMP to release the facts

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Trident

People shouldn't believe everything they hear or read. I've read most of the news articles that are on the internet, and very few of them have all the facts correct, or even remotly right. And honestly, it wasn't the drivers fault. He didn't go to pass the bus, he was trying to stop the whole time. Everyone is villanizing the driver, and making him sound like he purposely did it, which is not what happened. People should stop making up the facts, and not be spreading around the stories when you don't know what happened.

Care to link up some of the ones that have the facts correct?

[BlackArcher101]

So if he didn't pass the bus and was trying to slow down the whole time, then why was he still travelling 90 km/h and how on earth did he manage to strike a kid. Seems like you know the facts, so if you are going to say so, then come out with them.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

So if he didn't pass the bus and was trying to slow down the whole time, then why was he still travelling 90 km/h and how on earth did he manage to strike a kid. Seems like you know the facts, so if you are going to say so, then come out with them.

I'm wondering if he's the driver of the SUV....