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Citizen complaint of the day: The sleeping driver on the idling school bus
By adamg on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 9:04am
An annoyed resident reports from Washington Street in Roslindale:
Bus driver of HS102 sleeping in idling bus in front of my house yet again. Stays for an hour. He is also very rude.
No indication if that's before or after his route, the operation of which has become a matter of some urgency for city officials of late.
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Comments
illegal to idle
It's illegal to idle for more than -- I think -- five minutes in the city of Boston. Diesel is particularly POISONOUS for you... Personally, I recommend you talk to the driver himself about that illegality or get some neighbors with you before calling any cops in on this --- but it should not continue...
Idling for more than 5
Idling for more than 5 minutes is illegal under state law. http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/90-16a.htm
The state DEP is particularly concerned about idling school buses, because of the potential for children on the bus or in school to breathe diesel exhaust. http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/community/schbusir.htm
Not only is there a state law
Not only is there a state law against idling--there's also this program regarding school buses in particular.
http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/community/schbusir.htm
HS116 or HS106
Yesterday, I was stuck behind a bus that lumbered all the way from Belgrade and Walworth down to Hyde Park. He maxed out at 25mph. I can assure everyone here that 7AM drivers on Enniking pkwy south regularly get to 45mph, so its not that there were people in front of him.
A potato and a mallet
Knowing what I do about the health effects of diesel exhaust, a rude driver might trigger some ingenuity.
As I recall, Mythbusters tested this
and found out that the "foreign object" they used was shot out of the tailpipe in all cases.
Engine that size ...
most certainly. So then it would be on to the next plan: thermite.
An appealling vengence fantasy, but...
...as far as the stubbornly indolent driver is concerned, an idling bus and an out-of-commission bus serve the same purpose - ie him not having to do anything but sit around.
Ditto for the children and parents waiting for that bus to show up. Doesn't really make anything better for them if the bus is a no-show due to goldbricking or mechanical-failure-by-tuber (or high explosive).
(Btw, I'm sure the thought of SwirlyGrrl with access to thermite makes even the righteous among us shudder in dread apprehension!)
Access?
Course 3 Tech geeks love thermite because it is easy to make. It only takes a little to weld things together -like a brass rat for Mr. Harvard, etc. Explosions are so passe.
Hmmm ... maybe a jello cannon would be less trouble?
Duct tape
Duct tape a hose to the tail pipe.
Wander to front of bus, knock on window waking the driver.
Feed other end of hose into window which driver has opened so he can yell at you for waking him up.
Duct tape hose in place at open window.
"Just returning this, sir, have a good day!"
And then...
...after he realizes life's worth living after all, he drives off, only to get T-boned by a drunk driver!
He gets a huge settlement thanks to Attorney Newhouse, and is finally able to realize his lifelong dream of building a "JUMP" TO CONCLUSIONS mat!
Lecil, I think he owes you a nice thank-you note.
Jeezis...
...why don't you people just kick open the door to the bus and shoot the fucker in the head? Youze guys are harsh.
Harsh grrl
so...what you know about the health effects of diesel exhaust would justify asphyxiating the driver? Remind me to never idle in front of your apartment house.
Call the Transportation Department
We used to have this problem in our neighborhood. If you call the Mayor's Hotline (617-635-4500)and ask them to connect you with the Transportation Department for school buses, you can report the bus. I think that does some good. You can also call the police (I would guess), because it is illegal to idle for more than 5 minutes I wouldn't bother talking to the driver--he certainly knows it's not okay to do what he's doing.