Poland
Polish bus accident exemplifies problem
Classified Polnews
Warsaw, Poland December 22, 2006. The http://www.polskieradio.pl/polonia/article.asp?tId=46377&j=2 serious commuter bus accident that occurred in Warsaw, Poland yesterday is merely representative of the problems that exist with the Warsaw commuter bus lines. That such an accident occurred should be full well expected and unless changes are made such accidents can be expected in the future.
Warsaw has a very well-developed commuter bus system. But it has a problem. The bus drivers are typical of the drivers that one finds on the Polish roads. That means there are many careless and agressive drivers who are hauling commuters around the City.
There is no doubt that there are very many bus drivers, and that would probably be the majority of bus drivers, that are careful and competent.
But there are a remarkable number of bus drivers that take the typical approach of the Polish driver and care less about anything around them and show no respect for the passengers in their charge. These people should not be driving at all. But they are.
Warsaw commuters are continually subjected to being hauled in the back of buses by drivers who tailgate and who frequently go from rapid acceleration to rapid braking. Passengers know they must be careful to protect themselves from other passengers who are thrown around buses as drivers ignore their safety.
Bus drivers often make high speed turns and passengers are thrown against the sides of the bus and forced to hang on less they fall out of their seats.
It is not uncommon for the passengers in the buses to holler at drivers. But they are only to be ignored and the drivers continue to careen their way on their charted paths.
Many bus drivers engage in a constant ego battle with passenger car drivers who have no respect for the Polish law and continually cut the buses off. But rather than expecting that this is the case, the bus drivers engage in the battle and endanger their passengers.
Bus drivers seem to believe that the schedule is most important and that the passengers in the back have to protect themselves while bus driver works to meet this schedule.
The serious bus accident in Warsaw yesterday was the result of specific conditions which we are not commenting about in this article. But in general it exemplifies the dangers that Warsaw commuters face every day.
It is time that the Warsaw bus system management start considering the passengers and placing passenger safety first.
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