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PSL1013
03-23-2010, 03:16 PM
Breaking News:

http://www.clickorlando.com/news/22921397/detail.html

spring
03-23-2010, 04:05 PM
Oh, my! It's a good thing there were only 20 people on the bus instead of "filled beyond capacity with people standing in the aisles" you sometimes see on the buses. What a shame.:( I hope everyone heals quickly.

PSL1013
03-23-2010, 04:17 PM
Oh, my! It's a good thing there were only 20 people on the bus instead of "filled beyond capacity with people standing in the aisles" you sometimes see on the busses. What a shame.:( I hope everyone heals quickly.

It is up to 9 injured now. :( I agree, I think it should be against the law to have standers on a moving bus anyway but that's JMO. That's my first thought when those buses are packed to capacity especially late at night, it really scares me. Good thing we drive most places.

sunshinecindy
03-23-2010, 05:36 PM
It is up to 9 injured now. :( I agree, I think it should be against the law to have standers on a moving bus anyway but that's JMO. That's my first thought when those buses are packed to capacity especially late at night, it really scares me. Good thing we drive most places.

Ya, go figure. I have to wear a seat belt in my huge 4x4 Dodge tank but can stand on a bus.

~Kathie
03-23-2010, 05:37 PM
Scary. The article said the driver of the Disney bus was taken in for surgery. Hope everyone is okay.

fourfoxesinpa
03-24-2010, 08:57 AM
Ya, go figure. I have to wear a seat belt in my huge 4x4 Dodge tank but can stand on a bus.

I've often wondered why school buses don't have seatbelts. :confused:

I hope everyone is OK.

Weluvdisny
03-24-2010, 10:45 AM
I've often wondered why school buses don't have seatbelts. :confused:

The buses in our school district do have seat belts but whether the kids are actually wearing them, I don't know.

MouseUnlimited
04-01-2010, 11:17 PM
Aside from one boy who suffered a broken pelvis, all passengers are OK as of today. No word on the driver.

It seems as if the Disney bus rear-ended the Mears hotel bus at full speed, having not noticed that it was completely stopped at the toll booth.

Both drivers have been ticketed - I believe. The Mears driver was ticketed for parking a bus in a thru-lane, even though she had her blinkers on. She had heard noises from under the bus and must have thought it was OK to park her bus in the far right lane of the entry drive.

On a MUCH sadder note, a Disney bus killed a 9-year-old boy today at the Wilderness Lodge resort. It's unclear what really happened, but news reports imply that the child was riding his bike and either swerved into the road in front of the bus, or perhaps into the side of the bus. His 11-year-old friend, who was riding with him, was not hurt.

PSL1013
04-02-2010, 08:09 AM
Aside from one boy who suffered a broken pelvis, all passengers are OK as of today. No word on the driver.

It seems as if the Disney bus rear-ended the Mears hotel bus at full speed, having not noticed that it was completely stopped at the toll booth.

Both drivers have been ticketed - I believe. The Mears driver was ticketed for parking a bus in a thru-lane, even though she had her blinkers on. She had heard noises from under the bus and must have thought it was OK to park her bus in the far right lane of the entry drive.

On a MUCH sadder note, a Disney bus killed a 9-year-old boy today at the Wilderness Lodge resort. It's unclear what really happened, but news reports imply that the child was riding his bike and either swerved into the road in front of the bus, or perhaps into the side of the bus. His 11-year-old friend, who was riding with him, was not hurt.

I heard this on the news last night, so sad. :(

SunshineGirl
04-02-2010, 08:09 AM
On a MUCH sadder note, a Disney bus killed a 9-year-old boy today at the Wilderness Lodge resort. It's unclear what really happened, but news reports imply that the child was riding his bike and either swerved into the road in front of the bus, or perhaps into the side of the bus. His 11-year-old friend, who was riding with him, was not hurt.

This just broke my heart when I saw it last night. I couldn't help but thinking about the fact that Jillian is 9 and we stay at Wilderness Lodge every year. A fun vacation can turn into the nightmare of your life in an instant. :(

speechteachri
04-02-2010, 09:04 AM
How sad!!!!!

LauraLea
04-02-2010, 09:24 AM
According to the news reports here in Orlando, the bus was at Fort Wilderness not WL. I am sure driving a bus around the campgrounds is very difficult, with all the bikers and golf carts.

Laura

sunshinecindy
04-02-2010, 09:26 AM
The boy actually swerved off the sidewalk and hit the side of the bus just in front of the right rear tire and was swept under the bus. It was totally a freak accident. Two of his friends were on the sidewalk riding their bikes. All had on helmets.

MouseUnlimited
04-02-2010, 09:33 AM
According to the news reports here in Orlando, the bus was at Fort Wilderness not WL. I am sure driving a bus around the campgrounds is very difficult, with all the bikers and golf carts.

Laura

Yup, that's what I meant to type. It was indeed the campgrounds, not the lodge.


The boy actually swerved off the sidewalk and hit the side of the bus just in front of the right rear tire and was swept under the bus. It was totally a freak accident. Two of his friends were on the sidewalk riding their bikes. All had on helmets.

Not to make light of the situation - because it's still tragic for the boy's family - but if this part of the story ends up being true, it's finally good news for Disney. This is the 3rd dark day for Disney Transportation in less than a year (Monorail Accident, Bus Wreck Last Week, this one). All unrelated and coincidental, but Disney needs some luck to go their way for a change.

Leslie
04-02-2010, 09:50 AM
How very sad. My heart breaks for that family. :(

SunshineGirl
04-03-2010, 10:44 PM
Did you see the video at the bottom of the forum? The parents are now contesting the finding that the boy veered out in front of the bus. They are saying that the 11-year-old girl who was with them says that the bus swerved into the boy. Looks like unless Disney gives them some money, it's going to end up being a civil lawsuit even if no charges are filed against the bus driver.

MouseUnlimited
04-04-2010, 12:29 AM
Did you see the video at the bottom of the forum? The parents are now contesting the finding that the boy veered out in front of the bus. They are saying that the 11-year-old girl who was with them says that the bus swerved into the boy. Looks like unless Disney gives them some money, it's going to end up being a civil lawsuit even if no charges are filed against the bus driver.

For once, I hope Disney doesn't give in and just write another blank check to a family wanting to "ease their pain".

The girl actually told cops, at the scene, that he swerved off the sidewalk and into the bus. Then she realized she better tell mom they didn't do anything wrong for fear of getting into trouble. Her mom claims that as soon as the girl saw her, she said, "We both stayed on the sidewalk." Sounds like a defensive excuse if I've ever heard one.

It's tragic no matter how it happened, but I'm tired of Disney getting the terrible media coverage, and I'm tired of them settling out of court with "hush money" to every guest that complains. All these lawsuits do is increase the ticket and hotel prices for the rest of us.

While I can't imagine losing a child (especially since I don't have any of my own), I feel equally (if not more) sadness for this bus driver. He has 30 years of experience, a clean record, and now he has to live the rest of his life knowing he killed a little boy - even though it wasn't his fault. Guilt can do more damage to you, physically and mentally, than grief.

It's sad all around, and I hope the parents are able to move on to the rest of the Stages of Grief, and get beyond their current stage: anger.

sammielynn
04-04-2010, 07:42 AM
Another wreck on Saturday! This time it was a 81 year old driver. What is a 81 year old man doing driving a Disney bus! I'm sure he is a sweetie but that is just a tad old.

MouseUnlimited
04-04-2010, 10:49 AM
Another wreck on Saturday! This time it was a 81 year old driver. What is a 81 year old man doing driving a Disney bus! I'm sure he is a sweetie but that is just a tad old.

As someone said in a thread on another board (in a VERY heated thread, I might add), "We don't even let my grandpa use the TV remote - let alone drive a city bus." :rotfl:

sammielynn
04-04-2010, 03:11 PM
As someone said in a thread on another board (in a VERY heated thread, I might add), "We don't even let my grandpa use the TV remote - let alone drive a city bus." :rotfl:

Oh dear...........................

SunshineGirl
04-04-2010, 05:43 PM
For once, I hope Disney doesn't give in and just write another blank check to a family wanting to "ease their pain".



Yep. When it comes down to it, the name "Disney" ends up meaning "Dollars" for a lot of people even when Disney isn't at fault. My dislike of our whole legal system is why I don't practice law anymore. Sometimes the amount of money that it takes to defend yourself and the bad press makes it better for big companies to just give in and pay out.

I was a little shocked at the age of the bus driver as well. I'm assuming that if you drive Disney buses, you have to get retested fairly frequently? At least I hope so!!!

MouseUnlimited
04-04-2010, 06:24 PM
Yep. When it comes down to it, the name "Disney" ends up meaning "Dollars" for a lot of people even when Disney isn't at fault. My dislike of our whole legal system is why I don't practice law anymore. Sometimes the amount of money that it takes to defend yourself and the bad press makes it better for big companies to just give in and pay out.

I was a little shocked at the age of the bus driver as well. I'm assuming that if you drive Disney buses, you have to get retested fairly frequently? At least I hope so!!!

Even if Disney doesn't have them re-tested, I would think the state of Florida would, in order for them to maintain their CDL.

But like some other people have mentioned, not all people age the same. There are some 81-year-olds that you'd swear were in their 50s or 60s.

And yeah...our legal system...what a joke.