Driving in difficult situations - Traffic Junction, Raining Day, Taxi, Sharp Corner, L-Driver

Traffic Lights Junction

On the1^st year after passing my class 4A driving licence for omnibus; one traffic offence that I fear most is beating the Red traffic light.  In year one, the maximum demerit point granted is 13.  That is 1 more point than the usual 12. The killer is those “magic box” at the traffic junction. 

Beating the red light and eventually got caught by the camera resided inside this magic box; a sum of 12 demerit points will be slapped onto me. Fortunately, for my 1^st year after passing class 4A licence, I have been a traffic rule abiding driver. Even though I have been driving some 25years in Singapore, I was told, that my previous demerit point of 24 points will no longer applicable; I have to restart with just 13 points only.

So if you are making a long term career as Bus Captain, please get yourself familiar where those magic boxes are been installed along your service route. It would be very stressful to you if you got caught beating the red light and left with only 1 more point to go before your 4A licence got suspended for the rest of the 1^st year.

Right Turning Arrow

On one occasion, while servicing 904, I was called up by my Supervisor to answer a complaint from a passenger. The pax had made a formal complaint to our customer service hotline that; I have attempted to beat the red traffic light.

This is one of the strangest complaints that I ever have. I suspect the pax may either from the TP or LTA.

The problem is not that, I want to beat the red light to save some waiting time; I would be endangering any pax travelling inside the bus by a sudden harsh braking. To me, it is a situational judgement issue. After the reviewing the bus CCTV, whereby the incident been recorded earlier, it was found that, as I was approaching the right turn cross junction, the right turning arrow is  “green”. However, the moment, I reached the last white painted arrow head; it started to blink.

For overall safety; I do not stop the bus then and then. Promptly, I assessed the traffic situation and found it to be safe; and I continue to complete the right turning even though the blinking green arrow turns to red.

Raining day

On raining day, the trip time schedule is difficult to adhere to. It will most probably  be a “lambat” for the trip that been caught in the raining.

First, I need to take extra precaution to drive slower than usual.

Second, I am obligated, as far as possible to alight and board passenger at the Bus Stop that can prevent them from getting wet by the rain. Some older generation of bus stop that still in use, is a little bit small to cover the entire length of the 12M bus. At time, either the boarding pax will get wet or the alighting pax will get wet.

Third, as a due diligent on my part as Bus Captain, whiles it is raining, I have to Queue for my turn to do parallel parking for the bus that is closes to the sheltered bus stop. In this way, the pax will have a minimum exposure to the falling rain.

L-Driver

While, I am on internal-line route service, this is a nightmare.

 It is not the L-Driver driving speed, that I am concern about. It is that they stop at T-junction without signal, and when I wanted to overtake them, they will move the car forward again; and I am in a difficult position to pull the 12M bus back into the left lane. So, I just have to blast the horn as loud as possible.

And when they approach a road hump and “slow down”; they actually stopped the car immediately after negotiating it. When I followed their behind, and because of inertia and momentum of the bus, I do not usually, step on the brake after negotiating the hump, as this will cause unpleasantness to the pax. Because of a near misses of hitting the rear of the “L-plated” car; today, when similar situation arises, I will early slow down the bus and keep a far distant from the “L-driver”.

Sharp corner 

For neighborhoods streets and avenues; not all the road have sufficient turning radius to accommodate the length of the 12M bus. To avoid collision or accident with other vehicle, at time, to negotiate the sharp and narrow corner, the bus will have to mount kerb. My rational is that, avoiding an accident with other vehicle is the 1^st priority.

However, for TP test, you are not allowed to hit the kerb as this will warrant an immediate failure and you have to retake your driving test.

Taxi-Sudden Stop in front after cutting into my path.

I have many near accident misses for this kind of endanger situation bought on by those care-less Taxi Uncle.

The potential taxi pax is waiting by the left road side; I am on the outer left lane, the taxi is on my right. The taxi pax beckons for the taxi, the taxi driver saw it, speed up, over took my bus, and immediately cut into my lane and stop then and then.

This kind of scenario repeated very often.  The problem is that, while the bus is speeding at 35km/hr, it can be stopped on time by braking. Even, when the bus is travelling at 5km/hr and when the brake is applied or jam it, to prevent an impending traffic accident, the passengers inside the bus will certainly take a hit.

 If there do not hold on to the grab post or safety handle, the pax will fall, and caused an incident on board the bus. I will be subjected to HQ safety board of enquiry and on worst case, I may be suspended from service for 3 days with ½ pay only. My record will be that I have caused a “passenger mishap”.

If I could not brake on time, and have the front of my bus kissed onto the back of the taxi; under traffic rule act, I am at the wrong again. With demerit points imposed and got suspended from work for 7 days without a single cent!!