WTF?!? Real news story . . .

20 July 2005

MIRACLE ESCAPE FOR THE KIDS WHOSE BUS DRIVER FORGOT HE WAS IN A DOUBLE DECKER..
By Richard Smith

PUPILS had a lucky escape yesterday when this bus hit a low bridge after the driver forgot it was a double decker. Five teenagers were taken to hospital with cuts and bruises and others left badly shaken when the roof was sliced off.

The youngsters dived for cover to avoid being decapitated as they were showered with glass in the smash at Woodley, Berks. Sergeant Michael Mayne of Thames Valley police said: "The pupils were extremely lucky."

The driver, treated for shock at the roadside, normally operates a single-decker for the school run.

A police source added: "He just forgot what he was driving. When we got there the pupils were screaming and threatening him. He is gutted and shaken by this. " There were 25 pupils on the bus. Operator Reading Transport Ltd said: "We want to know how this catastrophe happened. "One injury is one injury too many. Thank God there was not a full load of children on board. "The five injured pupils were last night recovering at home."

Now . . . I as a safety manager for a transportation company here in the USA, I gotta tell you this operator should be canned . . . period! I'd recommend a cranial-rectal inversion operation be preformed along with a post-accident drug and alcohol test before yanking this guy's license. I assume this happened in the UK - shame on our British cousins if they ever allow this dolt to drive school kids again!