4 MCPS HS Students Hit by Car at Bus Stop

[Anonymous]

any update on the kids' condition?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The problem in our neighborhood is that kids are walking along the shoulder of a busy road because there is no bus transportation and no sidewalk. It's not as busy as Georgia Ave, but still a major throughway during rush hour. There's also a road where cars stop/line up to turn left and others pass too quickly along the right shoulder-- the shoulder where kids are walking. The best solution would be sidewalks (I've sent a request to the county and never heard a peep), but second best would be to bus the kids from that neighborhood so they don't need to walk along shoulder.

Where is that, PP? Which neighborhood/which road?

My advice is to take pictures and send them to your county councilmembers. Ask them to ask the county transportation department why there isn't a sidewalk. Or, if it's a state road, ask them to ask the county transportation department why they aren't asking the State Highway Administration for a sidewalk. Then get some of your neighbors together and ask your county councilmembers for a meeting.

[Anonymous]

A NorthWest HS Student died - he was a twin.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/funeral-for-mcps-student-killed-in-crash-set-for-wednesday/

My heart is breaking for his family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A NorthWest HS Student died - he was a twin.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/funeral-for-mcps-student-killed-in-crash-set-for-wednesday/

My heart is breaking for his family.

That seems like a different tragedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:any update on the kids' condition?

Want to know about this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A NorthWest HS Student died - he was a twin.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/funeral-for-mcps-student-killed-in-crash-set-for-wednesday/

My heart is breaking for his family.

This student died in a crash on I-270 last week. NOT related to yesterday's bus stop accident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The problem in our neighborhood is that kids are walking along the shoulder of a busy road because there is no bus transportation and no sidewalk. It's not as busy as Georgia Ave, but still a major throughway during rush hour. There's also a road where cars stop/line up to turn left and others pass too quickly along the right shoulder-- the shoulder where kids are walking. The best solution would be sidewalks (I've sent a request to the county and never heard a peep), but second best would be to bus the kids from that neighborhood so they don't need to walk along shoulder.

Where is that, PP? Which neighborhood/which road?

My advice is to take pictures and send them to your county councilmembers. Ask them to ask the county transportation department why there isn't a sidewalk. Or, if it's a state road, ask them to ask the county transportation department why they aren't asking the State Highway Administration for a sidewalk. Then get some of your neighbors together and ask your county councilmembers for a meeting.

In addition to the above response, did you use this form from the county website to request a sidewalk? https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-dte/sidewalk/SWapp.html

I've used it, but never heard anything. Somewhere on the site, they say that they prefer that people go through their neighborhood association if possible. So I would also go that route if you have one. The county likes to work with neighborhood associations. Any street that has kids walking along it to catch a school bus really needs a sidewalk, especially if it gets heavy rush hour traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are those poor kids waiting for a bus on Georgia Ave??

Question #1: Why is there a bus stop on Georgia Avenue?
Question #2: What will it take for the Maryland State Highway Administration and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to finally agree to make Georgia Avenue safe for the many, many people who walk and ride buses on Georgia Avenue? Everybody already knows that Georgia Avenue is dangerous. There's lots of data. If you look at a map of just crashes involving pedestrians in Montgomery County, you can pick out Georgia Avenue. Actually you can pick out all of the state-controlled roads, just from the number of crashes involving pedestrians.

The speed limit there is 45 mph (and we all know how fast cars actually go) right next to a narrow sidewalk that is right up against the traffic lane. Wide lanes encourage people to drive fast and that is exactly what they do. Unfortunately, the Maryland State Highway Administration admits to prioritizing the movement of motor vehicles over all else, and will only consider pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure if they happen to have money and time left over after a project.

The county needs to push hard for the SHA (who does the SHA answer to?) to fix it's roads and create safe walking and cycling infrastructure. They need to slow down traffic in built up areas, and separate pedestrians and bicyclists with a median so they are not right on the road. The right of way needs to be designed for everybody, not just cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are those poor kids waiting for a bus on Georgia Ave??

Question #1: Why is there a bus stop on Georgia Avenue?
Question #2: What will it take for the Maryland State Highway Administration and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to finally agree to make Georgia Avenue safe for the many, many people who walk and ride buses on Georgia Avenue? Everybody already knows that Georgia Avenue is dangerous. There's lots of data. If you look at a map of just crashes involving pedestrians in Montgomery County, you can pick out Georgia Avenue. Actually you can pick out all of the state-controlled roads, just from the number of crashes involving pedestrians.

The speed limit there is 45 mph (and we all know how fast cars actually go) right next to a narrow sidewalk that is right up against the traffic lane. Wide lanes encourage people to drive fast and that is exactly what they do. Unfortunately, the Maryland State Highway Administration admits to prioritizing the movement of motor vehicles over all else, and will only consider pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure if they happen to have money and time left over after a project.

The county needs to push hard for the SHA (who does the SHA answer to?) to fix it's roads and create safe walking and cycling infrastructure. They need to slow down traffic in built up areas, and separate pedestrians and bicyclists with a median so they are not right on the road. The right of way needs to be designed for everybody, not just cars.

The Maryland secretary of transportation, Pete Rahn, who answers to the governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are those poor kids waiting for a bus on Georgia Ave??

That's what I came here to ask!

I've seen buses pick up.kids on major roads in MoCo and don't understand it. Unless it's a rural road, many other juridictions have the buses pull into the subdivision.

I live off Layhill, and instead of the bus pulling into our subdivision, it stops and lets the kids out while on Layhill road. What the heck!

Those poor kids and their parents, they are in my prayers.

The bus stop where the accident took place is a Metrobus stop, not a school bus stop. Lots of kids take Metro or Ride On buses to school instead of walking, ad this bus stop is within walking distance of Kennedy - less than 2 miles. That is a busy intersection where many people drive too fast. Prayers for the kids and their families. They are starting a Vision Zero campaign in Aspen Hill where this happened. I hope something changes and it becomes safer for pedestrians and those riding the bus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The bus stop where the accident took place is a Metrobus stop, not a school bus stop. Lots of kids take Metro or Ride On buses to school instead of walking, ad this bus stop is within walking distance of Kennedy - less than 2 miles. That is a busy intersection where many people drive too fast. Prayers for the kids and their families. They are starting a Vision Zero campaign in Aspen Hill where this happened. I hope something changes and it becomes safer for pedestrians and those riding the bus!

No, it was a school bus.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/several-pedestrians-struck-by-vehicle-in-wheaton-md/2018/10/09/3589f7f4-cbb7-11e8-a360-85875bac0b1f_story.html?utm_term=.55d976398401

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not totally related but there is someone who drives to our bus stop and then zooms off, even when the bus is still stopped.

Is there any way to request a bus camera for a specific bus?

Are they passing the bus while it has its "Stop lights" on? (Or have they parked in front of the bus, and then just driving "ahead" of it? Or are they behind the bus, and then going away from the bus?)

Yes!

The person’s kids had already gotten on the bus. But there were other kids still getting on the bus, so the red lights were still flashing. And she drove past it. Has done this several times.

I guess I could film it? But that seems somewhat intrusive.

Some people don't realize how dangerous passing a stopped school bus is. They seem to forget driver's ed that the stop sign on the side of the bus means to stop. Students could be walking across the street in either direction trying to get to the bus (morning) or off the bus (afternoon).

You might be able to call the non emergency number and see if they can send an officer out to sit there during the time this usually happens. I've found police to be weirdly responsive to this kind of thing.

Thank you. That’s a good suggestion. I’d be more willing to do that versus trying to get her on video.

A major fine in Maryland with the camera = $250. I am sure a police ticket will be equally as high but will come also with points on her driver's license. Once she gets the ticket, she probably won't forget to stop for a bus in the future.

Besides calling the non-emergency number for the police, I would also call MCPS about the issue. Maybe start with MCPS Transportation. They are refitting all buses with internal cameras by the beginning of next school year. Surely they should also be putting cameras on all buses to ticket people who pass stopped school buses.

Getting a ticket from a police officer for passing a school bus in MoCo is $600 and 3 points. It's a big blow. And they are NOT nice about it. I passed someone who had been pulled over on Montrose Road for failing to stop for an MCPS bus and I could hear the cop yelling at the driver from six car lengths back with all my windows rolled up. He was furious.

[Anonymous]

We have cars lined up on one side of the road waiting for the bus. The bus stops opposite us and then turns left onto a side road. The bus has already left but kids are still getting into the cars. There is this one mom who pulls out and drives rashly when other kids are still getting in. What do you do? She hasn't violated the Stop sign rule but it is rather scary when she brushes past while kids are getting in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have cars lined up on one side of the road waiting for the bus. The bus stops opposite us and then turns left onto a side road. The bus has already left but kids are still getting into the cars. There is this one mom who pulls out and drives rashly when other kids are still getting in. What do you do? She hasn't violated the Stop sign rule but it is rather scary when she brushes past while kids are getting in.

Option 1: Talk with the parent next time you are waiting for the bus to arrive.
Option 2: Get out of your car and wait by the bus stop, and then walk your child (and maybe also neighbors' children) to the car to make sure they are safe.
Option 3: Option 2 plus choice language or gesture (non profane) to unsafe driver if you perceive that she is cutting you off/driving unsafely while you are escorting child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have cars lined up on one side of the road waiting for the bus. The bus stops opposite us and then turns left onto a side road. The bus has already left but kids are still getting into the cars. There is this one mom who pulls out and drives rashly when other kids are still getting in. What do you do? She hasn't violated the Stop sign rule but it is rather scary when she brushes past while kids are getting in.

Are the kids crossing the street themselves? Are they getting in the car on the traffic side? I would walk my kid across the street and get them in on the non-traffic side of the car, then go around and get in the car myself. You shouldn't be loading kids into the car on the traffic side, regardless of any situation.