I'm freaking out. Yesterday I was driving (at the speed limit) in the City of Alexandria. A school bus was in the opposite direction. By the time i realized the stop arm was out - I had just driven past it. So I immediately stopped and waited. I feel terrible but am so grateful that no children were crossing etc. My question: will I get a citation? What should I do? |
Give that the bus flashes red lights a few seconds before the Arm comes out you were clearly not paying attention. Assuming there was no concrete median you are in the wrong. If the bus has a camera you may get a ticket, If you do, pay it and move on with life. If there was no camera you will not get a ticket. Consider yourself lucky and pay better attention. |
I’ve done this twice and never gotten a ticket. I don’t even really drive distracted, either! For some reason it just doesn’t register that I’m going to have to stop in a place I never have to stop, especially if the bus is just starting to put the stop sign out as I’m approaching.
You’re human. It happens. |
Gee, if only school buses were big and painted a bright color and had some sort of flashing light on them, then maybe we would notice them more. People, get a grip before you run over my kid. You're idiots. It doesn't just "happen." |
The scariest part of your post is just how inattentive you have to be behind the wheel to say something like "it doesn't register that I need to stop in a place I never have to stop". Let's hope you don't destroy someone's family because the flashing red stop sign is just too hard to notice. |
Seriously! This is t some new law. You learned this in drivers ed. You need to pay attention and stop maki g excuses for yourself and for OP. |
Don't worry about it OP. People make mistakes. You didn't hit anyone's kid, so unless there was a camera on the bus, you are fine. The fine is pretty steep though, so hopefully there was no camera. Good luck.
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I hope there was a camera and you do get a fine. Perhaps you will remember to exercise caution around school buses in the future. |
If we really cared about children, people like the OP would lose their licenses, and won't be driving anymore. OP is no different than a school shooter. Quit coddling her. |
My friend in elementary school was run over by someone who didn’t stop for the bus. She died, and we were all pretty shaken up from witnessing it.
Please be more careful, OP. |
Yeah OP, you don't have to worry about it until you run of PP kid, or more importantly someone else's kid. |
You're driving 25 MPH on a two lane road and you miss a school bus with flashing lights? It really should never happen. |
That's pretty unacceptable. I'm not sure how people can try to justify not paying attention on the road when they're operating a 2 ton metal death trap that would instantly kill any kid who walked out from behind that bus. |
School buses, horses, children, it's like the Walking Dead in the DMV. Best to drive a semi if you want to survive. |
Yikes! I was in the far left lane and the bus was in the far right. I didn't stop in time. I got a ticket, points on my license and had to go to a driving class(?) For an entire day. This was in MD I was 19 at the time. Now I'm super cautious of buses! |