School bus behaviour

There’s been much newspaper hype about ‘‘overactive’’ schoolkids in the press lately, so I will add my two bobs’ worth as a bus driver of some 30 years.

When you get someone in charge of a police patrol car passing your stopped school bus at some 50-60kmh, along with most of the travelling public, you realise the 20kmh (both ways) for stopped schoolbus is a waste of time.

A law not respected by the majority is a waste of time and effort.

A press article I saw mentioned that to help reduce cars on the road, officials suggested that school buses, serving nonexistent public transport areas, carry adults either on the run or by doing another run after the first.

My view is that if your bus ain’t full, by all means carry to capacity.

The gold coin fare charged would then provide revenue to the Ministry of Education (taxpayers) school-bus tenders.

The added advantage would be that with adults on board, it would keep in check the shocking behaviour of the primary (worst), intermediate and college students.

As a driver doing 80kmh with eye on the road, an eye on the mayhem going on behind you is distracting to say the least.

Screams, fights, constant seat changing would all be curbed, as would the food rubbish wantonly cast aside.

Foetal alcohol syndrome, or ’P’ in the womb induced, today’s crop of future citizens are straight prison cannon fodder to my jaundiced eye.

Andy R Baker, Morrinsville