Orange Line bus, Mercedes mix it up

An accident on the Orange Line this morning left two injured:

Two people were hurt today when a Mercedes-Benz, whose driver ran a red light, T-boned an Orange Line bus, a Metro official said. The crash occurred at 9:34 a.m. on the busway that runs along Victory Boulevard, said Helen Gilstrap of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The bus was eastbound on the busway, crossing Woodman Avenue, when the Mercedes driver, who was northbound on Woodman, ran the red light, Gilstrap said. The car slammed into the middle accordion section of the 60-foot-long bus, she said. The bus driver and a passenger complained of back and neck pain, respectively, she said. Both were taken to Kaiser Permanente in Panorama City to be checked out, she said. The driver of the Mercedes was unhurt. (CNS)

Comments

[mike]

They should make it so that when the busses go through the intersections they go at full speed. That way when people run those lights the consequence could be death. Lets see if that alters behavior a little. (I'm not completly serious) They could make arms just like trains, people will always be stupid but no matter what more accidents will occur on our freeways.

[Dan W.]

dan w. - instead of shelling out millions to install systems to alert drivers that the light is indeed red and not green, maybe drivers should just stop at red lights. problem solved.

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Works for me.

[BusTard]

They better hurry up and get those 65-footers on-line. Far more choice of collision spots, according to some motor morons in the Valley

Somewhere, on someone else's blog, I commented how unsporting would be bulldozer blades and cow-catchers on the front.
Well, let me retract that, and further suggest that turrets on each half of the accordion be built in. Y'know, like that silly teevee movie, Damnation Alley. And in those turrets? Something akin to the armament of a B-52: twin 50s, or just an M60 with someone ready to change out the water-cooled barrel. (The number of incidents—what is it round no: 40 wrecks? The 32nd wreck of the Orange Line was in early November of 2006, on the day of the one-year anniversary, I believe—since the orange Line came on-line, is staggering.)
America is hell-bent on individual choice, and so it may be that the deliberate demise of one or two idiots might upset the few hundred commuters that make it to work on time to talk about the idiots sacrificed to make this formerly great nation work. So be it.

[John M.]

It seems that the main difference between the Orange Line and the Blue Line is not that one is rubber-tired and one runs on rails. On the Orange Line there's a greater chance a luxury car will be involved in the collision.

[Dan W]

"I bet the driver of the Mercedes was on the cell phone. "

The law banning hand-held cell phone to go in effect in a few months will save lives as it did when it was implemented in New York State.

Both hands should be on the wheel. Cell phones are a major attention distraction. I've seen people apply makeup, eat a full meal, journal, and engage in sexual acts with their partners while operating a vehicle. Enough.

[cochon.name]

dan w. - instead of shelling out millions to install systems to alert drivers that the light is indeed red and not green, maybe drivers should just stop at red lights. problem solved.

[Dan W]

I'm glad no one died, but this should be and no doubt will be investigated.

Maybe there needs to be increased lighting and sound warning when the Orange Line buses pass through this intersection.

However, anyone who tries to run a red light to beat a train is considered stupid. Trying to outrun the Orange Line buses is just as bad.

If the car driver didn't know the bus was coming, why not? Was the lighting inadequate? Was she not paying attention?

However, if she was trying to speed through the intersection and beat the Orange Line, then she was just plain stupid and she should have to pay to fix this bus she hit.

[RB]

I bet the driver of the Mercedes was on the cell phone. I hope their insurance is paid up and I'm glad no one was killed.