The Virginian-Pilot
©
In this age, there's a way to tell when people have gone a couple stops beyond merely torqued off, when they've truly been launched into orbit.
They start a Web site.
You can learn a lot more about this week's dispute by going to movethatbus.org than I can possibly print here.
But, in summary: A school bus driver parks the vehicle in her driveway, on Chalbourne Drive in Chesapeake.
When backing it out of her driveway, she makes a three-point turn.
"Not only is this inherently dangerous, it obstructs the view of the residents of Chalbourne Drive resulting in near-misses with other vehicles," wrote Anne Marie Hood, of movethatbus.org.
Hood and her neighbors petitioned the transportation director for the school system, then the superintendent.
The schools asked a police officer to check out the situation. The officer said "no safety hazard."
"This issue appears to be a dispute between neighbors," said Tom Cupitt, spokesman for Chesapeake schools. "The driver has a legal right to park the bus in her yard."
Hood, et al, expected that response.
"No one in this neighborhood disputes the legality of the bus being parked in her driveway," Hood wrote. "It is the danger of the bus maneuvering in such a small area."
The analogy she uses: "It is perfectly legal for me to operate my car while talking on a cell phone. Is it safe or wise? I think not."
Interestingly, talking on a cell phone is a practice most school divisions prohibit among their school bus drivers.
Many school divisions intervene when such bus-neighbor issues arise.
Cupitt adds this postscript: "We are monitoring the situation and will try to help in any way we can to bring resolve."
What do you think readers? Should the school system take ownership of this issue?
On June 10, The Warrior wrote about the conundrum of Marcy Oberndorfer and others trying to turn left from Old Virginia Beach Road in the morning to get to the Interstate 264 West on-ramp.
While they do so, folks driving north on Birdneck Road are making U-turns right in front of them - also to get to the I-264 West ramp - even though they have their own ramp on northbound Birdneck.
Traffic engineers said they'd install a "No U-Turn" sign.
"I just returned to town last night," Oberndorfer wrote on Friday. "I was thrilled to get to the Old Virginia Beach Road/Birdneck intersection this morning on my way to work and see a shiny new "No U-Turn" sign in place!"
The sign was installed Thursday, Virginia Beach traffic engineer Robert Gey tells The Warrior.
On the down side, Oberndorfer's joy about the new sign was dampened when an SUV - why is it always the SUVs? - ignored the sign and made a now-illegal U-Turn.
"Oh well," she said.
Indeed.
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Site Closed
I noted with some humor the MoveThatBus.org site is closed with two words posted: "Mission Accomplished". Somehow I doubt that's true, otherwise I would think the webmaster would have posted just how they succeeded. Based on many of the postings in support of the bus driver, the site was probably shut down for one reason only – things just weren’t going the way the anti-bus neighbors wanted. It's a shame - most of the posters FOR moving the bus seemed more concerned about aesthetics, how it was almost criminal the bus driver could afford a $300k house, a boat, RV, and a pool (jealous maybe?), and how rude the bus driver was to them (maybe a response to this neighborhood's gang mentality?).
No HOA
I don't believe this neighborhood belongs to a home owner's association. Also, if I'm to understand, there are some very stupid laws in Chesapeake that states people aren't allowed to park such things as boats, campers, RV's, even jetskis in any area of their yard except the rear - out of view. That aside, I still believe the bus driver is well within her full and legal rights to park the bus on her own property.
Please Listen
I left this same comment on the “Move the Bus” website....
I understand that people have a legitimate concern about safety, but you must consider a balance of rights. For example: if you state that it is a problem but it is legal, the homeowner’s association should address it. If the homeowner association states that it is not a problem then you should drop it. But I have a couple of questions,
1. Has anybody tried to work out something with the bus driver? Give a neutral area for the bus to be parked?
2. Has anybody compared this bus parked at the home to a Winnebago? They are the same size (in some cases) and they are quite a deal to make a three point maneuver. Yet people have the right to park that in their yard.
To sum it up, one person can not tell another how to live without due process. And if the authorities can not change it and the Homeowner’s Association can not change it. Then maybe it is because of
Could the Pilot provide more info?
I visited the movethebus site referenced in the article. Repeated remarks state that the issue is all about safety. That the bus parked on the street and obstructed the view of the intersection and children would dart out, etc.
The image provided by the Pilot and on the movethebus site both show this bus parked on a driveway at the rear of the home. Did the bus driver build a pad for the bus to get it off the street to appease the neighbors at his/her own expense? If so, why are they still upset? There is no safety issue - the intersection is not obstructed - the bus isn't even parked on the street.
I would have more respect for the movethebus people if they had been honest about this problem in the first place. All they appear to care about is aesthetics - not safety.
Tally so far
So far it's 36 in favor of leaving the bus driver alone(support)and 17 complainers. That says a lot. And I really agree with all of ricm's comments. He makes some very good points. More power to the bus driver!
You guys are so far off base...
If we stored the kids in the schools in cages at night, then there would be no reason to bus them around in the morning and in the evening.
Leave the drivers alone!
As a former bus driver in Chesapeake who drove for six years, I just cannot keep my mouth (fingers) shut! I parked my big cheese on the side of my property (on the "neck" of the culdesac behind me) almost the entire time I drove. I live on the corner of a cul-de-sac and main road in our subdivision. I made sure it was far enough from the corner so my neighbors behind me can turn safely. No one complained, almost, until my fourth year when a neighbor parked her work truck where I park my bus right before school opened. She told my husband it was an eyesore, but we won the fight. The other neighbors never minded. It is convenient, especially to those of us who started when it was still semi-dark. The reason for parking at home and not at the bus lot is this --if you have over 300 bus drivers coming to work, there were not 300parking spaces for them to park. School lots are great, but if one bus gets vandalized, all 8 or 10 get messed up. Do the math and see that hundreds of students do not get picked up on time. Who pays for the repairs? You do, I do, we all pay. If the newer buses are made with locks, then it is okay to park them at the schools. And if they tell one dr
There IS a such thing as too much time on your hands!
O M G, are these people serious!? I viewed the website and saw more details on how this bus is parked, and there is NOTHING wrong with the way the bus is parked and where it's parked. First of all its on the bus driver's PERSONAL PROPERTY. Where she pays taxes and mortgage. Second, the only time this bus would be operated is when the kids aren't playing in the street. It seems these neighbors don't want to take the time and wait while she backs out. If it's such a pain for them to pause of 30 seconds, then they should park their car at the beginning of the cul-de-sac, so that way they have a clear shot out of there. It should be illegal to spend so much time and such and asinine issue!
What's wrong with trying to keep your neighborhood up?
As someone who lives in a "revitalizing" neighborhood, I can sympathize with people who are trying to keep their neighborhood up to a reasonable standard.
Once one type of large commercial vehicle is considered ok, it is reasonable to visualize a slippery slope that eventually allows other types of large commercial vehicle, trucks, RV's, boats, parking on the grass, parking on the sidewalks, etc.
I have to agree with the neighbors, I am afraid. A residential neighborhood is no place to park large commercial/quasi-commercial vehicles.
Solution
Sell and move to A. HOA that bans boats, trailers and large vehicles with a demonstrated history of enforcement across the entirety. B. A 50 and better community C. A condominium or high-rise with compact spacing or parking deck.