TRAFFIC ALERT: Bus-car collision in The Junction

(WSB photo)

11:33 AM: A Metro RapidRide bus and car have collided, blocking ~~northbound~~ westbound SW Alaska at 40th SW in The Junction [map]. No serious injuries, so no one will have to be taken to the hospital, we’re told at the scene, and it should be cleared before too long, but if you’re headed this way, avoid that side of Alaska for a while. Southbound is not affected.

NOON UPDATE: Just went by again. The bus and the car are still in the right lanes, but with SPD assistance, traffic is getting by both ways to the south of the crash scene.

Hill Crest Manager April 27, 2016 (12:43 pm)

Several months ago, I was nearly run off the road by a C line coming east out of the California/Alaska stop. I was in the left-hand lane east of California and the C Line was in the bus/right lane just about even with me.

The driver pulled out into the left lane with no signal or hesitation due what I later learned was a construction trailer against the curb at what is now Junction 47. I had to cross the lane line into oncoming traffic and then the turn lane to 42nd.

If I see a RapidRide anywhere near that intersection, I wait until it’s passed.

Pamela April 27, 2016 (1:10 pm)

The same happened to me last week, bus pulled out of his ‘bus only’ lane running me into oncoming traffic lane. Driver never looked at me, I think no eye contact means you didn’t do anything wrong.

FromHP April 27, 2016 (1:50 pm)

Yesterday on 16th Ave SW in Highland Park, a Metro bus pulled out as a truck was halfway past the bus. Just pulled out and forced the truck in front of me to brake and let the bus shoot in front of him. It didn’t appear that the bus driver looked–just expected everybody on the road to get out of his way.

WSB April 27, 2016 (2:12 pm)

Please be sure to report Metro (or any other professional driver) problems directly to Metro – if it was indeed this memorable and dangerous, surely you noted the bus number or at least the location/approximate time. There are hotlines online and also this direct form for reporting a driver: https://kingcounty-metro.force.com/customers/cs_app#/cs/driver
- Jay Koster April 27, 2016 (7:55 pm)
  
  Like the others here, I submitted full report online with the bus number, license plate, time of day, and exact location. I requested a contact, and, like the others… nothing. This was in 2015, and I still have not heard anything from Metro.

JC April 27, 2016 (2:16 pm)

I am seeing a lot more these days of these bus drivers driving like idiots, running red lights, pulling out in front of you with no signal etc. I have filed complaints but nothing comes of it. You can’t call, you have to fill out this online form and it does ask if you want to be contacted and I always say yes. But nothing……

clulessinws April 27, 2016 (2:38 pm)

Definitely an ongoing issue for the last 10 years. I submitted a complaint with video just a few minutes ago. I have heard from others that they don’t get a call back as well. I imagine complaints are being filed but we’re not seeing a change in behavior are we.
MICHAEL FORD April 27, 2016 (7:36 pm)

well i can only go off of the drivers report my attorney got from when i was hurt while riding on a c line bus and it was that you could tell that the driver didn’t understand what words to use as the words he used were the right sounding just the wrong one!!!! you could also tell that he had been coached as to what to say from how he said stuff too. just really sad as king county risk management also kept telling me that they would keep giving the rapid ride driver more time to turn in his report.

Panda April 27, 2016 (2:18 pm)

Yesterday I dropped my child off at school and waited in the northbound turn lane at California and SW Lander waiting to take a left on Lander. I had the green and was patiently waiting for the traffic to pass. light turned yellow and two more cars came through the intersection, then the light turned red and the Metro bus behind those two cars came right through the intersection as well against the light, in the school zone, with peds at the crosswalk. He didn’t even start to enter the intersection until the light was full red. I wasn’t too shocked as I’ve seen it before, and is the reason I didn’t take my left even though I was fully committed. Really bus drivers? You don’t own the roads! (Bicyclists do it would seem)

Terri April 27, 2016 (2:40 pm)

I am so confused. How was this blocking “northbound” SW Alaska, when Alaska runs east and west? Do you mean it was blocking the north lanes, but not the south lanes of Alaska? Obviously doesn’t matter now, but for future reference …

WSB April 27, 2016 (2:48 pm)

Hi, Terri. It was westbound on Alaska – the north SIDE of the street, but not northbound – poking into northbound on 40th. Sorry, I have an odd mental glitch regarding communication of N/S/E/W directions sometimes, and it obviously kicked in here again, with me confusing side of the street vs. direction of traffic. – TR

flimflam April 27, 2016 (5:31 pm)

metro drivers have a difficult job for sure, but the most common negative I could mention is a failure to use their signals – the buses that pull into a stop without signaling, don’t use the blinking lights to indicate the bus is stopped, the actual turn signal being activated when it intends to re-enter traffic.

I know you are supposed to yield to buses, but proper signal use would make this much easier.

chemist April 27, 2016 (6:19 pm)

If you’re to the side of a double-length bus, how do you know the lights on the side blinking mean it’s re-entering traffic vs the all-lights-blink they often do at a stop ?

It’s why yielding to a bus in heavy traffic can still require a delay if they signal. Re-enter traffic signals aren’t very obvious unless you’re behind or in front of the bus so you can see both sets of blinkers.
MICHAEL FORD April 27, 2016 (7:45 pm)

yes yet when metro doesn’t train the bus drivers to respect others using the roadways too we will see more and more crashes like this one. metro tells me the gps on the bus can tell if the bus was speeding so if anyone is involed in a crash with a metro bus have your attorney request that info as well

LStephens April 27, 2016 (6:08 pm)

I know this story all too well. This Metro bus whipped right out from a stop with no turn signal whatsoever and crashed into the car ahead of me. I’m certain that bus driver never even looked at the traffic to see if he could pull out. Agree with FlimFlam “I know you are supposed to yield to buses, but proper signal use would make this much easier. “

Al April 27, 2016 (7:28 pm)

C line buses in West Seattle are going way to fast

MICHAEL FORD April 27, 2016 (7:48 pm)

if you have an attorny have them request the gps records from the bus along with the video from the bus and any other computer saved info that metro has for the bus involed.

MICHAEL FORD April 27, 2016 (7:55 pm)

my feeling is if enough people here in west seattle get fed up with metro buses speeding and driving disrespectful we can get it to where these buses have to go a bit slower here in west seattle. as we become more and more people living here in west seattle and the kids and our older people are out walking with these buses not giving right of way to those in crosswalks then maybe we can go to the seattle police meeting and the king county board meetings asking that these buses go slower so we can save life’s of friends, families and our older and young people

chemist April 27, 2016 (10:08 pm)

Or we can petition SDOT to make the bus lanes narrower so that there is a psychological drive to go slower.

Wsres April 27, 2016 (11:28 pm)

I had a metro bus run me off the road onto thr curb in the junction about 6:30 am a few years ago before there was a bus only lane and at the next stop light I unrolled my passenger window to let him know what he did and he must have fully known what he did since he just flipped me off. He flipped me off long enough for me to get my phone out and take a picture. I sent it to metro along with a complaint report, his route, the bus number, the time of day, etc. I only received an email back saying they received my complaint. No mention of the outcome. I wish I would have sent the picture to Get Jesse as the drivers have seemed to get worse…