For pedestrians, getting hit by a bus is one of the worst thoughts imaginable. We’ve written before about Muni accidents here in San Francisco. But right now, due to a string of bus-caused injuries and fatalities, Portland’s TriMet bus system is under the radar of safety advocates. The Oregonian reports this week that, although left-turn accidents are “alarmingly common,” the system is resisting a “no-left” policy.
This is nightmare material. While supposedly trying to hail a cab Wednesday, 49 year old Scott Whitsett was sandwiched between a Muni train and a bus. When the vehicles separated, Whitsett fell to the ground, where he was run over and killed by the bus. This is the newest in a string of Muni accidents, which have been coupled with Muni fare increases and service cutbacks. This time, at least, the accident doesn’t appear to be the fault of Muni drivers.
Update 7/22/09 —SFGate, online home of the San Francisco Chronicle has posted videos of the MUNI accident. Update 7/19/09 — CBS5 has just reported that officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have arrived on scene and have scheduled a news conference for this afternoon (Sunday). Their on-site investigation is expected to last through […]
