The DOT installed new signage within days of the accident. Further, we were told there were eight (8) previous accidents at that location. “Current Atlantan” claims he drives the area on a monthly basis, but to those of us who mostly stay in the ‘burbs, or who drive through Atlanta only occasionally, it was a very deceiving intersection…not so much any more. And I’ve just realized “Current Atlantan” is making reference to I-285, which has NOTHING to do with the location of this bus accident which took place on 75S at the Northside Drive exit – nowhere near 285. “Current Atlantan”, here’s the story from CNN, which also includes a diagram of the location – perhaps you’ve confused this story with something else. http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/03/02/bus.accident/index.html
It was the worst accident at the I-75 ramp at Northside Drive. But it wasn’t the first.
At least 82 other drivers have crashed at the overpass from which a bus fell early Friday morning, killing four college baseball players, the bus driver and his wife.
Kimberly Smith/Staff Photographer
Emergency workers go over the debris-covered scene on I-75 in Atlanta on Friday after a bus from Ohio took the ramp at Northside Drive but wound up plunging back onto the freeway, killing six people. Some drivers and traffic analysts say this stretch of the highway can mislead drivers and cause them to make sudden mistakes. But state officials say the signs beat federal standards in that regard.
• Bus crash exit has deadly distinction
• Bluffton team will compete this season
• Coach leaves hospital for Ohio home
• Work begins on troubled exit ramp
• Changes planned for exits on left
Forty-eight of the wrecks happened at the top of the ramp, where it runs into Northside Drive, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of Georgia Department of Transportation data collected since 1998. Two people died in the previous crashes.
The National Transportation Safety Board said late Friday it would look at the ramp’s configuration and the signs leading up to it.
There were also stop signs on both sides of the ramp at the top which the driver blew through. It may be a confusing design, but the driver wasn’t paying attention. There wasn’t much traffic at that hour to distract him.
Isn’t it just like our fellow Americans to want to transfer blame for their own negligence/stupidity when something bad happens? I’ve visited Atlanta many time and am familiar with this left lane EXIT. It’s well marked and the bus driver should have been paying attention, particularly if he wasn’t familiar with the area. He obviously “assumed” the left lane was for “through” traffic. Bad assumption, but still his negligence. Tragic as it may be, I hope the insurance carriers for the city will deny liability for this. Think of the hundreds of thousands of motorists who travel this roadway every year and DIDN’T make the same mistake.
Having been to Atlanta on numerous occasions and being familiar with this exit I can tell you that anyone who is paying attention to driving would know it’s and EXIT RAMP. It’s well marked and the driver, who was unfamiliar with the area, made a bad decision. It was HIS MISTAKE, not the road or its design. Leave it to our suit happy society to try and shift the blame everytime somebody’s negligence/stupidity results in something bad happening. I hope the insurance carriers for the city deny any liability and payment to the plaintiffs. Tragic as it may be, the “somebody has to pay” mentality needs to stop. They should be looking to the driver, the charter company or owner of the bus, for claims under the guest statute.
Ohioan,
Perfect example of transferring negligence to the webpage and not admitting you screwed up! “oh, the webpage froze”… Face it, you weren’t paying attention just like the bus driver! Who’s deep pockets are you gonna sue for this mistake?!?! Shame on you!
Very funny. I didn’t realize you’re either clairvoyant or were sitting next to me to witness the event If neither is the case, I take umbrage at your suggestion I would tell an untruth. At least I had the stones to admit the snafu. Now go back to sleep unless you have something substantive to add to the original topic.
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The DOT installed new signage within days of the accident. Further, we were told there were eight (8) previous accidents at that location. “Current Atlantan” claims he drives the area on a monthly basis, but to those of us who mostly stay in the ‘burbs, or who drive through Atlanta only occasionally, it was a very deceiving intersection…not so much any more. And I’ve just realized “Current Atlantan” is making reference to I-285, which has NOTHING to do with the location of this bus accident which took place on 75S at the Northside Drive exit – nowhere near 285. “Current Atlantan”, here’s the story from CNN, which also includes a diagram of the location – perhaps you’ve confused this story with something else. http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/03/02/bus.accident/index.html
Glad you caught that glaring detail.
from the Atlanta local paper:
It was the worst accident at the I-75 ramp at Northside Drive. But it wasn’t the first.
At least 82 other drivers have crashed at the overpass from which a bus fell early Friday morning, killing four college baseball players, the bus driver and his wife.
Kimberly Smith/Staff Photographer
Emergency workers go over the debris-covered scene on I-75 in Atlanta on Friday after a bus from Ohio took the ramp at Northside Drive but wound up plunging back onto the freeway, killing six people. Some drivers and traffic analysts say this stretch of the highway can mislead drivers and cause them to make sudden mistakes. But state officials say the signs beat federal standards in that regard.
• Bus crash exit has deadly distinction
• Bluffton team will compete this season
• Coach leaves hospital for Ohio home
• Work begins on troubled exit ramp
• Changes planned for exits on left
Forty-eight of the wrecks happened at the top of the ramp, where it runs into Northside Drive, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis of Georgia Department of Transportation data collected since 1998. Two people died in the previous crashes.
The National Transportation Safety Board said late Friday it would look at the ramp’s configuration and the signs leading up to it.
There were also stop signs on both sides of the ramp at the top which the driver blew through. It may be a confusing design, but the driver wasn’t paying attention. There wasn’t much traffic at that hour to distract him.
Isn’t it just like our fellow Americans to want to transfer blame for their own negligence/stupidity when something bad happens? I’ve visited Atlanta many time and am familiar with this left lane EXIT. It’s well marked and the bus driver should have been paying attention, particularly if he wasn’t familiar with the area. He obviously “assumed” the left lane was for “through” traffic. Bad assumption, but still his negligence. Tragic as it may be, I hope the insurance carriers for the city will deny liability for this. Think of the hundreds of thousands of motorists who travel this roadway every year and DIDN’T make the same mistake.
Having been to Atlanta on numerous occasions and being familiar with this exit I can tell you that anyone who is paying attention to driving would know it’s and EXIT RAMP. It’s well marked and the driver, who was unfamiliar with the area, made a bad decision. It was HIS MISTAKE, not the road or its design. Leave it to our suit happy society to try and shift the blame everytime somebody’s negligence/stupidity results in something bad happening. I hope the insurance carriers for the city deny any liability and payment to the plaintiffs. Tragic as it may be, the “somebody has to pay” mentality needs to stop. They should be looking to the driver, the charter company or owner of the bus, for claims under the guest statute.
sorry about the redundant post. The webpage “froze” and I didn’t think the first one made it.
Ohioan,
Perfect example of transferring negligence to the webpage and not admitting you screwed up! “oh, the webpage froze”… Face it, you weren’t paying attention just like the bus driver! Who’s deep pockets are you gonna sue for this mistake?!?! Shame on you!
Very funny. I didn’t realize you’re either clairvoyant or were sitting next to me to witness the event If neither is the case, I take umbrage at your suggestion I would tell an untruth. At least I had the stones to admit the snafu. Now go back to sleep unless you have something substantive to add to the original topic.
Glad to see you have a sense of humor.
I think I will go back to sleep. I’ll just read one more of your posts and… ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…