TransLink responds to death of pedestrian in bus collision in Vancouver

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      TransLink has issued a statement in response to the bus collision that killed a pedestrian at Main Street and Terminal Avenue in Vancouver.

      "We are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers right now are with the victim's family, as well as our customers who were on board and our transit operator," Haydn Acheson, president and general manager of Coast Mountain Bus Company, said in the statement issued this morning (September 20).

      "We will continue to work with Vancouver Police to determine the cause of the accident, and assist them in the investigation."

      TransLink doesn't plan on commenting further while the investigation continues into the collision, which occurred on Wednesday evening (September 19) before 5 p.m.

      According to Vancouver police, the adult woman died at the scene from her injuries after being struck by the northbound bus.

      This incident represents Vancouver’s 12th traffic fatality of 2012.

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      Comments

      5 Comments

      Denise

      Sep 20, 2012 at 11:15pm

      So sorry for everyone involved, we were driving by afterwards and felt the anxiety. R.I.P. Lady, and take it easy on yourself bus driver.

      eCoyote

      Sep 21, 2012 at 11:44am

      One day a number of years ago I was walking down Pender street near where this "accident" occurred. As it happened, I innocently crossed in front of a bus that was stopped near the curb on a yellow to red light. There where no other vehicles waiting or traveling through the three-way intersection, which perhaps is what let me think I could walk against the yellow. Anyway, the bus driver, who I made wait for 1.5 seconds while I finished crossing in front of his bus, decided to scare me by jerking ahead as though he were going to hit me. I slammed my hand on his windshield and told him to go fuck himself. As it was, a cop who happened to be standing on the sidewalk I was approaching said I shouldn't have crossed when I did. I replied, sure, but he used his fucking bus as weapon of fear. Hence, the use of quotes around accident.

      DavidH

      Sep 21, 2012 at 1:58pm

      @ecoyote: Interesting story. I wonder why you felt compelled to reveal to the world that you're a jerk?

      Attempting to cross against a light, slamming your hand on the bus, verbally abusing the driver ... and then telling the story as if you were somehow the aggrieved party?

      You're just another spoiled, self-entitled "piece of work", pal.

      eCoyote

      Sep 21, 2012 at 3:25pm

      Ok. My mistake for not applying the paint between the numbers for you davidh. Bus drivers are just as guilty of acts road rage and aggressive driving as others, and so in some cases they could very well be the perpetrators of injurious accidents or maybe worse, like playing a game of chicken with the jaywalkers on the downtown eastside (which I suppose I happened to be that day). Anyway, according to one media report, this bus may have run a red light before hitting and killing the woman. If so, this would be a case of reckless driving by someone who shouldn't be behind the wheel of a publicly-owned bus. Public service employees are asked to uphold a high standard of professionalism. Using a bus to purposefully scare someone does not meet that standard. Nor does driving like a fucking maniac.

      Bag on a Turnip

      Oct 6, 2012 at 10:09am

      To eCoyote:

      This article is older now, so I'm no sure if you will see this or not, but I hope you do. When you crossed against the yellow, you were jaywalking. You said you made the bus driver wait an extra 1.5 seconds. Your own words. That tells me that the light turned green for the driver while you were now in front of the bus. In a matter of 1.5 seconds you were not there, then suddenly you were there. Drivers of large vehicles have a lot to watch for. A check for pedestrians then you go. When the crosswalk is empty then a knucklehead like you suddenly thinks it's a grand idea to jaywalk, that's how "accidents" happen. I drive a bus for a living (not transit but coach). I see this kind of stuff happen every day. People have no respect for the vehicles on the road. You seem to think that you have the right to cross whenever and where ever you like. That kind of attitude is what gets people killed. I'm willing to bet what you interpreted as a driver trying to put fear into you was actually a driver who checked left, then right then left mirror, right mirror, back to light, then left, right, then go. Somewhere in those checks, you thought you should just jump across the street. You're a knucklehead, meat head... whatever you want to call it. You're not alone. Most of Vancouver thinks it's okay to run against yellow lights and "don't walk" lights. Once those lights go up, you stay off the road. Got it?