So on the ride back home, the bus hit a bald eagle.

[Nate SY]

Not even joking. One minute we were all just sitting there, I glanced up and saw a bald eagle besides the road, had that sudden feeling of pride for our nations bird, and then it took off, and my bus hit it.

The thing that is bothering me right now is that there was about three seconds between it getting in front of us and contact, and the driver never even slowed down, then afterwards she laughed about it. Thankfully most of the other people on the bus were pretty shocked about it, and it put them in a bad mood too, although I'm not quite sure if it was for the same reason it put me in a bad mood.

Probably a good think I'm not a huck supporter huh? Else I might start saying something like "OMG, it's a sign from God about what's going to happen to our country!"... But wait... I just might start saying that anyways...

Anyways... yeah. Just kinda felt like sharing.

 

[UtahApocalypse]

wow.

Does kinda sound like a metaphor for the times we are in. I know everytime I see poll results, and election returns where Ron Paul, the only true American Patriot is losing out and the sheeple vote for the others I feel hit by a bus.

 

[kirkblitz]

why didnt she stop? Report her to the feds ;o

 

[Agent CSL]

Thats horrible.

 

[Nate SY]

why didnt she stop? Report her to the feds ;o

They're not endangered anymore though right? So I don't think she had to stop.

 

[JK/SEA]

Bald Eagles are the National Symbol as we all know, and Native Tribes consider the Eagle a Spiritual icon. It is a FEDERAL OFFENSE to kill one, accidental killings NEED to be reported IMMEDIATLY, endangered or not. Your local Native Tribe should be notified.

 

[Thomas Paine]

Not even joking. One minute we were all just sitting there, I glanced up and saw a bald eagle besides the road, had that sudden feeling of pride for our nations bird, and then it took off, and my bus hit it.

The thing that is bothering me right now is that there was about three seconds between it getting in front of us and contact, and the driver never even slowed down, then afterwards she laughed about it. Thankfully most of the other people on the bus were pretty shocked about it, and it put them in a bad mood too, although I'm not quite sure if it was for the same reason it put me in a bad mood.

Probably a good think I'm not a huck supporter huh? Else I might start saying something like "OMG, it's a sign from God about what's going to happen to our country!"... But wait... I just might start saying that anyways...

Anyways... yeah. Just kinda felt like sharing.

It is an omen. Look what happened to the Soviet Union. It could also happen to the United States.

 

[pinkmandy]

It isn't even that they are the national bird, they are so damn majestic. It really disturbs me that you saw one get hit (((hugs))), it disturbs me more that someone would think it is funny.

 

[Matt_R]

Bald Eagles are the National Symbol as we all know, and Native Tribes consider the Eagle a Spiritual icon. It is a FEDERAL OFFENSE to kill one, accidental killings NEED to be reported IMMEDIATLY, endangered or not. Your local Native Tribe should be notified.

But according to Ron Paul's ideology, it shouldn't be a federal offense, correct? Everyone getting offended by this should think about what it means. The federal government has no right to legislate crimes of violence, especially towards animals.

 

[Geronimo]

They're not endangered anymore though right? So I don't think she had to stop.

They're not endangered anymore. I remember they we taken off the list in '94. (or somewhere around there) Oddly enough, I heard a news report from about 9 months ago that said that they had 'just been taken off the list'.

 

[lynnf]

eagle or turkey?

that is sad. but it makes me wonder if Ben Franklin was right about the turkey being a better national symbol. how many turkeys do you see getting hit by buses? but then how many eagles do you see on the dinner table?

lynn

 

[nullvalu]

That's screwed up that she laughed about it, but to be honest, she did the right thing by not stopping.

More accidents in this country are caused by the driver trying to avoid an obstacle. I do believe that they teach truck drivers and bus drivers to go right on through a deer or any other (smaller) animal in the street, if there's not enough time to stop, because you're just asking for way more trouble by trying to swerve and maneuver 12-ton truck around an obstacle in the road.

 

[SwanMaiden]

But according to Ron Paul's ideology, it shouldn't be a federal offense, correct? Everyone getting offended by this should think about what it means. The federal government has no right to legislate crimes of violence, especially towards animals.

I think I speak for most hear when I say that I am not offended because it is or is not a federal crime. That has nothing to do with it. My offense stems solely from the fact that regardless of whether there is a law, common human decency and morals dictate that one does not simply plow into a helpless animal with a bus, and then laugh about it, especially if one has a chance to avoid it. At least not the kind of person I would want to have anything to do with. (Huckabee's son, anyone?)

 

[Rhys]

call your local newspaper and tell them

 

[Highland]

Any time a bird swoops down in front of your car, that is a symbol that you need to "police" yourself better (driver)...in your situation I would say the symbolical meaning is that our freedom must be policed or it will die. You are very spiritually connected to get the meaning and then communicate the concerns.....Enlightenment is a powerful thing....and a very sad thing because one is aware of the darkness that is everywhere in the world. Your light will be infectuous to all those around you and you will light torches that you have no idea you lit!

God Bless

 

[hawks4ronpaul]

First the Supreme Court marble facade literally starts to crumble, then American flags collapse as Hillary walks by, and now this. What's next, the grain will spoil and the cows will stop giving milk?

http://www.wtop.com/index.php?sid=633006&nid=25

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hillary+flag&search_type=



http://hawks4ronpaul.blogspot.com/

 

[WilliamC]

As someone who was not there I will just say laughter doesn't always indicate taking pleasure, often it is used to cover up embarasment or fear or other negative emotions.

But the OP was there and would better know than I.

 

[Paulitical Correctness]

LOL @ the idea of a bus slamming on brakes for a bird.

Yeah, let's sacrifice the lives of several people for a bird.

The laughter part however, pretty damn uncalled for.

 

[Nate SY]

I didn't mean that I thought she should have slammed on the brakes. It was just so close to making it past that if she had even tapped the brakes it would have made it. She probably did what she is trained to do but still... Something as small as a tap could have saved something so majestic.

WilliamC after reading your post and thinking about it, she probably was laughing to hide the embarrassment. Thanks for pointing that out too, because I was about to chew her out for that laughing tomorrow morning.

 

[JDouglasFisher]

as a professional truck driver I will say I would've done the same thing.

Federal Motor Carrier Regulations regarding the licensing of bus drivers is even more strict than regular freight haulers. (HAZ-Mat being the only exception)

I also can tell you I have seen personally, over the road motor coaches flipped over and/or run of the road, all because of an errant animal which didn't know better, combined with an inexperienced driver to panicked and hit the brakes.

Although most air brake systems on commercial vehicles have ABS, they are not the same type of ABS that your accustomed to in your car. You still can lock the wheels up, and once that happens, you surrender control of the vehicle to the laws of physics and place the lives of your passengers, other motorists, pedestrians and yourself at risk.

Does it suck that a national symbol of our country was killed clearly by its own ineptitude? Absolutely. I personally hate it when I have to run through another animal,,... not only the cleaning of the blood off the truck, but at times the damage it does, as well as the fact that I really just don't like killing animals. (thats why I don't hunt personally).

But that being said, I am not going to take an 80,000 pound vehicle and purposely put it into an uncontrollable skid for the sake of trying not to kill the same animal. Know the saying "only the strong survive"? Its called natural selection.

However, knowing several professional motor coach operators, I can also tell you that the driver's laughter and demeanor was un-professional and definitely not called for.

But outside of the Driver's personal behavior, lets not have a fit about her ability to drive a bus. She did the right thing by not jeopardizing the safety of her passengers.