Public transport gambling safety for carbon
I try to catch public transport – buses using LPG as fuel, to save carbon when I go into the city centre. This seems a sensible approach. However the public transport authorities have a responsibility for the safety of their passengers.
Recently I was coming home in a bus that had to stop very abruptly to prevent a serious traffic incident. I was thrown forward several metres and hit my head on a pole at the front, my collar bone on a seat and finally landed on my back on the floor. By the time I had been taken to hospital in an ambulance and used lots of xrays etc, any carbon savings I made by busing not driving had long gone and I had concussion, sore neck, purple face (best shiner you ever saw) and a broken finger – thankfully that was all I broke.
If the community are to reduce fuel use in our cities by using public transport, the authorities need to provide a regular service that is safe to use. If seat belts in cars are compulsory, how come they are missing in buses? How come wheel chair bays on buses do not have anchor points to secure wheel chairs in case of sudden braking. I am not crying sorry for myself – I am really grateful to my local gym for helping me to have a strong body but this is something that must be addressed urgently.
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