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Friday, December 19, 2008

The Bus Hanging Over I-5

Posted by on Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 1:49 PM

Here are some current photos from someone who lives right by the scene:
buspic.jpeg


buspic2.jpeg

Photos by Ali Simmers

 

Comments (41) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
KEANU!!!
Posted by Monkey Bones on December 19, 2008 at 1:50 PM
2
Uh. Holy crap. That is simultaneously the coolest and most frightening thing I've seen in awhile....
Posted by Julie in Chicago on December 19, 2008 at 1:50 PM
3
Please exit from the rear . . .
Posted by mint chocolate chip on December 19, 2008 at 1:54 PM
4
So, I guess all the sloggers bitching about the buses not running are going to re-examine their criticisms...?
Posted by eric on December 19, 2008 at 1:56 PM
5
way to pick your route, drivers.
Posted by Max Solomon on December 19, 2008 at 1:57 PM
6
Currently hanging.
Posted by Jubilation T. Cornball on December 19, 2008 at 1:59 PM
7
Now, how the hell are they gonna pull the buses back? Huge tow trucks?

Guess I should give up my blind faith that I'm safter on a bus than in a car!
Posted by dorky girl on December 19, 2008 at 2:00 PM
8
Would it be easier to tow that bus back (when the roads are no longer icy, yes?) or just clear I-5 and push it over? Or secure it in place as a warning?

Slog poll please.
Posted by asteria on December 19, 2008 at 2:03 PM
9
@4: Or increase our criticisms of inadequate road maintenance? ;)
Posted by Jigae on December 19, 2008 at 2:06 PM
10
A visualization of Seattle's public transit policy?
Posted by PedestrianMe on December 19, 2008 at 2:07 PM
11
here is my flickr set from the scene:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72286966@N0…
Posted by Tiffany on December 19, 2008 at 2:07 PM
12
I could almost see the buses from my gym. I was watching the news on king 5, then looking right and seeing the fire trucks. I am just glad they didn't go over, and that everyone is pretty much ok.
Posted by Original Monique on December 19, 2008 at 2:10 PM
13
That's gotta be the worst GPS directions ever.
Posted by shoot on December 19, 2008 at 2:14 PM
14
@8 - totally push it over
Posted by 55mph on December 19, 2008 at 2:17 PM
15
If only this had happened on the viaduct; then maybe they'd tear the damn thing down already.
Posted by downwiththeduct on December 19, 2008 at 2:18 PM
16
@8: I vote for push it over on live TV.
Posted by Jessica on December 19, 2008 at 2:20 PM
17
Those aren't Metro buses...
Posted by michael strangeways on December 19, 2008 at 2:22 PM
18
#8 & #16 - I vote for fill it with confetti and glitter; push it over on live TV.
Posted by Dougsf on December 19, 2008 at 2:23 PM
19
Two charter buses with kids from Moses Lake. Could not go down Denny because SDOT can't keep even main streets open. Drivers tried to get to Greyhound depot to meet parents by another route. City will probably be sued since Denny had closed sign but the street they went down apparently didn't.

Windows all broken out for escape on bus you can't see
Posted by McG on December 19, 2008 at 2:28 PM
20
Man, I hate it when that happens.
Posted by NapoleonXIV on December 19, 2008 at 2:39 PM
21
I am proud of the guard rail.
Posted by Lloyd Clydesdale on December 19, 2008 at 2:40 PM
22
@6 FTW.

When we say "Express bus to the interstate" we aren't bullshitting!
Posted by wisepunk on December 19, 2008 at 2:42 PM
23
I say strap Chelsea Alvarez-Bell to the front, then push it over.
Posted by Cookie W. Monster on December 19, 2008 at 2:44 PM
24
sorry I meant @8
Posted by wisepunk on December 19, 2008 at 2:46 PM
25
17, I see they aren't metro buses, but metro's cancellations were due to safety issues--an argument which this mishap would seem to support.

On the positive side, this will be front-page news in Moses Lake for a month.
Posted by eric on December 19, 2008 at 2:48 PM
26
Why didn't they just go down Olive? Why should the city be sued for the driver's stupidity?
Posted by Eat The Rich on December 19, 2008 at 2:53 PM
27
Save the Great Push-Over for midnite New Years Eve, when traffic stops for the Space Needle fireworks anyway.
Posted by RonK, Seattle on December 19, 2008 at 2:58 PM
28
The buses are charters from Moses Lake, and the drivers are undoubtedly unfamiliar with Seattle, especially Seattle in the snow. They may not have grasped from their maps, if any, that although Thomas exists on both sides of the freeway, it doesn't go through. Whatever it was, they were clearly lost, which is not the same thing as stupid.
Posted by Fnarf on December 19, 2008 at 3:09 PM
29
@28,

I can imagine the driver's panic when he/she saw the guard rail ahead.
Posted by keshmeshi on December 19, 2008 at 3:16 PM
30
@6 currently hanging! i love it....
Posted by infrequent on December 19, 2008 at 3:18 PM
31
@29: Not to mention that, by the time they got the bus stopped, the driver's ass was literally suspended in air over I-5!

I say leave it where it is; it looks reasonably stable, and who the hell knows what might happen if they try to winch it back up the same hill it came down.

Besides, I seriously doubt anybody else is going to try to go down that particular hill, and maybe it'll serve as a graphic warning to other drivers who see it to slow the fuck down, and don't drive on teh hilz.
Posted by COMTE on December 19, 2008 at 3:27 PM
32
Michael Caine says not to worry, he has an idea...
Posted by Ray Radlein on December 19, 2008 at 3:53 PM
33
I say leave it as a monument to Seattle's intolerable indecision on any important matters...
Posted by michael strangeways on December 19, 2008 at 4:03 PM
34
Michael, While I agree, we need to have a couple more committee meetings first, then maybe hold a vote to see what the public thinks first. If the vote no, we should probably do it anyway. If they vote yes, we should do it but first make sure the Stranger is okay with it.
Posted by crk on bellevue ave on December 19, 2008 at 4:17 PM
35
Wait! Maybe we could tunnel Melrose under the bus!

Someone should study that.
Posted by Jonathan Golob on December 19, 2008 at 4:18 PM
36
wreck another 3099 buses attractively along the highway and say it's a new piece by Christo
Posted by theripper on December 19, 2008 at 4:25 PM
37
If you look close enough, it's NOT a city bus, but a tour bus. Apparently a couple of tour buses were making a detour and came down icy Thomas St when they collided.
Posted by Bill from Canada on December 19, 2008 at 4:28 PM
38
Apparently everyone off the bus safely with personal possessions, but one imagines there was a lot of soiled undergarments left behind. Odd how many of us heard about this cliffhanger via contacts across the country watching CNN - Stranger way late in coverage - but then there were no pit bulls on the buses or any trolls masturbating alongside - so it's all understandable.
Posted by RHETT ORACLE on December 19, 2008 at 4:56 PM
39
@38

It wasn't a Ride The Ducks hanging off the rails either.
Posted by Simone on December 19, 2008 at 5:17 PM
40
@38 There was a post up just after the accident happened and before it appeared on national news coverage. Maybe you missed the earlier discussion?
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Posted by Psot on December 19, 2008 at 7:14 PM
41
This happened in front of my apartment. National news decided it was worthy. Headlines like, "Bus Teetering Over Major Freeway", or "Dangling Bus Frightens Many".

Yes, it was bad, but it was definitely NOT "Teetering" or "Dangling." It was simply resting and quite stable. Nobody could have pushed it onto the freeway.

That's all.
Posted by TrueSeattleite on December 22, 2008 at 10:30 AM

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