LIFE’S Observations…

from March/April Prime Connections 2023

—Janet

I have occasionally mentioned in previous installments of this column that my wife and I drive school buses for our local school system. She is in her 30th year, and has driven every route the school has. That's a lot of opening and closing the door, crossing railroad tracks, and reminding kids to stay in their seats and out of the center aisle.

A while back, in the local news, a story appeared about people driving around stopped school buses when they shouldn't. Common sense says when red lights are flashing at both ends of the bus and a red stop sign is extended, replete with its own flashing red lights, it strongly suggests that other drivers are supposed to... well, stop. The law is less ambivalent. It says STOP! Period. However, on rare occasions, people make stupid choices.

I think all bus drivers see a few flagrant fly-byes in their career, but darn few. Most folks obey the laws, but when someone runs the safety flag up the pole it can garner an undue amount of attention and another rule to follow. The proposed solution in this case is an additional, longer arm with another stop sign that is attached to the left side of the bus. It will swing out into the next lane and force a determined scofflaw into the ditch in hopes of saving 20 or 30 seconds on their morning commute. Bad choice for the driver but not a great choice for buses either. Our four route buses combined cover well over 150 miles per day on bumpy, washboardy gravel and dirt roads and stuff tries to rattle off them all the time. I fear the stop sign on a stick won't fare well. I imagine it shaking violently on the bumps, tearing off and taking the side of the bus with it. I hope I'm wrong.

As an alternative, I would suggest a camera, triggered by a proximity switch, that would photograph the vehicle, the license plate, the driver and that half-eaten breakfast burrito or mascara brush in their hand. That picture should be instantaneously sent to law enforcement and a warrant issued for their arrest. In addition, I would like this heinous act to trigger a very loud recording of machine gun fire, sirens and a red laser dot projected on the chest of the offender. I also believe that a first-time offender should be issued a warning and a new pair of underwear. Remember when parents were justified in issuing a good swat on the seat of the pants? It should be like that.

I guess what I really hope for is that people would recognize that yellow bus for what it is. It is the vessel carrying our future. Those little runny noses and untied tennis shoes of today will grow into the carpenters and refinery workers, the farmers and accountants, the doctors and lawyers and school bus drivers of tomorrow. School buses run day in and day out on a pretty tight schedule, regardless of weather or other circumstances. If there is a bus or two that annoy you on your way in the morning or afternoon, consider leaving five minutes earlier and you won't be bothered. But if you have to stop behind a school bus for a minute or two, take that time to appreciate what it represents; the almost invisible school system that churns out our bright future.

“My mom, Mary, is my biggest supporter and my biggest fan. The morning of her stroke, something felt di erent. God was telling me something was wrong.

I checked on my mom and that’s when she told me she couldn’t move her legs. I rushed over and took her to the Emergency Room at Billings Clinic.

When we arrived, the team told me that my mom was having a stroke. They immediately got her in for a thrombectomy to remove the clot.

A nurse came out and called my name, and it was one of the scariest and best parts of my life. I immediately asked, ‘Is my mom okay?’ And she said ‘yes’ with a big smile.