Bus

[Stinkysocks]

I have been on buses before were the smell of a drunk at the back fills the entire bus. But frankly I dont expect my driver to be drunk, so when i'm getting on its the last thing on my mind. But in caithness drunk bus drivers dont really bother people. It seems they worry about the drivers feelings and find fault with the passengers. The police drive out to give health checks. Perhaps if there had been an accident you'd be blaming the other car, the small dead child in the back seat. God forbid you put any blame the drivers way.

[I just want a lover]

If you smelt drink of the driver like you said the smell was over powering, why did you get on the bus?

As the bus that I was on was provided by Dounreay to take employees home, but when I got off the bus, I reported the driver.

[squidge]

Stinky Socks

No one is saying its acceptable for a bus driver to be drunk or that its not right for the police to stop the bus. What i feel isnt right is that the details should be gossiped about on a message baord when we have no idea whether the driver was really drunk, whether the police arrested and charged him or whether it was discovered it was something else entirely. What you have in this thread is an opinion. I was appalled when someone posted a question about someone elses personal circumstances last week, I was as uncomfortable with that as i am uncomfortable with this. Had the thread been about whether bus drivers should drive buses under the influence of drink or drugs you would have had a resounding "no" but it wasnt. Coachman said "someone said it was drink related" thats just gossip to my mind and shouldnt be here because it might not be true.

[changilass]

It is not as if the driver has been named, so not too sure what you are so worried about. Even if it comes out that it was all just gosip, it has at least alerted us all to be more wary of who is driving the transport we are using, be it public or private.

[JimH]

You can only be either above the limit or below the limit. There is no "borderline". If you are below the limit than you have not "got away" with anything because you have committed no offence.

If somebody buys an article in a large shop and a member of staff stops them because the think they haven't paid, if they produce a receipt, do you say they have "got away" with shoplifting?

It rather sounds like the Rumour Mill has shot itself in the foot again. Well done!

You should not drink ANY alcohol before or during your duty as a PSV driver.
The Traffic Commissioner has authority to withdraw your PSV Licence without reference to a Magistrate/Sheriff.
If you are under the driving limit, and the Police to not inform the TC then you have got away with it. (That is assuming there was some sort of reading.
If you are sure of the fact that a PCV/LGV Driver Has consummed Alcohol - then you can contact the Traffic Area Office and advise them. They are duty bound to investigate and take appropriate action.

[krieve]

As the bus that I was on was provided by Dounreay to take employees home, but when I got off the bus, I reported the driver.

Does it matter If the bus had been provided by dounreay if the smell of drink was so strong like you say why get on the bus ? I know for sure that i would'nt have!

[JimH]

Does it matter If the bus had been provided by dounreay if the smell of drink was so strong like you say why get on the bus ? I know for sure that i would'nt have!

Unfortunately - some people have no choice but to use the bus service.

[spanner]

So how come if the commissoners only deal with company operater licences, they stopped me a few years ago and i got 4 charges off of them and i am not a company?

was your charges to do with red diesel, taco hours or overloading they do not get involved with drivers smelling of drink

[krieve]

Unfortunately - some people have no choice but to use the bus service.

Off course you have a choice to get on or get straight back off when you can smell drink on the driver! It's your choice!!!!

[JAWS]

You should not drink ANY alcohol before or during your duty as a PSV driver.
The Traffic Commissioner has authority to withdraw your PSV Licence without reference to a Magistrate/Sheriff.
If you are under the driving limit, and the Police to not inform the TC then you have got away with it. (That is assuming there was some sort of reading.
If you are sure of the fact that a PCV/LGV Driver Has consummed Alcohol - then you can contact the Traffic Area Office and advise them. They are duty bound to investigate and take appropriate action.

I quite agree with what you say. The Traffic Commissioners can, once informed, remove the PSV License but that does not mean that the driver is over the limit which would prevent him driving another type of vehicle.

The limit for drink driving is set at an absolute, you are either under or over the limit. If you are over the limit under the Road Traffic Act then there is a set procedure as to what has to be done in order to secure a prosecution and if that is not followed then it is highly likely that any subsequent prosecution would be thrown out.
It is one of those cases where the difference between being under and being over is set in stone until such time as the limit is changed. Literally, one mouthful can make the difference.

In view of what you say I would imagine that, at that time of night, the Company would have been informed and that what followed was an action taken by them in order that they too did not have problems with the Commissioners. I would imagine that if they did not do so then they would be putting the Company at risk also because I wouldn't think the Commissioners would be at all happy with them at all.