Rev. Robert Hammond Neill Robb, Neston, Cheshire, UK
Hair-raising bus journey to Manikata
Just before the end of our recent holiday in Malta I was intrigued to read the letter from a correspondent regarding "driving" in Malta.
I would wholeheartedly agree with her sentiments and would urge that steps be taken to "retrain" some of the bus drivers.
One experience we had was on the No 47. The driver had two mobile phones and on leaving Valletta he used first one and then the other.
As we neared Mosta he began to send a text message. He continued texting all through Mosta even when negotiating roundabouts and sharp bends. On two occasions he almost hit oncoming cars as the bus was edging over the white line.
On the stretch of road between Mosta and Mġarr the bus was travelling at about 60 plus miles per hour although we could not check as the speedometer was not working.
All the passengers were holding on tightly to the seats as were two ticket inspectors. Again he was texting.
When we got to Manikata he drove the bus through the village as if he was on an Alpine rally. The journey, scheduled to take 40-45 minutes, was completed in less than 25 minutes.
Yes please do something about the driving. If we wanted to go on a rollercoaster we would go to the fairground. We come to Malta to enjoy this beautiful and friendly island and we would like to travel around it in safety, not to be scared out our wits!
15 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Charles Micallef
Nov 8th 2009, 08:34
@Pamela Hanson
The "Inspectors" have become the Drivers' puppets, they are a waste of time and wages!
Lawrence Zahra
Nov 8th 2009, 01:06
Bus drivers in Malta are a disgrace to their profession.Some of yhem should not even be pushing a cart let alone drive a bus.
S Atlamyob
Nov 7th 2009, 19:52
This Malta bus driver and others like him/her should be facing criminal charges for reckless endangerment of human life, limb, and property.
Those of us who believe they can drive while talking on a mobile phone or text message device, please take a look at some sites that I’ve quickly put together for you below, particularly the www.youtube.com/?v=t8LuM92Twm8 www.trainaccidentshelp.com/chatsworth-train-crash
Cell phone driving statistics
• Distraction from cell phone use while driving (hand held or hands free) extends a driver's reaction as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at and above the legal limit of .08 percent. (University of Utah)
• The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Virginia Tech/NHTSA)
• Drivers that use cell phones are four times as likely to get into serious crashes involving serious injury and death…. (NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)
• 10 percent of drivers aged 16 to 24 years old are on their phone at any one time.
• Driving while distracted is a factor in 25 percent of police reported crashes.
• Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent (Carnegie Mellon)
www.youtube.com/?v=iGN1pLI4ZaM -
www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html
www.livescience.com/technology/050201_cell_danger.html
Pamela Hansen
Nov 7th 2009, 19:40
If this was not so outrageous it would be hilarious. Is anyone in the government interested? The Minister responsible for transport? The Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, perhaps?
I know the process of transport reform has started, but surely such disgraceful behaviour cannot be allowed to persist. Is it not illegal to drive while using a mobile phone? What about the inspectors on the bus? The whole thing is a farce and the ADT calls itself an "Authority"!
Mike Rogers
Nov 7th 2009, 19:32
I really think that the ADT/Maltese authorities should sack all Maltese Bus drivers and emply Foreign drivers ie., Polish same as we have in the UK. at least they can drive a bus much better then the locals.
Alfred Farrugia
Nov 7th 2009, 17:27
Rev. Robb is correct to air his concerns, and it is hoped that he submitted a formal complaint to the authorities concerned at the appropriate time.
It appears to me from this account that this particular driver is highly skilled in driving. What he lacks is the right attitude and responsibility towards his passengers. Given that the speedometer was not functioning, I am not certain how the Reverend could assess the speed of the bus. Is it possible that the driver had two mobile phones because he was dealing with some form of emergency? That was of course no excuse for such behaviour. If that was the case he should have asked another driver to take his place.
There is no doubt that more driver education is needed not only for bus drivers but for several other drivers as well. The media could give a contribution in this respect.
Tony Gatt
Nov 7th 2009, 16:12
Dear Reverend,
You must have noticed all the religious icons on every bus. This means that the drivers are being looked after from above.
I hope you said a prayer giving thanks for your deliverence on arrival
Eleno Vassallo
Nov 7th 2009, 16:05
Observer. It is all true what my friends said on their comments, it is time that ATD,wake up before it is too late, after a fatal accident, you are all responsable, it can be someone involved from your own families. Take action please, becouse we are making everybody fear to board on Buses.
Joseph Calleja
Nov 7th 2009, 15:46
Chuck this one up to OIM (only in Malta). segment. This sort of thing happens all the time and mostly by the same macho drivers. So there were two inspectors checking tickets, but never reported this dangerous driver. Is checking for tickets more important than trying to take this maniac driver of the road, I'm sure he is still driving in the same manner. Most bus drivers are very careful and courteous but you always find the exception. Good idea if the driver of a bus has to display his name and badge number for the public to see when riding on his bus?
Tony Mangion
Nov 7th 2009, 14:47
I bet that the ADT will not be taking steps against this respective HELL DRIVER under the excuse that Rev. Robert Hammond didn't write down the time and date of this incident.
Charles Micallef
Nov 7th 2009, 14:26
We are promised a new state of the art bus service, and this is one of the drivers who was promised a job on the new state of the art service......!
.......NEW OPERATOR
.......NEW BUSES
.......NEW ROUTES..........
.......WILL NEVER MAKE UP FOR A CHANGE IN THE DRIVERS' MENTALITY,
So excuse me for thinking that nothing will ever change with the bus service in Malta & Gozo unless we start afresh with new educated drivers.....!
Muscat. Pat
Nov 7th 2009, 13:19
Bus drivers text and phone continuously and yet they are never booked? Is it because they are untouchables too?
David Martinelli
Nov 7th 2009, 12:51
No one should be scared out of their wits while riding a bus in Malta, but that's the way it is with these "yahoos." And to do it with not just one but two mobile phones is bordering on INSANE. While they are some good drivers, there are in fact represent the minority of the drivers in the present transportation system. If the driver deemed it important to take the phone call, why couldn't he have pulled over safely and taken the call. Or better than that, he could have put it on speaker phone mounted on the dashboard to communicate hands-free(But I don't think he would do that!!) To be driving a bus at 60 mph (100 kph) is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS especially since twice he almost hit oncoming traffic coming in the opposite direction; and the fact that the passengers were jostled from their seats while trying to hold for their dear life.
This driver should be FIRED; it just proves that they would risk passenger safety at all costs!!
I think it's high-time that passengers bombard the phone lines with complaints to the ATP.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!
mark johnson
Nov 7th 2009, 12:14
It will probably get worse in the short term. This cowboy will most likely be out of work after the public transport reorg so until then I can't see his behaviour improving can you?
Herbert Guillaumier
Nov 7th 2009, 10:54
Unfortunately, the ADT, the Traffic Board, or whoever the respective authority may be, never takes reports seriously, because these things happen so often but we never hear of bus drivers whose driving licence has been suspended.