Thinking Of Using The Bus In Colombia? 27 Killed in Crash Friday,,,,

miamimike says on Apr 7, 2007, 23:10:

Should read Thursday as the day of this crash,,, not friday as is written in the OP,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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billyb says on Apr 7, 2007, 23:12:

I saw pics of the bus... burning, it must have been horrible.

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Mononoke28 says on Apr 8, 2007, 09:13:

Back in december... ... we took a bus from Palmira to Tuluá and the driver was a freak!!! This guy was going way over 100km/hr (the limit is 80km/hr) passing all kinds of cars left and right with incoming traffic and only turning on his speedometer thingy whenever he saw cops around. I really thought that was it for me and even my husband who's used to that kind of driving was a bit nervous with that jackass at the wheel.

Speed and drunk driving in Colombia is a horrible problem, that's why you get all these people dead in the highway all the time.

Diana

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webmanco says on Apr 8, 2007, 09:19:

I believe the cause of fatal accidents are people falling sleep behind the whell, poor mechanic conditions of the cars and a sleeping co-passenger, then drunk drivers and speed.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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webmanco says on Apr 8, 2007, 09:19:

I I

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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vicshere says on Apr 8, 2007, 10:01:

web i agree everyone always assumes speed as the factor for bus/car/truck accidents in Colombia
but after five years I have to say it mostly the mechanical condition of the vehicle that's at fault
I have seen vehicles on the road that would make you freak
every time I climb the Chicamocha Canyon I see old cars with the wheels going wobble wobble as if they are going to fly off any second
I have seen trucks come down the mountain with their brakes on fire
vehicles going down the road sideways taking up part of the oncoming lane
just the other day an old truck I say from the 50s lost ifs brakes middle part of a hill here in the city....it took out 6 cars stopped at the light..luckily no one was hurt....they should have thrown that guy in jail period
sometimes I have no pity for people who die in self initiated accidents
driving is a responsibility in any country
but here is Colombia there is no responsibility
so when you see a vehicle in bad shape just stay away cause you know they are not going to pay you any plata for any damage

listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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webmanco says on Apr 8, 2007, 10:28:

so when you see a vehicle in bad shape There are a few more factors to keep in mind when keeping a distance from other cars, not just the shape of the car :-)

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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miamimike says on Apr 8, 2007, 10:42:

Trouble in Latin American Countries Like Colombia there is little regualtion as far as meaningful manditory safety Vehicular inspections. Not to say Colombia is the only country either with this Safety dilemma as plenty of other countries as bad or worse but since this is a Col Website, the issue is Bus Safety in Col. On the accidents, I believe its Poor Mechanical Condition and the High Risks the drivers take, extremely poor judgement. On a Long trip from Bogota to Cartagena at night, I remember the Busdriver standing on the brakes as he roared down those mountain roads with the smell of metal to metal(bare brakeshoes to drums)and sparks aflying. Another time, our Bus lost its headlights so at a Roadstop our driver found a Fellow driver heading our way and our Driver followed the other Bus with working headlights. Man that was scary, flying around those curves downhill with our driver following the other Buses's Rear Tail lights, hell of a poor way to fly IMO. He did this for over 3 hours until dawn came. I would think twice before ever going on a Col Bus trip after this experience,,,Life is too short, if I want Downhill thrills I'll go to Coney Island and the roller coaster,,,LOL

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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vicshere says on Apr 8, 2007, 10:50:

mike when traveling by bus in Colombia choose your bus companies very carefully.... I have used Berlinas a few times and never a problem...stay away from the small independent guys

listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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webmanco says on Apr 8, 2007, 11:14:

!

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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utopiacowboy says on Apr 8, 2007, 11:30:

I wrote about this before in my thread about my wife's family visiting. They were amazed that people actually get pulled over for speeding here and that we had to have the vehicles inspected annually etc. Hell, people drive down there with expired licenses (only one out of the three licensed drivers in the group had a license that wasn't expired when they tried to rent a car). So these kinds of accidents don't surprise me in the slightest. It's every man for himself and God against all.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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jacobglobo says on Apr 8, 2007, 12:38:

BUSSES IN COLOMBIA I JUST TALK TO A BUSS DRIVER LAST WEEK HE WORKS 14 HOURES A DAY REST 5 TO 7 HOURES IN SMALL HOTEL AND THAN DRIVE AGAIN 12 HOURES , WHAT YOU WONT MORE , IF HE DONT DO THIS THE COMPANY WILL SEND HIM OUT AND TAKE OTHER DRIVER , NOBODY TALE ME THIS I SEE THIS WITH MY AYES

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manINred says on Apr 8, 2007, 12:45:

es una lastima de verdad es que estos choferes de bus manejan como locos, ha habido por alli 6 accidentes en esta semana santa y todos gravísimos

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miamimike says on Apr 8, 2007, 12:51:

Jacobglo, I believe You in all probablity the Colombian Bus Drivers don't have much choice other then to drive like a Screaming Banshee down those mountains, Blind passing on curves, anything to keep a schedule and make a profit for the Company. No union drivers there for sure! The Bus Line I used was a Major Col Line, no small operators. Well anyhow the VCR worked fine in our Bus even if the Brakes were nonexistent. LOL Gotta have that VCR with Telenovelas or action flicks! LOL As if the actual ride was all that(better then an action flick) and then some! Maybe they played that VCR for a distraction from the Driving style! LOL
God help us when they start letting those Mexican 18 Wheelers on US Roads as part of the NAFTA Trade Deal. You will see Carnage on US Interstates and streets,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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miamimike says on Apr 8, 2007, 12:53:

Wow 6 accidents in one week! As I say, Caveat Emptor on Long Distance Col Bus trips, especially if they are through mountainous areas!!!

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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packagegirl says on Apr 8, 2007, 12:58:

"Van 46 muertos en accidentes viales" "A la tragedia en la que murieron 27 personas en cercanías a Santa Marta se sumaron otros accidentes viales en el país durante esta Semana Santa, con un saldo total de 46 víctimas fatales y 39 heridos. En la jornada de ayer se registraron tres accidentes, el primero de ellos en la vía que conduce de Mariquita a Honda, en Tolima, en el que cinco jóvenes menores de edad chocaron contra otro vehículo, pereciendo uno de ellos y los demás quedaron heridos.

En Popayán se accidentó un bus que dejó dos personas muertas. En Santander de Quilichao, por su pare, un bus que transportaba una congregación religiosa perdió el control y 36 de sus 46 pasajeros resultaron heridos. Las principales causas de la accidentalidad son invasión de carril."

Extraído de el períodico El Colombiano, Abril 8 de 2007

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goin_south says on Apr 8, 2007, 15:27:

against the grain I'm wondering why some drive so fast sometimes there; like what's the rush - it's Colombia, dude; slow down. Hey, reach for a cell phone.

Must be in a rush to beat the next torrential downpour/mudslide.

You gotta get their sooner or later. As long as you're headin in the right direction. Jus keep the inertia going, okay. Don't throw the course of the planet off!

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 8, 2007, 15:43:

Invasión de carril that was what made my skin crawl when driving in Cali with my friend. They had no problem invading the lanes, at traffic lights there were three cars side by side on two lanes,they crossed over from right hand lane to turn to left right in front of you without blinking...and the busses were absolutely the worst. I've never seen such blatant nonchalance to traffic rules in my life.

Cheers,
Desi

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe
they are free." —Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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goin_south says on Apr 8, 2007, 15:45:

si, but somehow without accidente. Well, to my surprise, I have not seen an accident in Cali.

Why Not Colombia?..........Stay Tuned, for more.... utterly worthless, self-indulgent gobbets of nonsense.

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vicshere says on Apr 8, 2007, 15:46:

what traffic rules its dog eat dog out there either drive like em or dont drive


listo
"con mucho gusto"
Vic

listo

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webmanco says on Apr 8, 2007, 16:24:

I had to take the opportunitiy to thanks for those traffic signs and specially for the dividing ones for the night driving.

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Desideria (Moderator) (Trustee board) says on Apr 8, 2007, 16:33:

Well, El feliz perhaps you were staring too deep in the eyes of your pastusita because I saw plenty of accidents. Both cars and pedestrians. Nothing really big, because with all that MIO cosnstruction going on (is it finished yet?) the traffic was slow and the accidents were just bumps, dents and scrapes.

Cheers,
Desi

"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe
they are free." —Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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caslug says on Apr 8, 2007, 23:35:

in 4 months in cali and medellin.. ON the city street, i've PERSONALLY witness TWO accidents. both involving a car and motocycle. typical.. happen at intersection on the participant did not pay attention when cross intersection. in both cases, the motocycle driver was THROWN over 10 feet THRU the AIR. AND SURVIVE WITHOUT INJURY! hehe BUT CRACKED HELMET!

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miamimike says on Apr 9, 2007, 11:11:

Caslug, I saw a Statistic on Colombian Motorcycle fatalities a few days ago and it was around 190 reported deaths. The article said 100s more serious injuries occurred and this 190 count were only reported deaths and injuries. The article went on to say most accidents are not reported so an accurate count is difficult to establish,,,

Avatar Legend: Bush "If any of you Reporters are wondering, it was a Size 10"

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caslug says on Apr 9, 2007, 19:41:

that makes sense.. mike.. i wonder how "reporting" is done? by police? in both case i did not see a policemen for over 20 minutes(maybe they did arrive afterward to report it). I would think they at the MINIMUM need to arrive to determine who's at fault so drivers can process insurance. One of the accident I saw, the tax was badly wrecked! after hitting the motocycle with little damage. The tax panicked and swerve off the road and hit a tree crushing the front. luckily both the passanger and driver were OK. They'll probably had whiplash.

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