By JONATHON HOWARD
A NOOSAVILLE couple have slammed the driving habits of a local Sunbus driver, who they say narrowly avoided running them off the road near Noosa Civic recently.
Michael and Christina Shaw are long-time residents of Noosaville and have seen the roads become increasingly chaotic over the years.
It was on 3 November when Mr Shaw and his wife were driving along Eenie Creek Road when they narrowly avoided colliding with a Sunbus at the Noosa Civic intersection roundabout.
“The bus driver came out of the Noosa Civic shopping centre on our left, saw our vehicle but then inexplicably accelerated in front of us onto the roundabout causing me to brake sharply to avoid him,” Mr Shaw said.
“I have absolutely no doubt the bus driver involved saw us as he accelerated across the intersection resulting in me braking sharply and swerving my tiny vehicle to the left of the road to avoid not only colliding with his bus but other motorists on the roundabout whose vehicles had been put in danger as a result of this bus driver’s disgraceful driving.”
Mr Shaw said he sounded his horn to let the bus driver know how dire the situation was. But what happened next was unbelievable.
“The bus driver then brought his bus to a complete stop in the middle of Eenie Creek Road travelling in the direction of Eumundi-Noosa Road putting every motorist at further risk,” he said.
“He then decided not to move his bus for what felt like minutes. As I tried to move my vehicle around his bus he then accelerated and drove his bus in the direction of my vehicle in a threatening and dangerous manner.
“I can only imagine what the bus driver’s passengers and other motorists involved were thinking whilst this incident was unfolding before them.”
Mr Shaw said the bus driver eventually drove off moving his bus into the right-hand lane and made a right-hand turn on the roundabout where Eenie Creek Road meets Eumundi-Noosa Road and disappeared.
The couple took the bus number, a brief description of the driver and the time of day the incident occurred and contacted both Noosa Police and Translink to report the matter.
Mr Shaw said he viewed the incident and the bizarre conduct and behaviour of the bus driver concerned as not only extremely dangerous but reckless, irresponsible and deplorable as he had no regard for the safety of his passengers nor the motorists involved.
“The report I made to Translink took in excess of five weeks to investigate and it was only my continued perseverance in contacting Translink that this matter was even investigated,” he said.
“When I pressed the staff member for the results of the investigation he informed me that the incident was between the bus driver, Sunbus and Translink and had nothing more to do with me and then promptly hung up on me whilst I was still attempting to discuss the results of the investigation with him.”
Mr Shaw said he had also followed up the matter with the police but they are still to respond to his complaints.
“Either way it is a very disappointing outcome and one that should alarm us all,” he said.
Noosa Today has made inquiries with Sunbus and Translink in relation to this matter and will update the community in 2015.
YOUR SAY: Have you had a near miss involving a bus? Send your comments and letters to newsdesk@noosatoday.net.au
