Brickbat: Reading Is Fundamental

A passenger from Wayne, New Jersey, snapped photos that seem to show an NJ Transit bus driver reading while driving in sluggish traffic on Route 80 East. Officials say they are aware of the photos and are investigating.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

This is pretty outrageous behavior. Law enforcement should deputize bus drivers so that nosy passengers cannot get away with photographing them.

[WTF]

Pretty typical behavior on the part of the bus driver, though. I have nearly been hit by careless NJ Transit buses numerous times. They just don't give a crap and they don't pay attention.

[KDN]

I have no love for NJT drivers, but I'm having problems getting any sort of hate up about this. It doesn't take a lot of brain power to idle a car length forward every 30 seconds.

"The bus was moving slowly. We were in some heavy traffic," the woman said. "Once the traffic cleared up and we were able to move, accelerate, we were going a little faster, he did put the book down."

That stretch of 80 is a parking lot every morning. I don't care if the guy is killing 10 minutes at that point.

"It is terrible ? everybody's life is in danger," said Sandra Dinkins, of Newark.

No, it wasn't. You're in a bus in heavy traffic. that's going 5-10 MPH. It's more likely that the passengers would die from a meteor strike than any actions of the bus driver.

[invisible furry hand]

Or at least only photograph them on their good side

[Brian D]

I'm sure officials are investigating whether or not the photographer broke any laws so he can be justly arrested.

[UnCivilServant]

NJ Transit bus driver reading while driving in sluggish traffic

First Giant Snails, now slugs in traffic, we're being overrun by gastropods... oh, wait, I read that wrong.

[Bee Tagger]

Look, everyone knows people on the bus can be a little weird. This just happens to be the most polite way to say "don't talk to me, I'm busy." I realize that we all take decorum from New Jersyians for granted, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't appreciate it.

[Zombie Jimbo]

I am happy that the driver can read.

[sloopyinva (previously -inca)]

No wonder New Jersey is in such financial straits. Unlike most states, they hire public transit workers that can read.

[WTF]

He may have just been looking at the pictures. Let's not jump to conclusions here.

[sloopyinva (previously -inca)]

Maybe that's why they are investigating. They don't want the pictures to come out and expose the driver for reading a pop-up book.

Or German scat fetish mags. That's also a strong possibility.

[invisible furry hand]

"This is the worst map I've ever seen"

[sloopyinva (previously -inca)]

Also would have accepted "This is the shittiest map I've ever seen."

[invisible furry hand]

ah, dammit

[Ted S.]

Shouldn't the photo have been of the bus driver reading? Or are there copyright problems?

[Ted S.]

I think we know the bus driver wasn't reading the alt-text.

[Rich]

This is outrageous! It's the 21st Century -- the driver should be reading on an electronic device like normal people.

[anon]

What kind of "investigation" is necessary beyond viewing exif data?

[Mr. Soul]

Ralph: I'm at my best when I'm under pressure.
Alice: Of course you are Ralph. You have to be in the kind of work you do. You're a man who brives a dus.