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AIBU?

4 year old left on the bus

443 replies

Huskylover1 · 15/12/2017 20:22

Just heard about this on the news.

A 4 year old boy, gets the bus home from school. He misses his stop. Doesn't alert the driver. Driver gets back to the depot and parks up the bus and leaves. Bus driver has now been sacked for this.

In my book, a 4 year old, is way too young to get the bus home. Especially as there was no parent waiting at the bus stop even! Had there been, the parent would have alerted the bus driver that their son was on board, and needed to get off. Usually, this boy makes his own way home from the bus stop, lets himself in, and his parents arrive home from work, shortly thereafter.

Cue lots of moaning by the parents, that they've been let down. No mention from anyone, that perhaps this little boy shouldn't be making this journey alone.

I just can't fathom, how any parent can thinks it's good judgement to let a 4 year old:

  • identify the right school bus to get on
  • realise when he needs to get off
  • walk from the bus stop to home, and let himself in

    Bonkers!
OP posts:
Huskylover1 · 15/12/2017 20:23

And it's dark!

OP posts:
jaimelannistersgoldenhand · 15/12/2017 20:24

Is this a UK story?

StepAwayFromGoogle · 15/12/2017 20:25

WTF?! A 4 year old shouldn't be getting the bus and then getting home on their own!!!

QueenNovo · 15/12/2017 20:25

The driver messed up by not checking the bus before he left it, I believe they're supposed to do that in case someone has fallen asleep or passed out and is still on the bus. I agree that a four year old going home alone and letting themselves into an empty house is shocking though.

littleducks · 15/12/2017 20:26

Scottish highlands

The story I read said it was only fourth time he had got the bus as the family car had broken down (maybe why driver forgot to stop)

Think the driver had to be sacked, forgetting stop is one thing but the must have to check bus at end of route...

maddiemookins16mum · 15/12/2017 20:27

A four year old walks home and lets himself in? Surely not!

Blackteadrinker77 · 15/12/2017 20:27

This was posted earlier by someone.

I would never put a 4 year old on a bus alone either.

Ikanon · 15/12/2017 20:27

My 4.5 year old is super sensible. Follows lots of rules and the bus stop is literally round the corner from our house.

And yet!!!! There's no way I'd let her be a 'latch key kids at 4!!! No teacher should be allowing this either.

Huskylover1 · 15/12/2017 20:27

jaime Yes, it happened in Scotland. Confused

OP posts:
LookingForwardToChristmas · 15/12/2017 20:27

I don’t think the school should have allowed the child to leave alone. Surely it is a safeguarding issue? I also don’t think a bus driver should have alllowed him on unaccompanied and should have called the police instead. A four year old should not be out unaccompanied whether it is dark or not.

Piffpaffpoff · 15/12/2017 20:27

I think you should read all the details before being quite so judgy. Very common in scottish highlands for young children to go on the bus. Parents waiting for him at home, where he would be dropped off. Presumed he was delayed by the bad weather we’ve been experiencing.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42365641

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2017 20:28

A 4 year old baby got the bus on his own.
Did I read that correctly.
Yes the driver should take some blame, but so should his parents. Theyre the ones who initially thought this was a wise idea.

TrojansAreSmegheads · 15/12/2017 20:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PurplePillowCase · 15/12/2017 20:28

the boy was on a school bus. not regular public transport.
so the bus driver has a certain responsibility.
my guess is the little one fell asleep and therefore didn't let himself known at his stop.

DustandRubble · 15/12/2017 20:28

It’s a school transport minibus and normally drops off outside his home, where his dad was waiting. I don’t even know where you got that bit about the parents coming home later from. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42365641

SaucyJack · 15/12/2017 20:29

Article I've just read says it was a school minibus.

Fuckit2017 · 15/12/2017 20:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littleducks · 15/12/2017 20:29

Apologies BBC says fifth time and also that boy had previously been dropped home.

Lots of rural kids catch the school bus from pretty young, no issue. In fact lots do to the private schools in London from pretty young.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42365641

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 15/12/2017 20:29

Sorry but a 4 year old traveling alone.
I will judge and I'll not apologise for it.

53rdWay · 15/12/2017 20:29
ButchyRestingFace · 15/12/2017 20:30

It was a school transport bus. The child was supposed to have been dropped off at his home address.

The parents were then given the wrong information by the bus company and told their child had not boarded the bus.

IntoTheFloodAgain · 15/12/2017 20:30

I’ve just googled it and skimmed an article on Sky news and the parents really don’t seem to be taking any responsibility for how ‘deeply’ their son has been affected.

I do wonder though, whether the bus driver should have questioned why a child that young was alone (would it fall under their responsibility?)

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TrojansAreSmegheads · 15/12/2017 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 15/12/2017 20:30

It happened in the Highlands near me. For some children to get to school there is no option. This wasn’t a public bus and his mum was waiting for him.

The boy does NOT let himself in he’s 4.
The weather was bad here and the parents thought the bus was late so they waited.
They then called the school who said he should be home by now police were alerted and the boy was found near the bus depot by a woman who saw him walking alone.

Total time from usual arrival of the school bus to police telling parents he’d been found was about 40 minutes. 40 minutes too long yes absolutely but the driver has been sacked for dross misconduct and I doubt the same mistake will happen here. The company that run the school bus have the contract in our area and have acted accordingly but don’t let a bit of frothing get in the way of some facts.

buntingqueen · 15/12/2017 20:30

It says his father was waiting for him at home. Getting a bus to and from school at that age is the norm in lots of places. They’re not public buses, they’re provided by the council, specifically for those children, and kids can’t just choose where to get on and off.

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