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Man in open-topped bus killed when head hits freeway overpass
Another man was critically injured while on a bus headed to a Washington Nationals game. "They were standing in the upper part of the bus, and their heads struck the under part of the overpass," says a cop. (Washington Post)
July 14, 2008 | Permalink
Comments
Holy crap! What kind of idiot would run a double-deckered bus on a freeway with low overpasses?
Also, wonder why the Marines brought ice to the scene? Paging Rock Marine ...
Posted by: Phranqlin | Jul 14, 2008 8:05:30 AM
Actually the other man died at the hospital.
The rumor going around is that the one guy was virtually decapitated.
The whole thing is beyond sick though.
Posted by: DCer | Jul 14, 2008 8:07:41 AM
I wonder if it sounded like an aluminum baseball bat hitting a ball.
Posted by: Dick C. Normas | Jul 14, 2008 8:11:38 AM
Things keep better in ice.
Posted by: | Jul 14, 2008 8:12:47 AM
The ice was to keep the keg of beer cold.
Posted by: Dick C. Normas | Jul 14, 2008 8:14:56 AM
Darwin strikes again.
The ice was for their beer.
Posted by: | Jul 14, 2008 8:18:01 AM
Did the Nats win?
Posted by: G-Man | Jul 14, 2008 8:28:51 AM
Ice? Probably for that ripping headache!
Oh man, can you imagine sitting up there with them? "Hey man, you better sit down, that bridge looks low!"
*SPLAT!*
Blood and brains errrrvreywhere.
Posted by: Sean, Torrington CT | Jul 14, 2008 8:33:35 AM
Whoa- a similar thing happened a while back in Kansas and involved 2 people there as a well.
[url]http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/nov/20/kstate_bus_riders_hit_overpass/[/url]
I don't know that active links are allowed here, so you may have to copy and paste if you want to read about it.
Posted by: SomeGuyInKC | Jul 14, 2008 8:37:43 AM
Ewwww....honestly I thought this type of thing only happened on cartoons and in action movies.
Gross...
Posted by: cherie | Jul 14, 2008 8:47:09 AM
Did anyone notice how much was "unclear"...they didn't know who the guys were, they didn't know which bus company, the didn't know where they were from, they didn't know how long they'd been standing.
Educated crowd....
Posted by: cherie | Jul 14, 2008 8:48:44 AM
Maybe I'm just stupid, but I don't think vehicles with open tops that are high enough to have someone stand up and not be under the 'normal' highway overpass height should be licensed. There is a 'standard' height, isn't there. Although, there are probably many city bridges that are lower.
On the other hand, if you operate a transportation service that does have an open top. Short of strapping everyone on the second level to their seats, maybe you should be sure you route doesn't take you under any bridges that are too low for anyone standing up (and even standing on thier seats) to be sure.
Yes, you can call for a Darwin, but drunk or not, if its possible to stand up, someone will. I call it a tragic accident, as much for the poor other passengers, who suddenly found themselves in a Quentin Taratino movie.
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jul 14, 2008 8:51:38 AM
Good lord, when I first skimmed the article really fast, I thought the cop said, "their heads are still stuck to the overpass."
LMAO! That wouldn't be too suprising if they were.
Posted by: twerp | Jul 14, 2008 8:52:19 AM
I have a hard time drumming up sympathy for grown-ass adults who know better. Getting your head chopped off is only one way to die by standing up on an open-top bus. Seriously, WTF?
On a side note, now I've got a mental image of Nearly Headless Nick from 'Harry Potter' floating around saying, "Braaaaaaaiiiiins!"
Posted by: Soo | Jul 14, 2008 8:57:21 AM
....It appeared to witnesses at the scene late last night that other passengers on the open-topped bus were severely shaken....
Ya think?
Is it just me or was this whole event surrounded by idiots?
Posted by: WhyME | Jul 14, 2008 9:13:25 AM
WARNING: hitting your head on a bridge at freeway speeds may result in serious injury or death
There's gonna be a lawsuit, fer shure. We can only hope these two haven't had an opportunity to reproduce yet.
Posted by: * | Jul 14, 2008 9:25:34 AM
Maybe he should have ducked.
Posted by: lawdog | Jul 14, 2008 9:26:43 AM
Maybe they should have ducked.
Posted by: lawdog | Jul 14, 2008 9:30:20 AM
Phranqlin, this incident took place just one block from Headquarters Marine Corps at 8th and I streets in D.C..
Marines when showing up in mass to any sort of spectacle, will always bring ice for the beer. It's something we are taught in boot camp. A spectacle needs spectaters and they need beer!
Anyone thirsty?
Posted by: Rock Marine | Jul 14, 2008 9:30:41 AM
oops, sorry. Didn't mean to double post.
Posted by: lawdog | Jul 14, 2008 9:30:45 AM
Yes, Rock, I'm thirsty. After reading this story I could really use a beer!
Posted by: Reno | Jul 14, 2008 9:45:37 AM
"....It appeared to witnesses at the scene late last night that other passengers on the open-topped bus were severely shaken.... "
Why were they shaking the other passengers?
Posted by: steveO | Jul 14, 2008 10:14:03 AM
They were shaking because they needed a beer.
Posted by: Rock Marine | Jul 14, 2008 10:24:56 AM
The fast way to a buzzcut, or a really close shave.
Posted by: thomas | Jul 14, 2008 10:39:45 AM
I was working as a train dispatcher in Michigan back in the early 90s when 5 teenagers riding atop of a boxcar were decapitated when it went under a bridge. Still sickens me.
Posted by: | Jul 14, 2008 10:49:50 AM
