There are roundabouts that are painted on the road you can drive over. Then there are the type you are meant to go around – as a bus driver from Manchester learned the hard way.
The unnamed driver was reportedly attempting to avoid road works in the Oldham area at a four-way junction on Wildmoor Avenue in the Holts Estate. In doing so, he tried to negotiate a roundabout in a First UK bus.
Unluckily for the driver and all of his passengers, who presumably had to get off and walk, the bus ended up going over the raised roundabout. At which point, it is thought the the air suspension airlines underneath were damaged and the bus became stuck.
A bollard in the middle of the roundabout caused a gigantic dent in the middle of the grounded bus, adding insult to injury for the now embarrassed bus driver, who could do nothing to stop the wheels from spinning hopelessly in the air.
Local resident and onlooker Ric Jones said to the Manchester Evening News: “I was chatting to the driver and I think he saw the funny side of what had happened. But I know if I had done that when I was driving I would have been hauled up in front of the boss.
“I think the driver had probably been thinking he had enough clearance to get over the roundabout but maybe caught the air lines so it lowered the whole suspension.
“Normally the roundabout is a turning circle for the buses but there are road works which have restricted the way through so maybe that’s why he’s decided to try and go over.”
A First UK spokesperson said emergency road works had lead to the driver taking an ‘alternative route at very short notice’, which lead to the ‘difficulties in trying to get the bus back into service’. Three hours later the bus was winched out of the predicament.
“Our depot team called for recovery services as quickly as possible who were able to assist. There were no reported injuries. I’d like to apologise for any inconvenience this incident caused,” the bus company added.
It is unclear whether the bus driver was told off for his driving faux pas and how much damage was caused to the bus.
Thanks to the wonders of modern-day smartphones, the grounded bus was filmed and the video uploaded to YouTube by Jones for all to enjoy.
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