BUSSED

I have gone to unliking my rekindled preference for public utility buses when:

• 42 died when an Eso Nice bus bound for San Fernando, La Union lost its brakes and fell into a ravine in Sablan, Benguet (dateline August 18, 2010);
• 2009 Binibining Pilipinas-International Melody Gersbach and 2 others died when their car was rammed by a Guevarra bus in Bula, Camarines Sur (dateline August 21, 2010);
• 9 were killed after a dismissed police officer hijacked a tourist bus and the police botched their attempted rescue operation in Manila (dateline August 23, 2010);
• 4 were killed when armed men posing as police/military personnel flagged down a Rural Transit bus bound for Pagadian City in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte (dateline August 26, 2010);
• 5 died when a Manila-bound Cul Bus Transportation bus lost its breaks and fell into a creek in Pagbilao, Quezon (dateline August 29, 2010);

But I’ve got no choice but to ride the bus because (1) I don’t plan to hire anymore drivers lest they turn out to be ungrateful too, (2) I need to save money so that paltry operating fund I subsist will tide me over, and (3) I have to cut down my carbon footprint to live up being a climate change advocate.

Photo grabbed from Google images.