Dear PoP – yelling buses?

Photo by PoPville flickr user Wayan Vota

“Dear PoP,

I’m hoping you may have some idea on whats up with buses recently announcing loudly when they are making a turn – I haven’t seen/heard anything about it until it blasted my eardrums. We can hear the buses half a block away – a woman’s voice on what sounds to be a loudspeaker or bullhorn saying ‘PEDESTRIANS – BUS IS TURNING!’ & sometimes repeat in Spanish. I was reminded of this when the voice woke my husband & I (along with at least one neighbor dog) around 5:30 this morning.

It certainly isn’t every bus that has this, (last night I didn’t hear any while it was almost non-stop a few nights back) & those that do have it use it differently – some only yell the phrase once while others repeat it half a dozen times. This may be the result of the bus waiting to turn or if it is manually operated an overzealous user? Any insight you may have would be appreciated. I am all for a safer relationship between bus & pedestrian, & if this does it that’s great – I simply don’t think it needs to be at such a high volume!

PLEASE tell me this is test run & we will somehow be able to stop this from becoming permanent!!”

That’s crazy that you can hear it inside. Anyone else hear this? If so where? Is it a metro bus or a circulator? Do you know which bus line?