The viewer of the Bez Tabu program, Dzintars, whom journalists met at the Aizkraukle bus station, has been a passenger bus driver since the 1980s. Throughout his professional career as a carrier, he has traveled across Europe. There have been various road incidents, but according to Dzintars, he has never experienced anything as absurd as this.
During a trip from Jaunelgava, an unmarked operational vehicle of the State Police stopped in front of the bus at the "Ličupes" stop, reports TV3.
It turned out that the police were drawn to Dzintars due to his chosen speed. On the stretch before the specified stop, a partially disguised police crew allegedly recorded that the massive passenger bus was moving at a speed of 65–70 kilometers per hour outside the populated area, creating a line of cars behind it. Dzintars recalled the conversation:
- Why are you driving so slowly?
- Well, I have a schedule...
- I’m not interested in your schedule, why so slowly?
After a verbal warning for driving too slowly and continuing on his route, Dzintars still pondered that the actions of the so-called road patrol were inappropriate. In the driver's opinion, the chosen speed fully complied with safety requirements and passenger transport regulations.
He explained that at high speeds on a regional road, it is difficult to see passengers at the stop in advance, and in winter, they are not visible at all. Another colleague confirmed that in rural areas, people can be seen from 20 meters or even less, especially when driving at high speed. There used to be a regulation that buses outside the city could not drive faster than 70 km/h. At the same time, the schedule must be adhered to.
The police indicated that the crew acted correctly, there were no external conditions for driving too slowly, and the bus driver could even be charged with aggressive driving, as driving too slowly is also considered aggression since the driver creates obstacles for others. The fine for this is 70-250 euros.
"It’s clear that we don’t please anyone, we are slow. We are big and slow," Dzintars concluded.
