Double-Decker Dangers

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Three days after an unthinkable tragedy that killed two people aboard a double-decker bus, a 9 News Now investigation reveals other potential hazards.

From audio recordings to clearly posted signs on back of every seat, passengers are warned not to stand while riding the upper deck of this double-decker bus. But when a 9 News Now photographer hopped a ride, he found out, you don't have to be standing to literally run into potential problems.

Our camera captured seated passengers ducking to avoid low-hanging branches. "I just think you have to look out for them and be particularly careful because some of them are actually very close to the top of the bus and when you're sitting on the right side, they're even closer to you," says Clinton Dillard, a tourist from Atlanta. His wife, Josephine adds, "they need to be cut six inches shorter and I'm ducking like this." But that's not the only danger we found. On Cleveland Avenue in Northwest, we found power lines roughly six inches from the top of the upper windshield, an easy reach with potentially deadly consequences. "I wouldn't want one of them coming at me at 40 miles an hour," says one tourist from New Zealand.

Some are now questioning why these buses are still running after 2 people on the top of a double-decker bus were killed Friday. Josh Stoll of Sterling and Mike Feiock of Centreville were with 16 co-workers from a local landscaping company, on their way to a Nationals game on the Southeast Southwest Freeway when their heads hit the bottom of the 11th street overpass. "It doesn't make any sense," says Andy Chevalier, a good friend of Stoll's. He believes the double-decker buses should be parked, "for good." His brother, Brian says Stoll loved his job as a landscaper and was about to be married to his high school sweetheart in September. He says he will be sorely missed. "Words can't describe how great of a guy he was. He was so positive all the time, he always had a smile on his face," he recalled.

We did try but were not able to to contact anyone from"Open Top sightseeing", the owner of the bus involved in Friday's accident. As the investigation continues into what happened and if anyone was at fault, we have learned double-decker buses are regulated by the city. But were not able to reach anyone for comment.