On the buses...

andy · January 2011

@martin 23 Surely the easiest thing would be never to open your doors at all. That way your empty bus would always be on time. It's obvious that passengers are mostly an inconvenience to the smooth running of the timetable and the less you have to do with them, the better.

[Deleted User] · January 2011

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sincers · January 2011

I can never really figure out how this works. The 19 is often pausing en route to "regulate" the service. Does this mean that they get penalized for being both too late AND too early? I recall the shenanigans from "On the buses" meant the drivers would pelt it from A to B as quickly as possible. And the 19 is often instructed to terminate at Highbury so it can empty its load and head back into town to pick up more passengers, presumably to abandon them in the middle of their way home too. I think this is a disgraceful practice and really makes my blood boil. Its often the poor drivers that get it in the neck.

tosscat · January 2011

What happens to a PAYG oyster user in this event?

miss annie · January 2011

My granny (Conductress) and grandad (Driver) met on the buses during the war. Their bus got stuck in a tunnel in the Blitz and my grandad got out of his cab to have a chat and things progressed from there. My main gripes about bus drivers are these: They often smoke in their cabs which makes the bus niff. They don't wear the nice smart peaked caps any more. They don't even acknowledge the boarding passengers. I often say a cheery hello and am met with a scowl at best. Re. the enclosed cabs. I have used buses in L.A. and the American South, which of which have higher instances of violent crime than London, and the bus drivers there sit in open seating areas like on a coach. you drop your cash into a box beside the driver. I find the fact that they have to be sealed inside a glass enclosure here weird. Sorry Martin23, I'm sure you're very nice.

sincers · January 2011

@Tosscat I normally storm onto the next 19 with a face like furious thunder! It actually happens regularly and the other drivers know when a forward bus has been terminated. They don't bother taking payment. If you're canny, you can get a free ride on the 19, but only if one has been terminated recently and technically, you should get issued a ticket. But they hardly bother doing this even when you ask for it.

tosscat · January 2011

I always say hello on the W3 and the drivers are generally very cheerful.

miss annie · January 2011

Going back to your previos post tc, you ask the driver for a transfer ticket which covers all passengers that need to get on another buses. I never use the W3, I'm pleased to hear that they are cheerful.

sophie · January 2011

you should all read [the maintenance of headway](http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/14/maintenance-headway-magnus-mills-lezard). it always cheers me up to imagine exasperated transport controllers trying to operate a completely unfeasible system like the one in the book, to try and prevent 'three buses at once' syndrome. it's ok to be late but it's almost a sackable offence to be early. i love magnus mills.

Martin 23 · January 2011

@sincers the buses are automatic so they're easy to drive you just have to use your mirrors loads and remember that it's 14' 6" high.
The first bus I drove in service was the 41 I started off by smiling at everyone who got on, but they just looked at me as if I was a nutter, so I just put on the grumpy face now. But smile and say hello to people who acknowledge me, most people don't.
The route I do at the moment is the 168 which doesn't get a lot of school kids you get more office workers from Waterloo going to Holborn.
@Andy sometimes when you do one of the last buses on a Monday at midnight (which I'm doing this Monday) you can go almost the whole route and not pick anyone up.
@Misscara not had anyone like that yet. But have had someone shoot an air-gun at the bus and break the window, shit the life out of the woman sitting next to it.

underscore_cue · January 2011

_Does anyone remember the W3 'clickers' ? These were long thin card season tickets inserted into an onboard machine which 'clicked' (clipped) the card so removing one credit. It was cheaper to get a clicker than buy 10 tickets individually . I've read about it and a local ex Cllr told me all about them as intense innebriation kicked in the Fullback ( the said Cllr not me). Apparently the 'clickers' were considered quite an innovation in the 70s and I rather wish they were back._ TollingtonTom, you are my hero

ShaunG · January 2011

@andy - surprising departure from your normally reasonable and balanced contributions to polarised discussions. It's like holding lift doors for people - you do have to draw a line.

ADGS · January 2011

If I am on any bus that stops early, even if I am within walking distance of my destination, I always, always get a continuation ticket just in the hope that it shows up in a record somewhere as a loss or problem of some kind. But really, barring total and unforeseen closure of a road due to gas leak or riot, all buses should always go to the promised destination.

sincers · January 2011

Indeed they should. But they don't.

ADGS · January 2011

Are you going to go and add that to every thread complaining about flawed things? Because if so, it could take a while and make for some Slabberesque resurrections.

sincers · January 2011

Maybe

Jenowl · January 2011

Outrageous termination at Highbury Corner last night!

I get the 4 home from work and it often terminates at Highbury Corner during rush hour. It's incredibly annoying and inconvenient. The 'destination has changed' message is played just after Angel or even later. This means you can't assume your bus will take you home, and you can't relax until you've passed HC.

The driver gives one ticket to cover all the passengers. This means if a 19 turns up, and the others want to wait for a 4, you can't get the 19 free without arguing your case with the driver. Often you had a seat on your first bus, and have to get off, sometimes wait ages then cram onto a packed bus, standing near the doors.

It's bad enough during a rainy, cold, busy commute, but late last night I was quite drunk, very tired and the 4 terminated at Highbury Corner. The driver said he was running 32 minutes late and there was a bus just behind. There wasn't, so I got a taxi to SGR.

sincers · January 2011

I didn't know the 4 did it as well. It is outrageous. I think it constitutes a breach of contract or something. I've tried to suss out if there's a pattern. I think if the bus is full they're unlikely to terminate it. I believe it less efficient to have a half empty bus continuing to its terminal, may as well give up and try again-type philosophy. I have to say it hasn't happened to me for a few weeks now.

Martin 23 · September 2011

TfL are testing the bus countdown on-line at http://countdown.tfl.gov.uk/#/
it's going to get a full launch in the autumn according to this report from BBC London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14779558

[Deleted User] · September 2011

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miss annie · September 2011

The 19 is my bus to and from work, they do that at least twice a week. If the traffic is heavy coming up towards Highbury Corner you can guarantee that they will stop at the Barn. Always ask for a transfer ticket, the number 4 always takes the ticket from the 19 and the drivers will now issue a ticket to every passenger that asks

Detritus · September 2011

<http://countdown.tfl.gov.uk/#/>; <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14779558>;

taff bach · September 2011

6 months before I became sixty some one pointed out that when I became redundant from London Buses I should have received a free Staff Ticket for the buses and the tube as I had done 16 years and the union had negotiated an extra 10 year entitlement putting me over the threshold. I wish I didn't know. Makes me cry.

taff bach · September 2011

P.S. I totally love the new double decker from the Thomas Heatherwick Studio.<http://www.heatherwick.com/new-bus-for-london/>;

Arkady · September 2011

The bus tracker has the potential to be a real lifesaver in the mornings. If I can't be arsed to walk doen to FP I can leave just in time to get to the bus stp on Ferme Park Rd. Taff Bach: There's been some discussion of the new bus on London Reconnections. I agree it looks beautiful, but allegedly safety concerns will mean that people will not be allowed to jump on and off the bus while (slowly) on the move as in the good old days.

dorothy · September 2011

Can someone explain the W5 to me? I don't really understand it. Do you just stick your hand out on any part of the route and it will pick you up or are there certain points it tends to stop at.

harpistic · September 2011

I think it's at certain points. It was always rather odd to walk past clusters of people on specific street corners in the mornings when I lived in Crouch End.

checkski · September 2011

As far as I am aware, the only fixed stops in our area are either side of the Clocktower, in Crouch End. Outside Tesco Express for Archway, and near the post office, for the other direction. More fixed stops in Hornsey Lane and Highgate Hill. Otherwise, it's find yourself a safe spot and stick your hand out. Particularly confusing near Stroud Green library, where buses arrive on the same side of the road for BOTH directions!

Ilovegreyhounds · September 2011

The 'hail and ride' section starts inside the junction of Endymion Rd and Green Lanes and ends near the library in CE. I don't know if there is a further section beyond CE on its way to Archway. It tends to mainly stop near junctions or along certain points in longer stretches such as Oakfield Road. The route up to CE and down to Green Lanes is different to avoid two buses meeting face on in the narrow residential streets. It took me ages to work it out as I kept seeing this bus stop near our house but I could never find a proper stop or info. However, it is marked up on the route maps in the bigger bus stops on SGR. Its a great bus if you are bringing heavy stuff back from Green Lanes.

Arkady · September 2011

We call it the magic bus.

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