On the buses...

tosscat · February 2008

Lunchtime poll: You have just arrived at Finsbury Park Station and you are late for a hot date at Karmenz, so late in fact that you lazily decide to get the bus to the stop outside Woody's. You come out of the station and to your suprise all three bus types are coming round the corner and pulling up at the stand with their doors open to passengers. Each bus has the same length of queue with an equal number of faffers to non faffers, buggies etc, and you are positioned equidistant from each bus (you have just bought two bunches of daffs for your date from the vegetable lady). Which bus do you opt for and why?

Four Eyes · February 2008

W7 for a better class of bus passenger and possibly slightly faster exit from the station from its stand position.

Colette · February 2008

In order: 210; W7; W3.

The 210 has the fastest turnaround IF (and only IF) it is already loading passengers (usually because fewer people want it and therefore it is less likely to be delayed by people running up to it just as it's about to leave). However, the W7 is the most likely to arrive at the stand and turn around again without taking a 15mn break. Maybe because it has such a short route.

dominic · February 2008

210. Assuming it's evening - hot date and all - then all buses will eventually fill up. The 210 will fill up first being smaller.... OH SHIT, just remembered some are now double-decker. So if it was a single-decker, then the 210. If not the W7 for Four Eyes reasons.

Glyn · February 2008

Just on a bit of a tangent - what exactly is the deal with turnaround times at FP?

How long exactly are the drivers meant to wait and does anyone ever completely lose the plot and start banging on their doors? I feel slightly useless stood there curling my lip and giving them the skunk-eye.

I have also noticed a new trick of waiting around the corner for a bit and then pulling in to the station and waiting some more - while 50 people are stood there - gah!

Oh - 210 by the way.

andy · February 2008

I would almost definitely walk, but note on my watch the time the fastest bus went past, thus measuring the marginal cost of the time saved against exercise time gained. If I got to the Nando's bus stop before any of the buses (a definite possibility), I would definitely consider this a win for me, because I would make back the time between Christopher Charles and Porchetta as the bus made a pickup outside Chez Liline.

I don't believe, in this example, we are all going on a 'hot date'. We are all going to meet up at our club meeting of the Stroud Green High Functioning Autistics Club.

flembo · February 2008

Definetly walk. By the time everyone gets on, the bus gets stuck in traffic, you're already almost there....Or take the pleasant stroll through Charteris Road for the scenic route...

tosscat · February 2008

Some of us don't function highly enough to notice there isn't a walking option!

tosscat · February 2008

@Glyn This is the reason for the poll - I believe that the W7 is the nastiest bus on the planet because it waits round the corner, then waits on the stand, then lets the passengers on and waits a bit more and you've got on because you're in a mad rush and you really want the W3 and you're standing there waiting and meanwhile a W3 pops up and whooshes off before you can clamber past all the faffers and buggies to get off. At the walkers, oh come on, the road isn't that congested, and this is a really hot date.

matt · February 2008

I'd also walk, sorry! But otherwise W3, because it's my normal bus and old habits die hard. I've recently started experimenting with the 210 to drop me on Hornsey Road at the end of Fairbridge Road. But there are a higher than normal number of drunks/smelly people on that bus I've found.

katiejane · February 2008

I think I'd find out which bus tosscat was waiting for then ram my buggy into his ankles

naomi · February 2008

the w3 for the view of london from ally pally. but i'd stay on, turn around and come home...not getting off in wood green unless some topshop vouchers are burning a hole in my pocket.

last choice: 210. it makes me uneasy.

Colette · February 2008

There's a Topshop in wood green?

katiejane · February 2008

Hell yeah, and a M&S Cafe Revive!

naomi · February 2008

see...the boys can have a political debate about the post office on the other page and the ladeez can talk about shopping...perfect!

tosscat · February 2008

I'm not going to comment, I might sound like Christian O'Connell.

tosscat · February 2008

And katiejane, how do you know I'm a he?

krappyrubsnif · January 2011

Are the drivers on the W7 route the nastiest, most vindictive and least professional in London? Many is the time I have run for the bus only for the driver to slam the doors and drive off just as you reach it. I'm talking about running *towards* the bus as it pulls into a stop, so the driver can't fail to see you. I have even run up the middle of the road with my hand out, but they still sometimes do the same.

Why do drivers do this? It's not just discourteous and unhelpful, it's often plain nasty. I personally think it has something to do with Arriva's training. The drivers are the public servants and we are the customers and deserve to be treated with respect, but it seems like nobody at Arriva has told them that. So a bus driver who is just a nasty and ill-tempered sod by nature is allowed to act that way in his job, whereas he should be trained to leave his personal issues at home and give some consideration to the customers.

If you were shopping at John Lewis and the assistant just turned his or her back on you and walked away, you wouldn't go shopping there again, would you? Training.

Sometimes the W7 drivers on the bus stand at FP station are just as bad and drive off with an empty bus even though they must be able to see people running in the mirror. Mrs K has a bad leg at the moment and was actually running with a pronounced limp to the bus tonight, when the W7 driver just slammed the door and made off.

Of course not all drivers are like that and many are courteous and kind, but the ones who are really stand out, and I think the W7 and W3 are worst.

Is the explanation that drivers have to achieve 'performance targets' and have their pay docked if they are delayed?

Does anyone have any experience of complaining to Boris or anyone about this kind of thing?

kreuzkav · January 2011

I rarely use the feeder buses (210, w3 and w7) as I live only 10 mins max from FP station. Naturally, I understand that less abled bodied people and those in SG living a bit further afield have a bigger need to use them. When I lived up Stapletonhall road I used to use them now and again. I found that most drivers waited for people but there came a point when they had to make the decision to move off the stand or they'd be there all day or night. I'm sure it's not personal and there are timetables.

I've been on a bus when people were coming and coming and even the people on the buses would tell the driver to move on. Of course there are exceptions of some horrible drivers. But I remember running for a bus and I'm fairly quick as I'm an ex-athlete and the driver apologising for nearly closing the door on me. He congratulated me on my sprint to the bus.

ADGS · January 2011

A few years back I was at the stop by the nutter church waiting for a bus to Camden, and it was pissing down. A 253 rounded the corner at speed, completely ignored me and my outstretched arm, and raced off ahead of us. Fortunately there was another right behind it, which not only got me out of the rain but meant that we were tailing the other bus, so could see what all the hurry was about. Turned out there was another bus driver waiting a few stops on, and his mate thought getting to him ASAP was far more important than silly old paying customers.

miss annie · January 2011

The stop by the nutter church (ex Rainbow) is the worst of all the FP stops, the 29s often speed past there without bothering to stop.

sincers · January 2011

I live just the other side of Ossian Road on FPR and always walk to/from FP. Given the choice, I'd probably choose W7 as they're more frequent and seem quicker. But I think the W3 is more pleasant. 210 is just a bit weird.

ADGS · January 2011

Yeah, I've taken to using the one under the bridge for much that reason, although I find actually waiting under the bridge and dodging the pigeon poo somewhat testing.

Agaton Sax · January 2011

Or you could cross the road and get a taxi from the cabbie hut.

Agaton Sax · January 2011

Hang on, why is a three-year-old thread suddenly active again?

tosscat · January 2011

Because someone could be arsed to look for an existing thread that fulfilled their requirements. How novel. And while we're here, can anyone recommend a doctor/dentist/plumber?

krappyrubsnif · January 2011

Just shows that plus ca change

Martin 23 · January 2011

I drive buses for Arriva, a tip from me don't run for a bus as they won't wait for "runners" as they are called. The reason being is if you wait for one person they get on the bus then another person starts running to you do you wait for that person? And if this happens at every stop you'll never get to your destination.

I would get the 210 as it goes nearer to my house.

TollingtonTom · 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.

sincers · January 2011

Whats it like driving a bus @ Martin 23?

graeme · January 2011

Wouldn't fancy being a bus driver, can understand why some might be misconstrued as 'grumpy', having to deal with ignorant members of the public every day. I'm always surprised at the number of people getting on and off buses without even a 'thank you' - and this is on the W5 - mostly request stops.

There's a human being in that little plastic cubicle!

Plus it's chaos when the schools kick-out, I don't even want to be a passenger between 3.30-4.30pm, never mind being responsible for driving mobs of kiddies around.

Never mind dealing with other London road users. Total bams.

Think they generally do a great job.

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