Bendy Buses and the old kent road

[jonny jeez]

I'd love it if bendy buses made a concertina noise as they went round corners...

now theres a hearts and minds initiative that could really work!

how brilliant would that be.....

 

[jonny jeez]

By Boris and the Evening Standard maybe. But that is not the general opinion amongst transport professionals. You will search in vain on the TfL website for any objective evidence to support, or evaluation of, the decision to withdraw the bendy buses. Apart from anything else, bear in mind that one bendy bus has to be replaced with two standard buses, so unless a bendy bus creates more than twice the risk (and there is no evidence at all to suggest this is the case) then overall risk has got worse.

I'm speaking (typing) from personal experience but yes, I had heard that Boris was not a fan. Personally I think they are more of a risk than two smaller units as they simply dont fit in the congested parts of town.. or at least not in the bendy bits. Whereas two smaller units...do.

I also feel the same about articulated lorries.

In days of yore distribution was managed via a fleet of smaller more suitable vehicles (granted huge artics had probably not yet become commercially available for short run work).

However, today, with cost competition etc, it's common place to see an artic attempting to deliver into the most unsuitable of spaces...some of those drivers deserve a medal, their spatial awareness alone staggers me.

 

[GGB_Andrew]

They've taken them off the number 73 route and Boris plans to do away with them all together.

He's new modern Routemaster buses are coming in (over budget and delayed, the last I heard)

 

[markharry66]

jonny jeez wasnt even on a bend the bus over took the pushed the bloke in front and me further and further into the kerb. The bus was trying to avoid the other traffic maybe I was unlucky scared the hell out of me.

 

[jonny jeez]

jonny jeez wasnt even on a bend the bus over took the pushed the bloke in front and me further and further into the kerb. The bus was trying to avoid the other traffic maybe I was unlucky scared the hell out of me.

Yep that sounds like pretty clear driver error.

It does sound like bad luck (from my experience) but still must have been bloody frightening. did you get the number of the bus, if so think about sending the company an email expressing your concenrs.

 

[suecsi]

Fond memories of getting on the 65 or 71 in Richmond to go to school – jumping on and off routmasters while they slowed to go round corners etc was always fun and in the most part didn’t result in injury, except for the day we all jumped off on the corner of our school only to land on the teacher who had been positioned on the pavement… to stop children jumping off the bus as it slowed to take the corner by the school… I also remember (legally) smoking on the top deck… how times change

Er .... you didn't go to Grey Court by any chance did you? We got that lecture in assembly about how dangerous leaning out the back of a No. 71 Routemaster was on the corner of Ham Street and Sandy Lane (I think, haven't been back for years).

 

[TwickenhamCyclist]

Er .... you didn't go to Grey Court by any chance did you? We got that lecture in assembly about how dangerous leaning out the back of a No. 71 Routemaster was on the corner of Ham Street and Sandy Lane (I think, haven't been back for years).

Yes... That very corner... Landed on Mr Chester! (circa 1984?)

 

[Pisquee]

For my section of Old Kent Road, the one bendy bus I have to be wary of when cycling, or endure being in when not cycling, the 453 (Marylebone -Deptford Bridge) is now running as a more normal double decker - woo! :-)

 

[martint235]

For my section of Old Kent Road, the one bendy bus I have to be wary of when cycling, or endure being in when not cycling, the 453 (Marylebone -Deptford Bridge) is now running as a more normal double decker - woo! :-)

Yeah I've noticed that too, it seems to have started this week. It looks like a gradual change as there are still a fair few bendies about.

 

[suecsi]

Yes... That very corner... Landed on Mr Chester! (circa 1984?)

Oh dear. We went to school together ...... though I guess you didn't look like your profile picture back then?

 

[albion]

They are used on one of the City links in Newcasstle and think are now getting adopted for route 58 too.No doubt they will get banished if Newcastle gets it's own jingoistic dictat mayor.

 

[Jezston]

I'd love it if bendy buses made a concertina noise as they went round corners...

There has been a campaign for this for some time:
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13768396222&v=wall