Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
"Mizter T" typed


Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:

Michael Hoffman typed


I think maybe Mizter T means people *inside* the bus not
requesting the stop? Everywhere I have traveled by bus in
Germany it has been necessary to press a button to signal a stop.

I suspect he means both.

I know my partner has missed buses through failing to hail them,
and sailed through Harrow-on-the-Hill when he wanted to change
buses there, when he didn't ring the bell.


Rather than leave you all guessing as to what I meant I'll tell
you!

I had in mind people at request bus stops who fail to hail the
bus, and just expect the driver to know via the power of psychic
suggestion that
he should stop and let them on. Perhaps they're used to the bus
stopping to let people off, but occasionally there are no alighting
passengers so those at the bus stop will find their psychic powers
have stopped working.

I find the opposite situation, that of no-one on board the bus
ringing
the bell, is a less common occurrence - and I remain amused that
on the approach to a major compulsory stop, one where the bus is
absolutely
bound to stop (a major interchange for example), there is
nonetheless
often a chorus of dings on the bell as if there was some danger
the
driver would forget.

Like Helen's partner I've nonetheless managed to both fail to hail
and forget to ding and missed my bus/stop on a good few number of
occasions!

Wouldn't you call Harrow Bus Station a major compulsory stop[1]?
This is where my partner didn't ring and overshot. It's hardly
surprising others
may ring neurotically.

[1]Underground, National Rail and bus interchange.

I thought that the compulsory/request distinction referred only to
people waiting at the stop, and that passengers on the bus were expected
to ring the bell for any stop.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)