In ,
Chris Read typed, for some strange, unexplained
reason:
: "MIG" wrote:
:
: Chris Read wrote:
:
: He also said that bus passengers and operators like the bendies -
: it's other
: road users (ie cabbies and cyclists, I guess) who detest them.
:
: No, he is just wrong. Most passengers don't like them either, and I
: can't believe it's much fun for the drivers except if they are paid
: more for coping with them.
:
: I like them, but I'm primarily a 'Red Arrow' user, for which routes
: they are well suited. I haven't noticed a huge clamour to bring back
: the Leyland Nationals with plastic seats.

A mate I used to work with once had an ex-LT National, he used to take it
to shows; I quite liked driving it, shove it in 2nd and right foot down,
away it went. Put it in first and all your passengers ended up on the back
seat ;-)

: IIRC, the drivers are paid more.

Not always, certainly not in the West Midlands.

: And don't forget pedestrians, whose crossings are constantly blocked
: by them.
:
: Hardly any drivers observe crossing courtesies in London. In my view,
: bendy drivers are amongst the smoothest and most courteous of bus
: drivers in London.
:
: But why should we accept that the choice is between bendys and
: Routemasters? I'm sure I remember a few generations of other designs
: in between and since ...
:
: Agreed. But no more Tridents, please........

I'm sure I'm going to regret saying this, but why..? From a driver's point
of view, I quite like the Tridents. They're certainly better than a lot of
the alternatives, particularly the Volvo B7's which I detest with a
passion.

Ivor