Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:42:42 +0100, "Graham Harrison"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:

"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."

In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused to
allow me to get off.

Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?

He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the platform
with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage deliberately; it
was not a PSV operation but a private operation from city centre to what
I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I pushed by there was a
significant risk one, or both, of us might have been hurt in the resulting
tumble from the bus.

If is privately run in the way you describe, then the operator sets
the rules. You could probably have been refused passage for the rest
of the day.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

"Scott" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:42:42 +0100, "Graham Harrison"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:

"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."

In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused
to
allow me to get off.

Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?

He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the
platform
with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage deliberately;
it
was not a PSV operation but a private operation from city centre to what
I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I pushed by there was a
significant risk one, or both, of us might have been hurt in the resulting
tumble from the bus.

If is privately run in the way you describe, then the operator sets
the rules. You could probably have been refused passage for the rest
of the day.

Which would not have worried me since I had completed my journey. And,
you're right he had the right and after one complaint I gave up.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

In message , "
wrote:
I was told that it is a safety precaution to avoid alighting passengers
being knocked down by cyclists (and vice versa?). If so it seems a fair
restriction for these safety-concious times.

Another typical overreaction to health & safety.

Having watched someone fall off a Routemaster and under a following
coach, I have to disagree.

[Reported by me on utl at the time.]

--
Clive D.W. Feather | Home:
Mobile: +44 7973 377646 | Web: http://www.davros.org
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is:

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

That sounds brilliant! I would have laughed like a water mark.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:

"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."

In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused to
allow me to get off.

Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?

He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the
platform with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage
deliberately; it was not a PSV operation but a private operation from city
centre to what I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I pushed by
there was a significant risk one, or both, of us might have been hurt in
the resulting tumble from the bus.
The contract - and the TC's licence - was therefore likely to have been
between two specific points. If you wanted a journey that was not covered by
the contract and/or operating licence, you should have used a different
service. Or a taxi. Or walked.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

"Portsmouth Rider" wrote in message
...

"Graham Harrison" wrote in
message ...

wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:

"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."

In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused
to
allow me to get off.

Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?

He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the
platform with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage
deliberately; it was not a PSV operation but a private operation from
city centre to what I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I
pushed by there was a significant risk one, or both, of us might have
been hurt in the resulting tumble from the bus.
The contract - and the TC's licence - was therefore likely to have been
between two specific points. If you wanted a journey that was not covered
by the contract and/or operating licence, you should have used a different
service. Or a taxi. Or walked.


The ride was one part of a whole. On the way back we got stuck in a jam
near my destination. The bus destination was further on and I would have
had to walk back (which I subsequently did). I'm old enough to have used
open platform buses and I therefore went into what I might call a "mode"
associated with such buses and just assumed that, as I had in the past, I
could disembark while the bus was stopped. I will admit I was irritated by
the actions of the conductor (who perhaps was more accurately the platform
manager since he wasn't collecting fares) but he wasn't going to back down
and I had no desire to push him out of the way so I accepted the inevitable.
I've no doubt he was correct; my guess is that their insurance requires them
to act in this way.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...

"Portsmouth Rider" wrote in message
...

"Graham Harrison" wrote in
message ...

wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:

"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers
they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."

In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused
to
allow me to get off.

Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?

He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the
platform with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage
deliberately; it was not a PSV operation but a private operation from
city centre to what I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I
pushed by there was a significant risk one, or both, of us might have
been hurt in the resulting tumble from the bus.
The contract - and the TC's licence - was therefore likely to have been
between two specific points. If you wanted a journey that was not covered
by the contract and/or operating licence, you should have used a
different service. Or a taxi. Or walked.


The ride was one part of a whole. On the way back we got stuck in a jam
near my destination. The bus destination was further on and I would have
had to walk back (which I subsequently did). I'm old enough to have used
open platform buses and I therefore went into what I might call a "mode"
associated with such buses and just assumed that, as I had in the past, I
could disembark while the bus was stopped. I will admit I was irritated
by the actions of the conductor (who perhaps was more accurately the
platform manager since he wasn't collecting fares) but he wasn't going to
back down and I had no desire to push him out of the way so I accepted the
inevitable. I've no doubt he was correct; my guess is that their insurance
requires them to act in this way.
Absolutely. Same sort of thing happens on Rail Replacement trips...
passengers want to be let off all over the place, when the contract is for
either actual railway station forecourts, or suitable SPECIFIED bus stops on
the main road nearby. I've actually had passengers forcing the emergency
door at traffic lights. And once you allow one passenger a unspecified stop,
they all want one - when you have to get the bus (and through passengers) on
to the station where the train set has been nailed together again, with the
minimum of delay.....

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

Portsmouth Rider wrote:
"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...
"Portsmouth Rider" wrote in message
...
"Graham Harrison" wrote in
message ...
wrote in message
...
On 25/08/2012 14:20, Graham Harrison wrote:
"Ernesto" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I've seen this increase over the past few months - drivers unwilling
to open their doors between stops, but instead telling passengers
they
can press the emergency door control button themselves to alight from
the bus.

Anyone else seen this? Thoughts???

E.
--
"It's better to have and not need, than to need and not have..."
In different circumstances I've had exactly the opposite. Maybe 2/3
years ago a vintage double decker with open platform right next to the
pavement stuck in a traffic jam and the conductor point blank refused
to
allow me to get off.
Why didn't you just push past him? Were customers not allowed to alight
from a Routemaster if the bus had come to a full stop in traffic?
He was standing with his hands on the stanchions either side of the
platform with his back to the centre pole. I used the word Vintage
deliberately; it was not a PSV operation but a private operation from
city centre to what I'll call an attraction on the outskirts. Had I
pushed by there was a significant risk one, or both, of us might have
been hurt in the resulting tumble from the bus.
The contract - and the TC's licence - was therefore likely to have been
between two specific points. If you wanted a journey that was not covered
by the contract and/or operating licence, you should have used a
different service. Or a taxi. Or walked.

The ride was one part of a whole. On the way back we got stuck in a jam
near my destination. The bus destination was further on and I would have
had to walk back (which I subsequently did). I'm old enough to have used
open platform buses and I therefore went into what I might call a "mode"
associated with such buses and just assumed that, as I had in the past, I
could disembark while the bus was stopped. I will admit I was irritated
by the actions of the conductor (who perhaps was more accurately the
platform manager since he wasn't collecting fares) but he wasn't going to
back down and I had no desire to push him out of the way so I accepted the
inevitable. I've no doubt he was correct; my guess is that their insurance
requires them to act in this way.
Absolutely. Same sort of thing happens on Rail Replacement trips...
passengers want to be let off all over the place, when the contract is for
either actual railway station forecourts, or suitable SPECIFIED bus stops on
the main road nearby. I've actually had passengers forcing the emergency
door at traffic lights. And once you allow one passenger a unspecified stop,
they all want one - when you have to get the bus (and through passengers) on
to the station where the train set has been nailed together again, with the
minimum of delay.....


Yes, they seem to think that because it's a bus or coach, it can stop
anywhere it likes. On some rail replacement services, the passengers are
counted at both ends of the route by station staff. Luckily, most of the
passengers who ask are reasonable about it, and accept that they can
only be dropped off at the station, if you explain the reason why.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

In message , at
16:39:21 on Thu, 22 Nov 2012, Portsmouth Rider
remarked:

Same sort of thing happens on Rail Replacement trips... passengers want
to be let off all over the place, when the contract is for either
actual railway station forecourts, or suitable SPECIFIED bus stops on
the main road nearby.

As a passenger on such buses I can understand the problem.

Why should I be driven down my Village's High Street (where I live) and
not be let off until the bus has gone as far as the railway station a
mile outside the village?

Being on the bus is one inconvenience, passing my house and expecting me
to walk a mile back is an inconvenience too far.
--
Roland Perry

Drivers telling passengers to use the emergency buttons...
 

On 22/11/2012 16:39, Portsmouth Rider wrote:

Absolutely. Same sort of thing happens on Rail Replacement trips...
passengers want to be let off all over the place, when the contract is for
either actual railway station forecourts, or suitable SPECIFIED bus stops on
the main road nearby. I've actually had passengers forcing the emergency
door at traffic lights. And once you allow one passenger a unspecified stop,
they all want one - when you have to get the bus (and through passengers) on
to the station where the train set has been nailed together again, with the
minimum of delay.....

Isn't that just the cultural split between passengers, who are doing the
journey as a means to an end, and the operator, who sees the journey as
an end in itself?

I've been on replacement buses where the driver has asked if anyone does
actually wants to go to a particular station itself, or can the bus drop
off on the main road/village centre/etc to save a slow trip along a
narrow dead-end lane to the station and back.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK