In message
, at
21:58:17 on Mon, 27 Jul 2009, eastender
remarked:
The routemaster was perfect. I always feel somewhat "trapped" on a bus
where the driver has the power to stop me getting off (especially when
stuck in traffic and I'd rather continue on foot).

My word - bet you really hate air travel.

In case you hadn't noticed, it's not practical to get off a plane or
train and walk the rest of the way. What I object to with buses is being
stuck in a jam and trapped until the next bus stop with the clock
ticking away.

There *are* equivalents with air travel, which is being forced to wait
for a bus, and until every last person has got on, before being driven
to the airport building a hundred yards away. Of course, if it's raining
they make you walk
--
Roland Perry

In message
, at
22:07:00 on Mon, 27 Jul 2009, eastender
remarked:
But that's not the point. It's their collateral damage which people are
worried about.

No - it's just pathetic political posturing .

I object to the collateral damage, so that's one person who isn't doing
any political posturing. I expect most people trying to cross the road,
but are blocked by a bendy-bus, are also more interested in the
practical objections.
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 22:39:11 on
Mon, 27 Jul 2009, "Just zis Guy, you know?"
remarked:
Note also that female cyclists are disproportionately involved in
these LGV crushing incidents. It's likely that this is because they
are less assertive on the road and more likely to ride too close to
the edge. There is a big difference between riding defensively and
riding timidly.

Without wishing to start a huge sexist debate, it's well known that
females have less well developed spatial awareness. (It's because the
males developed this in order to be successful hunters, which the
females don't generally have to do).
--
Roland Perry

On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:37:59 -0700 (PDT)
Lucas wrote:
The problem is simply Green Lanes itself which is ridiculously
congested and always the slowest part of the route, but I can't think
of much of an alternative, given that the only parallel road is also
quite busy (Wightman Rd)

Green lanes is only congested because of idiotic traffic light phasing
and people who park in bus stops so the bus stops in the road and blocks
the traffic. Solve those 2 issues and it would flow nicely.

B2003

On Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:15:15 +0100
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote:
I know that, and I know how to avoid most of the problem, but tat
doesn't change the fact that bendy buses are uniquely unpleasant
things with which to share the road. 18m long, surprisingly rapid
acceleration, and especially the way the articulation works so that if
the driver cuts in too early you end up with the arse end coming
towards you at speed and nowhere to go. I hate them. I might hate
them less if the drivers could bring themselves to wait if there's a
cyclist part way past before they start off, but they don't. There is
no really safe way to get past one of those buggers.

So in other words you're only competant enough to navigate past certain
vehicles on the road. Perhaps you should consider another way of getting
around town?

Tell me , are british commuter cyclists just particularly incompetant and/or
stupid compared to european ones who've been living with bendy buses
for years or are you all - what most people suspect is the case - nothing but
a bunch of tedious whingers?

And no , not many european city centres have off road cycle paths.

B2003

On Jul 28, 11:10*am, wrote:

Tell me , are british commuter cyclists just particularly incompetant and/or
stupid compared to european ones who've been living with bendy buses
for years or are you all - what most people suspect is the case - nothing but
a bunch of tedious whingers?

I suggest you try riding a bike round some European city centres some
time. The bus routes in major European cities where bendy buses are
common typically run along broad boulevards which are straight or have
wide, sweeping bends. The narrow, twisty streets of London are one of
the main reasons the late lamented Routemaster was originally
developed.
--
Guy

On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:56:18 +0100
Roland Perry wrote:


In message
, at
22:07:00 on Mon, 27 Jul 2009, eastender
remarked:
But that's not the point. It's their collateral damage which people are
worried about.

No - it's just pathetic political posturing .

I object to the collateral damage, so that's one person who isn't doing
any political posturing. I expect most people trying to cross the road,
but are blocked by a bendy-bus, are also more interested in the
practical objections.

Yes , we should ban HGVs too because they can occasionally block pedestrian
crossings and squish cyclists. 7.5 tonners are the way forward!

B2003

On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:16:34 -0700 (PDT)
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote:
I suggest you try riding a bike round some European city centres some
time. The bus routes in major European cities where bendy buses are
common typically run along broad boulevards which are straight or have
wide, sweeping bends. The narrow, twisty streets of London are one of
the main reasons the late lamented Routemaster was originally
developed.

What exactly is narrow and twisty about victoria embankment or oxford street
or the strand or 101 other roads I could mention? All cities have wide roads
and all cities have narrow roads. If you don't think there are narrow and
twisty roads in Paris or Madrid or wherever you've obviously never been there.

B2003

On 28 July, 11:46, wrote:
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:56:18 +0100





Roland Perry wrote:

In message
, at
22:07:00 on Mon, 27 Jul 2009, eastender
remarked:
But that's not the point. It's their collateral damage which people are
worried about.

No - it's just pathetic political posturing .

I object to the collateral damage, so that's one person who isn't doing
any political posturing. I expect most people trying to cross the road,
but are blocked by a bendy-bus, are also more interested in the
practical objections.

Yes , we should ban HGVs too because they can occasionally block pedestrian
crossings and squish cyclists. 7.5 tonners are the way forward!

B2003-

HGVs and bendy buses are intended for different types of road. HGVs
aren't allowed in all the places that bendy buses are, and I don't see
many bendy buses at Felixtowe.

On Jul 28, 11:50*am, wrote:
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:16:34 -0700 (PDT)
"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote:

I suggest you try riding a bike round some European city centres some
time. *The bus routes in major European cities where bendy buses are
common typically run along broad boulevards which are straight or have
wide, sweeping bends. *The narrow, twisty streets of London are one of
the main reasons the late lamented Routemaster was originally
developed.

What exactly is narrow and twisty about victoria embankment or oxford street
or the strand or 101 other roads I could mention? All cities have wide roads
and all cities have narrow roads. If you don't think there are narrow and
twisty roads in Paris or Madrid or wherever you've obviously never been there.

I have never seen a bendy bus on Victoria Embankment. I have seen one
around London Wall. I do not ride along Oxford Street at all, it is
impassable. I did see a bendy bus today as I was riding round Hyde
Park Corner - hard to avoid seeing it in fact as it pulled onto the
roundabout straight into my path. And with 18m of bus that left no
option at all but to stop in the middle of a busy roundabout.

I'm sure they are fine in their place, but central London is not it.
--
Guy