This is Union Street in Torquay, a busy shopping street. Also one way. The big red thing is a bus, the car on the left is a taxi parked on a taxi rank the bit in the road where the passing stranger is crossing is a speed hump. Union street has 6 such humps. You can also see Union Street is not the widest street in the known universe. So today I was driving down there more or less in the same position as this bus. I was doing about 10 mph as the pavement on my right was full of pedestrians, one in particular had come to my attention. She was pushing a baby buggy and looking like she was going to cross the road. Now one problem that does happen is mother, who would scream hysterically if she heard that a pedophile was living anywhere within a 100 miles of her precious child, will still push buggy and baby into the road before looking round just in time to see an 11 tonne bus squash buggy and contents. So careful watch and foot on brake peddle. Giving her and buggy all this attention meant I wasn't really watching the taxi at the front of the rank. I knew he wanted to go as the right indicators were flashing but I am still in an 11 tonne bus that would make a mess of his shinny new taxi if he pulled out in front of me. Now one thing is we tend to drive with our headlights on and I had just gone over a speed hump which makes the bus go up and then down and this looks like I have just flashed my headlights, which in this country is used as a signal saying,"You can go." Taxi pulled out. Lady with buggy had looked round, seen me approaching and stopped at the curb. Taxi driver realised I wasn't stopping and stopped. Space between taxi and buggy 9 feet. Bus, 8 feet 4 ins wide. Close.
The moral of the story is if you park on a taxi rank in a street with speed humps and it appears that some one has flashed their lights for you to go think about waiting for a moment or two just in case they didn't flash their lights. Or Torbay council could move the speed humps some where more useful like the local land fill site. Or we could all do as the Department of Transport would like and stop flashing.
11 comments:
Foot on the brake and moving forward? Must be one big foot :-).
Unless the brake pedal is left of the steering column of course - so you can left foot brake.
Ive always wondered why buses drive with headlights on, maybe I should ask around at work. I know why motorcyclists do it, but im not sure if a bus uses them "to be seen". Afterall, they are big and bright enough.
Althought I could be wrong.
@ Richard - I think buses have diesel engines. My diesel car will move on the clutch in low gear (even in 3rd down hill). I suppose the same applies to buses...
Am I right?
I, also, wondered why you drive with your lights on.
Here in Thailand, flashing your lights means "f*** off out of my way, I'm coming through". Caused me a few nasty moments when I first drove here!
Sarah, you are right, 99% of the buses used are diesel, I was just throwing fun at David because buses only usually have two pedals - both of which are always together on the right of the steering column from what Ive driven :-)
I know that as soon as I put a bus into drive, it will edge forward under its own power.
No problems David as flashing your lights is a warning to others saying 'I am here', exactly the same as the horn. No-where does it say 'I am giving way to you' no matter how many goverment driving books we read.
So if the taxi drives in to you it's his fault as he has misinturprited a sign. (tuff titty)
hmmm, spell checker needed!
Ive just noticed the 'Label' that you put on this post David.
You might get some unwanted attention from people who mis-interpret the word aswell.
Heh.
ooo eer missus
Most bus operators have a standing instruction that when buses pass through an otherwise pedestrian-only area (particularly one delineated by road humps) a maximum speed limit, (usually between 5 and 10 mph), is observed and headlights will be on.
This is to ensure maximum safety for pedestrians...
Sometimes the instruction is reinforced by local by-laws but, more often than not, compliance is voluntary.
We drive through Fleet Walk and Paignton Bus Station with headlights on, company rule. To avoid forgetting to switch on as we enter these place and thereby getting a nasty letter several pages long (an other rainforest gone) we just switch the headlights on first thing in the morning and leave them on for the fuelers to swich off last thing at night.
It was company policy for us to drive with headlights on all day. I don't have to worry about that anymore, I drive Police cars now!
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