Thursday, September 30, 2004
Holidays and after.
Back to Work.
Well I have been back at work for almost a week and as usual it feels like I have not been away. We are back on winter running times which are 10 mins shorter than summer. Add on the delays caused by some road works in Brixham and everyone has been running late all week
We have also got a few new routes, none of which I drive on so I will have to listen to other drivers to find out what they are like.
We have also got rid of student single and return fares and replaced then with UniRiders. Students can now buy a weekly ticket that they can use to travel in either Torquay or in Paignton and Brixham for £6.00. The problem for those students living in Brixham and Paignton is the South Devon College is in Torquay so they will need both tickets. £12.00 per week. The problem for the drivers is that it takes 15 key strokes to issue these two tickets. Don't get on a bus in Brixham at 08:00 on a Monday morning when 50 students are getting on the bus and buying their tickets for the week. Then the bus will get to Paignton and 40 more students will get on. Don't blame the driver if your bus is late, it's not our fault.
Posted at 23:43 by desfordaveRing the bell
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Start your engines.
"Start your engines gentlemen". Those words are heard a few minutes before the start of a Formula One Race and the last thing a racing car driver wants to hear before the end of his race is the sound of his engine dying away and stopping. From the comments I heard on a Radio Devon phone in program to day it is also the last thing many bus drivers want to hear.
The first caller was complaining that he lives near a bus terminus and he has to endure the sound of a bus engine running for upto 10 minutes while the bus driver waits time. He asked the program presenter if there was a law or a rule that we had to switch our engines off while we waited at bus stops. Another caller said there was a law that the engine had to be switched of. This is true but only if the driver leaves the bus. If he sits on the bus the Law does not require him to switch off the engine.
Our company rule is that if a driver expects to be stopped for over 2 minutes he should switch off. Some follow this rule, others don't. First, in no particular order, lets look at why we should switch off. Environment, Global Warming, Cost, Peoples' Health, Good Manners, Company Rule, and others I may think of as I type.
Emission gases damage local vegetation add to greenhouse gases and damage peoples health, not just people with illnesses that produce breathing difficulties but children, babies the elderly and even healthy people who are breathing this sh.. these gases and one day they may have breathing difficulties.Why increase the chances. Cost, well it's the company that pays for the fuel so why care about that. Wrong the passengers pay for the fuel just as they pay for almost everything. And half of what the passengers pay goes in my wages. Half of what I waste standing there for ten minutes or so is mine to waste. It comes off next years pay rise. Company Rule, well the inspectors can not be every where all the time. In Torbay alone there are nearly a thousand trips a day, most of those trips involving some waiting time. Good manners, well the drivers in those buses sitting at a terminus with the engine running probably don't know anyone in the house across the road. Reasons for not switching off? Well in winter when you switch off the engine you switch off the heater. I may think of other reasons while I type.
When I listen to the radio phone in type of program I notice that some people just ring in for something to do but some of the people have rung the wrong number. Because the radio presenter wants people to phone in he keeps repeating the phone number, it fills two hours in the afternoon schedule. In return for this, maybe he should have some one in the back room looking up the right number.
Monday, September 20, 2004
Still on Holiday
20 SEPT 04 Monday.
I WENT INTO WORK THE OTHER DAY EVEN THOUGH I STILL HAVE AN OTHER WEEK BEFORE I AM DUE BACK. NOT TO WORK BUT TO SEE THE WINTER ROTAS. THIS TIME LAST YEAR AS PART OF THE STRIKE SETTLEMENT THE 12 ROTA AND TORQUAY LOCAL ROTA HAD BEEN JOINED AT THE HIP AND I HAD 30% LOCAL WORK ON MY ROTA. I HATE LOCAL WORK. HALF HOUR TRIPS THAT SEEM (TO ME) TO GO ON FOR EVER. THE ROUND TRIP ON THE 12 TAKES
2 HOURS 50 MINS AND IS MORE MY CUP OF COFFEE. (I DON'T LIKE TEA). I SPENT THE WHOLE OF LAST WINTER ASKING CONTROLLER FROST TO CHANGE MY DUTIES WHEN EVER A LOCAL DUTY CAME UP AND I AM SURE HE WAS A LOT MORE FED UP OF THE AFFAIR THAN I WAS. HE MANAGED TO CHANGE MOST OF THE LOCALS AND OTHER CONTROLLERS ALSO HELPED REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LOCALS I DID. THANKS GENTLEMEN.
WELL THIS YEAR THERE ARE NO LOCALS ON MY ROTA, JUST TWELVES. WHICH IS A RELIEF TO ME AND TO THE CONTPOLLERS AND THR PASSENGERS ON TORQUAY LOCAL SERVICES.
Monday, September 06, 2004
Away on holiday
Well the summer season ends in 3 weeks but I will miss the end of it as I am on holiday and don't have to drive a number 12 until 26th September 04. Isn't that nice.
I may go on a bus while I am away and if I do I will file a full report.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Traffic Jam
click HERE TO SEE SOME PHOTOS I TOOK IN LYMINGTON ROAD. THE TRAFFIC JAM YOU CAN SEE WAS CAUSED BY A LORRY DRIVER UNLOADING IN FLEET WALK AND BLOCKING THE ROAD. FLEET WALK IS 3/4 MILE FROM LYMINGTON ROAD. WHEN THE NEW TESCO STORE OPENS IN FLEET WALK WILL SCENES LIKE THIS BECOME COMMON PLACE? LETS HOPE NOT.
Thursday, 30 September 2004
Tuesday, 31 August 2004
August 2004
Monday, August 30, 2004
Crashes
WELL WE HAD TWO CRASHES TO DAY, IN THE SAME PLACE. AN HOUR APART. NOT BUSES, CARS. BUT THERE IS ONLY HAS ONE MAIN ROAD IN AND OUT OF TORBAY AND WHEN IT IS BLOCKED ALL CRASHES BECOME OURS. WE ARE ALL DEEPLY INVOLVED.
BOTH CRASHES HAPPENED AT COVENTRY FARM ESTATE. JUST NORTH OF THE ROUNDABOUT. TRAFFIC APPROACHES THE ROUNDABOUT FROM THE SOUTH ON A TWO LANE DUEL CARRIAGEWAY ROAD AND FROM THE WEST ON THE TOWN BY PASS. ON LEAVING THE ROUNDABOUT THE ROAD IS TWO LANES FOR 100 YARDS BEFORE REDUCING TO ONE LANE. SOME DRIVERS TAKE MAD RISKS TO GET IN FRONT OF 1 OR 2 CARS WITH THE STUPID IDEA THAT THIS IS GOING TO GET THEM SOMEWHERE FASTER BUT ALL THEY DO IS SIT IN BUMPER TO BUMPER, 5 MPH TRAFFIC FOR THE NEXT 3 MILES. IT IS THE START OF A 3 MILE BOTTLENECK THAT IS KINGSKERSWELL.(TORBAY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET A BY PASS FOR YEARS BUT TONY BLAIR WOULD SOONER SPEND THE MONEY ON MAKING WAR NOT BY PASSES)
WELL TO DAY SOMEONE'S RISK TAKING DIDN'T PAY OFF AND THEY ENDED UP IN MANGLED WRECK'S ON THE HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC CAME TO A DEAD STOP. WELL IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER THE BOYS IN BLUE ARRIVED TO RESTORE ORDER. the FIRST BUS HEADING FOR Torquay MANAGED TO GET BY WITH A DELAY OF ONLY 10 MINS BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED. THE NEXT ONE CRAWLED TO WITH IN 4 CARS OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS ONLY 15 MINS DOWN WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND SIGNALLED THE SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC TO STOP. THEN FOR 10 MINS THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON. THEN ALL TRAFFIC WAS HALTED WHILE AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED. THEN THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON FOR A FURTHER 10 MINS.
RESULT, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS ALL OVER TORBAY WONDERING WHAT STAGECOACH WERE UP TO AND WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE THEY WERE RUNNING.
THE PROBLEM IS THE POLICE ROUND HERE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO DIRECTING TRAFFIC. WHEN I LIVED IN WEMBLEY THE POLICE THERE WERE EXPERTS AT GETTING 80 000 PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE STADIUM IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME. MAYBE WHILE WEMBLEY IS CLOSED DEVON AND CORNWALL CONSTABULARY COULD BORROW A FEW OFFICER FROM THE MET POLICE TO TEACH THEM A THING OR TWO ABOUT DIRECTING TRAFFIC.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Late Running Buses On a Grand Scale.
BUS COMPANY FINED FOR LATE-RUNNING SERVICES From the Torbay Herald Express
Transport watchdogs have fined Stagecoach £18,600 for its buses failing to meet punctuality standards in Exeter. And Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown has told the firm it must try harder to provide reliable services in the city. Mr Brown, the independent watchdog for public transport in the South West, has fined the company £60 for each of the 310 buses it operates in Exeter and Torbay.During the investigation, punctuality was measured for a sample group of buses in Exeter following complaints from the public and city MP Ben Bradshaw. It was revealed that only 83.7 per cent of those monitored by an independent group met the standard of arriving between a minute early and up to five minutes late. The target is 95 per cent.SOME QUESTIONS.
DID STAGECOACH KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT MEETING THE REQUIRED TARGET BEFORE THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION TOLD THEM?
IF THEY DID, WHAT DID THEY DO TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE?
IF THEY DIDN'T, WHY DIDN'T THEY?
Posted at 22:50 by desfordaveRing the bell Monday, August 23, 2004
Photos
23 AUG 04
while I WAS AT NEWTON ABBOT THIS MORNING I SAW A WOMAN DRIVE A BIG 4 WHEEL DRIVE OFF ROAD VEHICLE INTO THE BUS STATION AND PARK ON THE SANDYGATE STOP. Sorry I have lost this photo due to lack of memory.
NOW THE BUS STATION HAS NO ENTRY EXCEPT FOR BUSES SIGNS AT EACH END AND NO PARKING SIGNS ALL AVER THE PLACE. I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A PHOTO TO WHICH I WOULD HAVE ADDED A WITTY CAPTION SUCH AS "DRIVER SPENDS SO MUCH TIME OFF ROAD SHE HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT NO ENTRY MEANS."
WHEN I HAD TAKEN THE PHOTO I TURNED TO GO BACK TO THE BUS AND RIGHT BEHIND ME WAS AN OTHER CAR JUST DRIVING INTO THE BUS STATION. SO I TOOK A PHOTO OF THAT CAR AS WELL. Click Here to see this photo; You can if you want but it's just a car.the DRIVER, A YOUNG WOMAN STUCK HER HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW AND SAID SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A CAR PARK. I TOLD HER NICELY THAT SHE SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE BUS STATION BUT REVERSE BACK AND TURN ROUND. I THEN GOT BACK ON THE BUS.
NEXT THING SHE IS ON THE BUS DEMANDING THAT I DELETE THE PHOTO. SHE HAD JUST SEEN THE NO ENTRY SIGN.
I REFUSED. SHE CALLED ME A PERVETE AND SAID I HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE HER PHOTO. I TOLD HER SHE WAS IN A PUBLIC PLACE BREAKING THE LAW AND I COULD TAKE HER PHOTO. SHE CALLED ME A VERY RUDE NAME AND GOT TOLD OFF BY SOMEONE ON THE BUS. ANY WAY SHE STORMED OFF SAYING SHE WAS GOING TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE. WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
the WEATHER HERE IN DEVON HAS BEEN VERY UNSETTLED ALL MONTH. UNLIKE LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF SUN.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Unauthorised Bus Stops.
To day, I got called a jobsworth, a mother....ing jobsworth. Plus one or two more or less similar nasty things by an upset passenger. To some extent I could see his point of view so I refrained from seriously headbutting him half to death.
The reason he called me all these names was because I drove past the Casino stop in Abbey Road with out stopping and he wanted to get off there. The problem is the number 12 doesn't stop at the Casino Stop, only the 32 stops there. However some drivers do stop there. The stop is handy for two hotels that cater for the older holiday maker who find it difficult to climb the hill up from Castle Circus or from the bottem of Abbey Road where the 12 does stop. The other day when I was a passenger on a 12, four elderly ladies got on in Paignton and asked for the Casino stop. The driver said the bus didn't stop there but he took pity and said he would let them off there. So he stopped and the ladies got off. So did my foul mouthed passenger from to day. He did not know the bus should not have stopped there and when I drove past to day he demanded to know why. My explanation that Torbay Council wont let us stop there fell on deaf ears but my ears got the full force of his abuse. Verbal only, fortunatly.
The reason the Coucil wont let us stop there is because Abbey Road is a two lane One way street and the stop is 150 yards from a set of traffic lights at which the 12 turns right. The Council think it is too dangerous for us to stop the bus and then pull away and change lanes to make the right turn in 150 yards. The 32 turns left at the lights, no danger there.
The council don't think pulling away from the stop at Windy Corner too dangerous; we only have to pull out of a bus lay-bye, across two lanes whilest watching for traffic coming from behind us at 40 mph, traffic emerging from a road on our left, traffic turning right across us into the road on our left and traffic coming out of a road 20 yards behind us on our right while watching the traffic lights just in front of us. The worst bus stop in Britain to pull away from. To help us the Council put up a notice saying "Please let the bus out" The notice is the size of a cornflake packet, a small cornflake packet.
CYCLISTS, BRAVE SOULS.
ARE CYCLIST MAD?
nO, I WILL REPHRASE THAT.
cYCLISTS ARE MAD.
nOW I KNOW THAT CYCLISTS ARE DOING THEIR BIT FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND WHEN I GET STUCK BEHIND ONE I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T FOR EVER. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOR EVER. SO I JUST FOLLOW CAREFULLY, BIDING MY TIME UNTIL I CAN SWOOP PAST AND GET ON MY WAY.
WELL TO DAY I GOT STUCK BEHIND THIS MAN ON A BIKE AND WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I JUST FOLLOWED HIM AND HE GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS EVEN THOUGH I WAS KEEPING A STEADY DISTANCE BEHIND HIM AND NOT REVVING THE ENGINE IN HIS EAR OR PRETENDING TO KNOCK HIM OF HIS BIKE.
WHEN I FINALLY GOT PAST HIM HE MADE A GESTURE WHICH SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD JUST HAD THE WORST TWO MINS OF HIS LIFE.
A LITTLE WAY DOWN THE ROAD I STOPPED AT SOME RED LIGHTS. I WAS THE FIRST VEHICLE IN THE QUEUE AND WHAT DID OUR BRAVE CYCLIST DO? HE CAME UP ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE BUS AND PULLED ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS MEANT I NOW HAD TO EITHER PROCEED TO NEWTON AT 10MPH (16 KPH) OR, YES YOU'VE GUESSED IT, OVER TAKE HIM.
wELL IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE AND THIS TIME HE INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN THE WORST ONE MINUTE OF HIS LIFE.
nEXT LIGHTS, SAME AGAIN. THIS TIME A FLOCK OF HUNGRY SEAGULLS RIPPED HIM APART BEFORE I COULD OVERTAKE HIM.
IT MUST BE THE ADRENALINE RUSH THAT MAKES PEOPLE RIDE BIKES AND TOO MUCH ADRENALINE ROTS THE BRAIN CELL.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
It's a dog's life.
What ever you do;DON'T TURN ROUND.
A car cuts you up.
You flash the lights,blow the horn, suggest the driver's
parents aren't married, make a friendly guesture.
The car stops and 18 stone of solid muscle dressed all in
black gets out of the car and heads for the bus.
That how this pussy feels right now.
The photo has been moved to save memory
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Rain, in summer, in the Bay.
IF IT RAINS IN TORBAY PLEASE DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY. SO IF YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY AND IT'S RAINING WATCH TV, READ A BOOK, SLEEP, GO FOR A WALK IN THE RAIN BUT DON'T GET YOUR CAR OUT. IT IS BORING SITTING IN A TRAFFIC JAM. I SHOULD KNOW. because EVERY TIME IT RAINS IN THE SUMMER, PRESTON, WHICH IS BETWEEN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON COMES TO A DEAD STOP. ALL THE TRAFFIC HAS TO GO THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND TORQUAY ROAD. hUNDREDS OF CARS AN HOUR DRIVE VERY SLOWLY ALONG TORQUAY ROAD (THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY) AND TEN CARS AN HOUR DRIVE OUT OF HEADLAND PARK ROAD. FOR SOME REASON KNOWN ONLY TO TORBAY COUNCIL BOTH ROADS GET THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME ON GREEN AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS. IT SHOULD TAKE 9 MINS FOR THE BUS TO GET FROM PAIGNTON BUS STATION TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND WHEN IT IS DRY IT USUALLY DOES. A BIT OF RAIN AND ALL THE HOLIDAY MAKERS SAY, "IT'S RAINING. WE'LL GO FOR A DRIVE." DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE. PLAY SCRABBLE, STRIP POKER, RUSSIAN ROULETTE, GOTO THE NEAREST PUB OR JUMP OFF BERRY HEAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE IT WILL TAKE YOU 35 MINS TO GET TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE TAKE PEN, WRITING PAPER ENVELOPE AND STAMP AND WRITE TO TORBAY COUNCIL AND ASK WHAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT DOES ALL DAY.
Monday, August 16, 2004
Stay Calm
A study has found that there is Prozac in the drinking water. Fair enough but now the funny bit.The Water Standards Agency has urged people to stay calm.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
God hates us.
GOD HATES US.
ON WEDNESDAYS IN THE SUMMER THERE IS A CARBOOT SALE COME GENERAL MARKET IN A FARMERS FIELD IN CHURSTON ON THE WAY TO BRIXHAM. FARMERS WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. tHIS TENDS TO SEND MORE TRAFFIC DOWN THE ONLY ROAD INTO BRIXHAM AND THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT WINDY CORNER.
WELL TRAFFIC, INCLUDING THE BUSES GETS HELD UP. LAST WEDNESDAY IT WAS HELD UP FOR 25 TO 30 MINS AND BUSES ENDED UP RUNNING LATE. WHO GETS THE BLAME? WE THE POOR SODDING BUS DRIVERS DO. BY THE TIME THE TWO HUNDREDTH PASSENGER GETS ON AND SAYS, "WE'VE BEEN WAITING 1/2 HOUR WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE ARE YOU RUNNING HERE?" THE ANSWER GETS TO SOUND A BIT FLAT.
Thursday. NO MARKET AND BUSES WERE RUNNING FINE AND GOD LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT STAGECOACH TORQUAY WAS HAVING A GOOD DAY AND THOUGHT,"THAT'S NOT RIGHT." SO OVER Newton ABBOT THE Heavens opened and the roads were flooded and buses were running a half hour late. IN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON THE SUN WAS SHINING SO THE ANSWER TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS RE WAITING TWO DAYS FOR A BUS SOUNDED A BIT FLAT.
FRIDAY GOD MUST HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ OR SOME WHERE HE WASN'T NEEDED AND THE BUSES RAN MORE OR LESS ON TIME BUT NO ONE SAID," WHAT A GOOD BUS SERVICE YOU HAVE HERE."
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Day off and I nearly set the bus station on fire.
10 Aug 04
I seem to be getting into trouble a lot recently, nothing serious but still a pain.
To day I went to Cartridge World in Paignton to get some ink for the printer. They said the ink would be 1/2 hour so I decided to go to my favourite pub in Paignton. Winstons. Round the corner from the bus station. Two or three pints later I went round to the bus station to get the bus down to Cartridge World. As I had 5 mins I rolled a cig and had a quick smoke. Then I stubbed the cig out (or so I thought) and dropped the butt in the bin. No litter lout me. I got on the bus and sat down. Then an other passenger said, "Oh look, that litter bin is on fire." And sure enough smoke was billowing out. I could have let it burn the bus station down but some one would be sure to recognise me on the CCTV and I am sure burning a company bus station down would be classed as Gross Misconduct.
So I got of the bus to make a quick dash to dial 999 but Lawrence Fielding, a controller came out with a kettle of water and put the fire out. Well done Lawrence.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Running Early
To day I ran early; sort of. The Time Table on the bus stop says leave Newton at 18:30. But the one on the running board says 18:35. Now the passengers don't care what the running board says so I ran by the Time Table. Why should people have to wait an extra 5 mins for a bus just because some one in the office has made a mistake. Now I noticed this mistake 7 weeks ago and reported it. It's only a small mistake but I had hoped something might have been done about it. I think I will give up hoping.
Any way a controller saw me leave at 18:30 and consulted his running board which is a copy of mine and reported me for running early.
I will report further developments.
Turning at Jury's Corner.
Sunday 8 Aug 04
I started from Paignton 20 mins late due to heavy traffic at the Steam Fair in Churston.
Then when I got to Scott's Bridge another driver reported trouble at Aller Brake. A car driver had a lapse of concentration and when he (or she ) looked up it was either crash into the car in front or drive onto the pavement. Driving onto the pavement (sidewalk in the USofA) ripped a front wheel off and the car ended up side on and blocking the Newton bound side of the road. within 5 mins traffic was stationary for 2 miles. Including me and 2 other buses. So I passed my 2 passengers over to Reg in one of the other buses and turned at Jury's Corner and headed for Torquay. It was 4:30pm and all the holiday makers were heading home and I was the first bus they had seen for 1/2 hour. Then 9 people got on with the wrong type of ticket. An other driver had sold them by mistake. By the time that was sorted I was well late.
The second half went smoothly.
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Running early
THOSE WHO KNOW ME WILL KNOW THAT I REGARD RUNNING EARLY AS THE WORST THING A BUS DRIVER CAN DO. well YES THERE IS LOBBING A HAND GRENADE ON TO THE TOP DECK OF THE BUS DURING A SCHOOL RUN OR telling sOME SWEET OLD LADIES THAT THE CRAZY HORSE PUB IS A NICE QUIET PLACE TO HAVE AFTERNOON TEA. bUT EVEN I DRAW THE LINE AT RUNNING EARLY. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE THE LAST BUS.
wELL ONE OF OUR DRIVERS MANAGED TO RUN 10 MINS EARLY OUT OF NEWTON ABBOT THE OTHER NIGHT FOLLOWING A MIX UP OVER SOME WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ROAD WORKS IN TORQUAY.
fortunately AN OTHER DRIVER SAVED THE DAY. hE GOT TO nEWTON ABBOT FROM BRIXHAM AND WAS DUE TO RUN EMPTY (DEAD IN BUS TALK) BACK TO THE DEPOT. hE FOUND ALL THESE PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS THAT HAD GONE AND TOOK THEm TO THEIR DESTINATIONS. wELL DONE THAT DRIVER. iF I FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER THAT RAN EARLY I WILL LET YOU KNOW.
Friday, August 06, 2004
An ordinary day
Well I went out and spent the whole day more or less on time while all a round me other drivers were hitting traffic or broken down cars or hordes of students or breaking down themselves or just running late.
It did help having the bus in front of the one in front of me off the road for a while. This means that the one in front of me has to pick up more passengers and starts to run slower and starts to do some of my work. If it gets bad enough I will be able to catch him or her up and help them.
The bus in front of the one in front of me was of the road because the engine cover had come off. A bit of brute strength and ignorance instead of reading the instructions on how to close the engine cover.
warm, sunny and dry day, the only thing that went wrong was that I spilt a cup of coffee down my leg. I had only had a small sip of it as well.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Children and buses in Fleet Walk
To day , as usual, I drove down Fleet Walk. Fleet Walk is a semi pedestrianised section of road leading down to the harbour and is well used by holiday makers. It is also used by about 50 buses an hour during the day. People walking along Fleet Walk are some times supprised when a bus turns up, buses these days are very quiet and company rules say they must travel at less than 10 mph and have the headlights on.
The reaction of people when they see the bus varies; most see that they are in no danger ( which they are not) and just move out of the way, some panic a little and hurry out of the way. Those with small children are the ones that cause me the biggest problem. The problem is the way they treat their children when they see the bus. They tend to grab the child, drag them to the side and shout at the child for being in the road. They always blame the poor child for not looking out for the bus even when they them selves didn't see the bus coming. No one is in any danger from buses in Fleet Walk but some parents seem to want to find fault with there children's actions even though there is no fault to be found. I suppose to some extent it is a natural reaction: child appears to be in danger, shout at it for being apparently in danger so child will be more careful in future. But now the child gets upset without reason. Parents are upset without reason and everyone blames the bus.
We always drive slowly down Fleet Walk and no one has ever been hit by a bus but I think it would save dozens of unpleasant incidents a day in the summer if the council could paint warning signs in the road way or erect notices at each end of Fleet Walk saying "Buses Drive Down This Road".
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Two miles in 45 mins
Today I started in Paignton and went first to Newton Abbot. Got there on time then headed for Brixham as usual. Got to Torquay and Paignton and on the Windy Corner no problem. Windy Corner is 2 miles from Brixham and usually takes 8 mins. Well to day it took 8 mins but there was a queue of traffic coming all the way out of Brixham to Windy Corner and I passed 5 buses heading for Windy Corner. When I loaded up in brixham I warned the passengers that the usual 20 min trip to Paignton would take 50 mins. It took an Hour.
The traffic was due to a Market in a field. People come on holiday and just want to go shopping.
I ended up getting exactly 30 mins for my meal break. I have to have 30 mins, that's the law. Buses were running late all over the place.
Monday, August 02, 200
dyslexic bus driver
From the Herald Express
RESIGN OR BE SACKED, DYSLEXIC BUS DRIVER TOLD 11:00 - 02 August 2004 A bus driver who drove in the wrong direction, ran out of petrol and left stops too early was unfairly treated because he was dyslexic, an industrial tribunal has ruled. Tom Adams, 32, claimed that he was told to "resign or be sacked" by operators Stagecoach because of his disability.He quit because he feared that he would be dismissed.An employment tribunal ruled that the firm discriminated against Mr Adams because it had not taken his needs into account, even though he had informed his employers of his condition.The hearing was told that Mr Adams had been given a final warning for using a mobile phone while driving the minibus.He had also been disciplined for failing to refuel the bus, and for leaving stops too early.Mr Adams claimed that the reason for this was because he could not understand his running card - the timetable that tells drivers when they should be leaving a stop.On one occasion, Mr Adams headed for Stoke Canon, near Exeter, instead of his home town of Crediton because of his difficulties.He told the hearing in Exeter: "When I went for the interview, I said I had dyslexia."The tribunal heard that he would often stand his bus on the wrong side of the road because he misread his card.Once he ran out of fuel going to Sidmouth in East Devon because he failed to refer to his running card, which gives details of how much petrol is left.Stagecoach Devon denied knowing that Mr Adams suffered from the condition.But the tribunal ruled unanimously that Mr Adams was treated less favourably because of his disability, and that Stagecoach had failed to discharge its duty to make reasonable adjustments.They said that although Mr Adams was "a disorganised individual, we nonetheless judge him to be a truthful person".A hearing to decide how much compensation Mr Adams is entitled to receive will be held at a later date.
I now know the Law is an Ass.
Posted at 15:35 by desfordavethe bell has been rung (1) Permalink
Crashes
WELL WE HAD TWO CRASHES TO DAY, IN THE SAME PLACE. AN HOUR APART. NOT BUSES, CARS. BUT THERE IS ONLY HAS ONE MAIN ROAD IN AND OUT OF TORBAY AND WHEN IT IS BLOCKED ALL CRASHES BECOME OURS. WE ARE ALL DEEPLY INVOLVED.
BOTH CRASHES HAPPENED AT COVENTRY FARM ESTATE. JUST NORTH OF THE ROUNDABOUT. TRAFFIC APPROACHES THE ROUNDABOUT FROM THE SOUTH ON A TWO LANE DUEL CARRIAGEWAY ROAD AND FROM THE WEST ON THE TOWN BY PASS. ON LEAVING THE ROUNDABOUT THE ROAD IS TWO LANES FOR 100 YARDS BEFORE REDUCING TO ONE LANE. SOME DRIVERS TAKE MAD RISKS TO GET IN FRONT OF 1 OR 2 CARS WITH THE STUPID IDEA THAT THIS IS GOING TO GET THEM SOMEWHERE FASTER BUT ALL THEY DO IS SIT IN BUMPER TO BUMPER, 5 MPH TRAFFIC FOR THE NEXT 3 MILES. IT IS THE START OF A 3 MILE BOTTLENECK THAT IS KINGSKERSWELL.(TORBAY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET A BY PASS FOR YEARS BUT TONY BLAIR WOULD SOONER SPEND THE MONEY ON MAKING WAR NOT BY PASSES)
WELL TO DAY SOMEONE'S RISK TAKING DIDN'T PAY OFF AND THEY ENDED UP IN MANGLED WRECK'S ON THE HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC CAME TO A DEAD STOP. WELL IT CAME TO A HALT AFTER THE BOYS IN BLUE ARRIVED TO RESTORE ORDER. the FIRST BUS HEADING FOR Torquay MANAGED TO GET BY WITH A DELAY OF ONLY 10 MINS BEFORE THE POLICE ARRIVED. THE NEXT ONE CRAWLED TO WITH IN 4 CARS OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS ONLY 15 MINS DOWN WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED AND SIGNALLED THE SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC TO STOP. THEN FOR 10 MINS THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON. THEN ALL TRAFFIC WAS HALTED WHILE AN AMBULANCE ARRIVED. THEN THE TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF TORQUAY WAS WAVED ON FOR A FURTHER 10 MINS.
RESULT, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS ALL OVER TORBAY WONDERING WHAT STAGECOACH WERE UP TO AND WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE THEY WERE RUNNING.
THE PROBLEM IS THE POLICE ROUND HERE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE WHEN IT COMES TO DIRECTING TRAFFIC. WHEN I LIVED IN WEMBLEY THE POLICE THERE WERE EXPERTS AT GETTING 80 000 PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE STADIUM IN A VERY SHORT SPACE OF TIME. MAYBE WHILE WEMBLEY IS CLOSED DEVON AND CORNWALL CONSTABULARY COULD BORROW A FEW OFFICER FROM THE MET POLICE TO TEACH THEM A THING OR TWO ABOUT DIRECTING TRAFFIC.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Late Running Buses On a Grand Scale.
BUS COMPANY FINED FOR LATE-RUNNING SERVICES From the Torbay Herald Express
Transport watchdogs have fined Stagecoach £18,600 for its buses failing to meet punctuality standards in Exeter. And Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown has told the firm it must try harder to provide reliable services in the city. Mr Brown, the independent watchdog for public transport in the South West, has fined the company £60 for each of the 310 buses it operates in Exeter and Torbay.During the investigation, punctuality was measured for a sample group of buses in Exeter following complaints from the public and city MP Ben Bradshaw. It was revealed that only 83.7 per cent of those monitored by an independent group met the standard of arriving between a minute early and up to five minutes late. The target is 95 per cent.SOME QUESTIONS.
DID STAGECOACH KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT MEETING THE REQUIRED TARGET BEFORE THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION TOLD THEM?
IF THEY DID, WHAT DID THEY DO TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE?
IF THEY DIDN'T, WHY DIDN'T THEY?
Posted at 22:50 by desfordaveRing the bell Monday, August 23, 2004
Photos
23 AUG 04
while I WAS AT NEWTON ABBOT THIS MORNING I SAW A WOMAN DRIVE A BIG 4 WHEEL DRIVE OFF ROAD VEHICLE INTO THE BUS STATION AND PARK ON THE SANDYGATE STOP. Sorry I have lost this photo due to lack of memory.
NOW THE BUS STATION HAS NO ENTRY EXCEPT FOR BUSES SIGNS AT EACH END AND NO PARKING SIGNS ALL AVER THE PLACE. I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME AND I DECIDED TO TAKE A PHOTO TO WHICH I WOULD HAVE ADDED A WITTY CAPTION SUCH AS "DRIVER SPENDS SO MUCH TIME OFF ROAD SHE HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT NO ENTRY MEANS."
WHEN I HAD TAKEN THE PHOTO I TURNED TO GO BACK TO THE BUS AND RIGHT BEHIND ME WAS AN OTHER CAR JUST DRIVING INTO THE BUS STATION. SO I TOOK A PHOTO OF THAT CAR AS WELL. Click Here to see this photo; You can if you want but it's just a car.the DRIVER, A YOUNG WOMAN STUCK HER HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW AND SAID SHE WAS LOOKING FOR A CAR PARK. I TOLD HER NICELY THAT SHE SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE BUS STATION BUT REVERSE BACK AND TURN ROUND. I THEN GOT BACK ON THE BUS.
NEXT THING SHE IS ON THE BUS DEMANDING THAT I DELETE THE PHOTO. SHE HAD JUST SEEN THE NO ENTRY SIGN.
I REFUSED. SHE CALLED ME A PERVETE AND SAID I HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE HER PHOTO. I TOLD HER SHE WAS IN A PUBLIC PLACE BREAKING THE LAW AND I COULD TAKE HER PHOTO. SHE CALLED ME A VERY RUDE NAME AND GOT TOLD OFF BY SOMEONE ON THE BUS. ANY WAY SHE STORMED OFF SAYING SHE WAS GOING TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE. WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
the WEATHER HERE IN DEVON HAS BEEN VERY UNSETTLED ALL MONTH. UNLIKE LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD LOTS AND LOTS OF SUN.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Unauthorised Bus Stops.
To day, I got called a jobsworth, a mother....ing jobsworth. Plus one or two more or less similar nasty things by an upset passenger. To some extent I could see his point of view so I refrained from seriously headbutting him half to death.
The reason he called me all these names was because I drove past the Casino stop in Abbey Road with out stopping and he wanted to get off there. The problem is the number 12 doesn't stop at the Casino Stop, only the 32 stops there. However some drivers do stop there. The stop is handy for two hotels that cater for the older holiday maker who find it difficult to climb the hill up from Castle Circus or from the bottem of Abbey Road where the 12 does stop. The other day when I was a passenger on a 12, four elderly ladies got on in Paignton and asked for the Casino stop. The driver said the bus didn't stop there but he took pity and said he would let them off there. So he stopped and the ladies got off. So did my foul mouthed passenger from to day. He did not know the bus should not have stopped there and when I drove past to day he demanded to know why. My explanation that Torbay Council wont let us stop there fell on deaf ears but my ears got the full force of his abuse. Verbal only, fortunatly.
The reason the Coucil wont let us stop there is because Abbey Road is a two lane One way street and the stop is 150 yards from a set of traffic lights at which the 12 turns right. The Council think it is too dangerous for us to stop the bus and then pull away and change lanes to make the right turn in 150 yards. The 32 turns left at the lights, no danger there.
The council don't think pulling away from the stop at Windy Corner too dangerous; we only have to pull out of a bus lay-bye, across two lanes whilest watching for traffic coming from behind us at 40 mph, traffic emerging from a road on our left, traffic turning right across us into the road on our left and traffic coming out of a road 20 yards behind us on our right while watching the traffic lights just in front of us. The worst bus stop in Britain to pull away from. To help us the Council put up a notice saying "Please let the bus out" The notice is the size of a cornflake packet, a small cornflake packet.
CYCLISTS, BRAVE SOULS.
ARE CYCLIST MAD?
nO, I WILL REPHRASE THAT.
cYCLISTS ARE MAD.
nOW I KNOW THAT CYCLISTS ARE DOING THEIR BIT FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND WHEN I GET STUCK BEHIND ONE I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T FOR EVER. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOR EVER. SO I JUST FOLLOW CAREFULLY, BIDING MY TIME UNTIL I CAN SWOOP PAST AND GET ON MY WAY.
WELL TO DAY I GOT STUCK BEHIND THIS MAN ON A BIKE AND WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I JUST FOLLOWED HIM AND HE GOT A LITTLE NERVOUS EVEN THOUGH I WAS KEEPING A STEADY DISTANCE BEHIND HIM AND NOT REVVING THE ENGINE IN HIS EAR OR PRETENDING TO KNOCK HIM OF HIS BIKE.
WHEN I FINALLY GOT PAST HIM HE MADE A GESTURE WHICH SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD JUST HAD THE WORST TWO MINS OF HIS LIFE.
A LITTLE WAY DOWN THE ROAD I STOPPED AT SOME RED LIGHTS. I WAS THE FIRST VEHICLE IN THE QUEUE AND WHAT DID OUR BRAVE CYCLIST DO? HE CAME UP ON THE OUT SIDE OF THE BUS AND PULLED ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS MEANT I NOW HAD TO EITHER PROCEED TO NEWTON AT 10MPH (16 KPH) OR, YES YOU'VE GUESSED IT, OVER TAKE HIM.
wELL IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE AND THIS TIME HE INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN THE WORST ONE MINUTE OF HIS LIFE.
nEXT LIGHTS, SAME AGAIN. THIS TIME A FLOCK OF HUNGRY SEAGULLS RIPPED HIM APART BEFORE I COULD OVERTAKE HIM.
IT MUST BE THE ADRENALINE RUSH THAT MAKES PEOPLE RIDE BIKES AND TOO MUCH ADRENALINE ROTS THE BRAIN CELL.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
It's a dog's life.
What ever you do;DON'T TURN ROUND.
A car cuts you up.
You flash the lights,blow the horn, suggest the driver's
parents aren't married, make a friendly guesture.
The car stops and 18 stone of solid muscle dressed all in
black gets out of the car and heads for the bus.
That how this pussy feels right now.
The photo has been moved to save memory
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Rain, in summer, in the Bay.
IF IT RAINS IN TORBAY PLEASE DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY. SO IF YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY AND IT'S RAINING WATCH TV, READ A BOOK, SLEEP, GO FOR A WALK IN THE RAIN BUT DON'T GET YOUR CAR OUT. IT IS BORING SITTING IN A TRAFFIC JAM. I SHOULD KNOW. because EVERY TIME IT RAINS IN THE SUMMER, PRESTON, WHICH IS BETWEEN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON COMES TO A DEAD STOP. ALL THE TRAFFIC HAS TO GO THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND TORQUAY ROAD. hUNDREDS OF CARS AN HOUR DRIVE VERY SLOWLY ALONG TORQUAY ROAD (THE MAIN ROAD THROUGH THE BAY) AND TEN CARS AN HOUR DRIVE OUT OF HEADLAND PARK ROAD. FOR SOME REASON KNOWN ONLY TO TORBAY COUNCIL BOTH ROADS GET THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME ON GREEN AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS. IT SHOULD TAKE 9 MINS FOR THE BUS TO GET FROM PAIGNTON BUS STATION TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD AND WHEN IT IS DRY IT USUALLY DOES. A BIT OF RAIN AND ALL THE HOLIDAY MAKERS SAY, "IT'S RAINING. WE'LL GO FOR A DRIVE." DON'T GO FOR A DRIVE. PLAY SCRABBLE, STRIP POKER, RUSSIAN ROULETTE, GOTO THE NEAREST PUB OR JUMP OFF BERRY HEAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE IT WILL TAKE YOU 35 MINS TO GET TO HEADLAND PARK ROAD. IF YOU GO FOR A DRIVE TAKE PEN, WRITING PAPER ENVELOPE AND STAMP AND WRITE TO TORBAY COUNCIL AND ASK WHAT THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT DOES ALL DAY.
Monday, August 16, 2004
Stay Calm
A study has found that there is Prozac in the drinking water. Fair enough but now the funny bit.The Water Standards Agency has urged people to stay calm.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
God hates us.
GOD HATES US.
ON WEDNESDAYS IN THE SUMMER THERE IS A CARBOOT SALE COME GENERAL MARKET IN A FARMERS FIELD IN CHURSTON ON THE WAY TO BRIXHAM. FARMERS WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. tHIS TENDS TO SEND MORE TRAFFIC DOWN THE ONLY ROAD INTO BRIXHAM AND THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THROUGH THE JUNCTION AT WINDY CORNER.
WELL TRAFFIC, INCLUDING THE BUSES GETS HELD UP. LAST WEDNESDAY IT WAS HELD UP FOR 25 TO 30 MINS AND BUSES ENDED UP RUNNING LATE. WHO GETS THE BLAME? WE THE POOR SODDING BUS DRIVERS DO. BY THE TIME THE TWO HUNDREDTH PASSENGER GETS ON AND SAYS, "WE'VE BEEN WAITING 1/2 HOUR WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? WHAT KIND OF BUS SERVICE ARE YOU RUNNING HERE?" THE ANSWER GETS TO SOUND A BIT FLAT.
Thursday. NO MARKET AND BUSES WERE RUNNING FINE AND GOD LOOKED DOWN AND SAW THAT STAGECOACH TORQUAY WAS HAVING A GOOD DAY AND THOUGHT,"THAT'S NOT RIGHT." SO OVER Newton ABBOT THE Heavens opened and the roads were flooded and buses were running a half hour late. IN TORQUAY AND PAIGNTON THE SUN WAS SHINING SO THE ANSWER TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS RE WAITING TWO DAYS FOR A BUS SOUNDED A BIT FLAT.
FRIDAY GOD MUST HAVE BEEN IN IRAQ OR SOME WHERE HE WASN'T NEEDED AND THE BUSES RAN MORE OR LESS ON TIME BUT NO ONE SAID," WHAT A GOOD BUS SERVICE YOU HAVE HERE."
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Day off and I nearly set the bus station on fire.
10 Aug 04
I seem to be getting into trouble a lot recently, nothing serious but still a pain.
To day I went to Cartridge World in Paignton to get some ink for the printer. They said the ink would be 1/2 hour so I decided to go to my favourite pub in Paignton. Winstons. Round the corner from the bus station. Two or three pints later I went round to the bus station to get the bus down to Cartridge World. As I had 5 mins I rolled a cig and had a quick smoke. Then I stubbed the cig out (or so I thought) and dropped the butt in the bin. No litter lout me. I got on the bus and sat down. Then an other passenger said, "Oh look, that litter bin is on fire." And sure enough smoke was billowing out. I could have let it burn the bus station down but some one would be sure to recognise me on the CCTV and I am sure burning a company bus station down would be classed as Gross Misconduct.
So I got of the bus to make a quick dash to dial 999 but Lawrence Fielding, a controller came out with a kettle of water and put the fire out. Well done Lawrence.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Running Early
To day I ran early; sort of. The Time Table on the bus stop says leave Newton at 18:30. But the one on the running board says 18:35. Now the passengers don't care what the running board says so I ran by the Time Table. Why should people have to wait an extra 5 mins for a bus just because some one in the office has made a mistake. Now I noticed this mistake 7 weeks ago and reported it. It's only a small mistake but I had hoped something might have been done about it. I think I will give up hoping.
Any way a controller saw me leave at 18:30 and consulted his running board which is a copy of mine and reported me for running early.
I will report further developments.
Turning at Jury's Corner.
Sunday 8 Aug 04
I started from Paignton 20 mins late due to heavy traffic at the Steam Fair in Churston.
Then when I got to Scott's Bridge another driver reported trouble at Aller Brake. A car driver had a lapse of concentration and when he (or she ) looked up it was either crash into the car in front or drive onto the pavement. Driving onto the pavement (sidewalk in the USofA) ripped a front wheel off and the car ended up side on and blocking the Newton bound side of the road. within 5 mins traffic was stationary for 2 miles. Including me and 2 other buses. So I passed my 2 passengers over to Reg in one of the other buses and turned at Jury's Corner and headed for Torquay. It was 4:30pm and all the holiday makers were heading home and I was the first bus they had seen for 1/2 hour. Then 9 people got on with the wrong type of ticket. An other driver had sold them by mistake. By the time that was sorted I was well late.
The second half went smoothly.
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Running early
THOSE WHO KNOW ME WILL KNOW THAT I REGARD RUNNING EARLY AS THE WORST THING A BUS DRIVER CAN DO. well YES THERE IS LOBBING A HAND GRENADE ON TO THE TOP DECK OF THE BUS DURING A SCHOOL RUN OR telling sOME SWEET OLD LADIES THAT THE CRAZY HORSE PUB IS A NICE QUIET PLACE TO HAVE AFTERNOON TEA. bUT EVEN I DRAW THE LINE AT RUNNING EARLY. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE THE LAST BUS.
wELL ONE OF OUR DRIVERS MANAGED TO RUN 10 MINS EARLY OUT OF NEWTON ABBOT THE OTHER NIGHT FOLLOWING A MIX UP OVER SOME WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING ROAD WORKS IN TORQUAY.
fortunately AN OTHER DRIVER SAVED THE DAY. hE GOT TO nEWTON ABBOT FROM BRIXHAM AND WAS DUE TO RUN EMPTY (DEAD IN BUS TALK) BACK TO THE DEPOT. hE FOUND ALL THESE PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS THAT HAD GONE AND TOOK THEm TO THEIR DESTINATIONS. wELL DONE THAT DRIVER. iF I FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER THAT RAN EARLY I WILL LET YOU KNOW.
Friday, August 06, 2004
An ordinary day
Well I went out and spent the whole day more or less on time while all a round me other drivers were hitting traffic or broken down cars or hordes of students or breaking down themselves or just running late.
It did help having the bus in front of the one in front of me off the road for a while. This means that the one in front of me has to pick up more passengers and starts to run slower and starts to do some of my work. If it gets bad enough I will be able to catch him or her up and help them.
The bus in front of the one in front of me was of the road because the engine cover had come off. A bit of brute strength and ignorance instead of reading the instructions on how to close the engine cover.
warm, sunny and dry day, the only thing that went wrong was that I spilt a cup of coffee down my leg. I had only had a small sip of it as well.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Children and buses in Fleet Walk
To day , as usual, I drove down Fleet Walk. Fleet Walk is a semi pedestrianised section of road leading down to the harbour and is well used by holiday makers. It is also used by about 50 buses an hour during the day. People walking along Fleet Walk are some times supprised when a bus turns up, buses these days are very quiet and company rules say they must travel at less than 10 mph and have the headlights on.
The reaction of people when they see the bus varies; most see that they are in no danger ( which they are not) and just move out of the way, some panic a little and hurry out of the way. Those with small children are the ones that cause me the biggest problem. The problem is the way they treat their children when they see the bus. They tend to grab the child, drag them to the side and shout at the child for being in the road. They always blame the poor child for not looking out for the bus even when they them selves didn't see the bus coming. No one is in any danger from buses in Fleet Walk but some parents seem to want to find fault with there children's actions even though there is no fault to be found. I suppose to some extent it is a natural reaction: child appears to be in danger, shout at it for being apparently in danger so child will be more careful in future. But now the child gets upset without reason. Parents are upset without reason and everyone blames the bus.
We always drive slowly down Fleet Walk and no one has ever been hit by a bus but I think it would save dozens of unpleasant incidents a day in the summer if the council could paint warning signs in the road way or erect notices at each end of Fleet Walk saying "Buses Drive Down This Road".
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Two miles in 45 mins
Today I started in Paignton and went first to Newton Abbot. Got there on time then headed for Brixham as usual. Got to Torquay and Paignton and on the Windy Corner no problem. Windy Corner is 2 miles from Brixham and usually takes 8 mins. Well to day it took 8 mins but there was a queue of traffic coming all the way out of Brixham to Windy Corner and I passed 5 buses heading for Windy Corner. When I loaded up in brixham I warned the passengers that the usual 20 min trip to Paignton would take 50 mins. It took an Hour.
The traffic was due to a Market in a field. People come on holiday and just want to go shopping.
I ended up getting exactly 30 mins for my meal break. I have to have 30 mins, that's the law. Buses were running late all over the place.
Monday, August 02, 200
dyslexic bus driver
From the Herald Express
RESIGN OR BE SACKED, DYSLEXIC BUS DRIVER TOLD 11:00 - 02 August 2004 A bus driver who drove in the wrong direction, ran out of petrol and left stops too early was unfairly treated because he was dyslexic, an industrial tribunal has ruled. Tom Adams, 32, claimed that he was told to "resign or be sacked" by operators Stagecoach because of his disability.He quit because he feared that he would be dismissed.An employment tribunal ruled that the firm discriminated against Mr Adams because it had not taken his needs into account, even though he had informed his employers of his condition.The hearing was told that Mr Adams had been given a final warning for using a mobile phone while driving the minibus.He had also been disciplined for failing to refuel the bus, and for leaving stops too early.Mr Adams claimed that the reason for this was because he could not understand his running card - the timetable that tells drivers when they should be leaving a stop.On one occasion, Mr Adams headed for Stoke Canon, near Exeter, instead of his home town of Crediton because of his difficulties.He told the hearing in Exeter: "When I went for the interview, I said I had dyslexia."The tribunal heard that he would often stand his bus on the wrong side of the road because he misread his card.Once he ran out of fuel going to Sidmouth in East Devon because he failed to refer to his running card, which gives details of how much petrol is left.Stagecoach Devon denied knowing that Mr Adams suffered from the condition.But the tribunal ruled unanimously that Mr Adams was treated less favourably because of his disability, and that Stagecoach had failed to discharge its duty to make reasonable adjustments.They said that although Mr Adams was "a disorganised individual, we nonetheless judge him to be a truthful person".A hearing to decide how much compensation Mr Adams is entitled to receive will be held at a later date.
I now know the Law is an Ass.
Posted at 15:35 by desfordavethe bell has been rung (1) Permalink
Saturday, 31 July 2004
July 2004
Saturday, July 24, 2004 Chris Hilditch
Thursday 22nd July 04
I was on paignton bus station waiting to take over a bus when i saw mr hildtich the managing director of stagecoach devon walking along the platform towards me. As he got close i greeted him, saying," good morning mr hilditch."
He returned no greeting and walked past me. As he passed me he turned and said," are you Mr Banks."
I agreed that i was. He said nothing and carried on walking.
I was a little upset by his lack of greeting, but not greatly surprised. He is not known as the nicest of people. I was puzzled by him knowing my name and why he had asked me to confirm it. Maybe i will find out why some day.
Then, partly due to this incident i went and waited for my bus at the wrong stop. I only noticed my mistake just in time and managed to leave only 2 mins late but mr. Hilditch was standing on the platform and must have noticed.
Later on in the day i clipped a temporary road sign and broke the lens on the nearside indicator. Not a good day.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Car door hits bus.
From the Torquay Herald Express 20 July 04
TOWN CENTRE TRAFFIC CHAOS AFTER BUMPA car driver was arrested following a crash involving a bus in Torquay town centre yesterday.The collision between a double decker bus and a parked car in Union Street caused traffic problems as it blocked off Torre for almost one hour. A number 12 Stagecoach bus on route to Newton Abbot collided with the open door of a stationary Ford Orion parked on Union Street by the Memorial Gardens at about midday.Police were called to the scene and the bus was left in the road while details of the collision were recorded.Nobody was injured in the collision.Following the bump, traffic was queued up through Union Street as Torre was completely unaccessible.All vehicles had to be diverted down Trematon Avenue until the bus could be moved, about one hour later.Stagecoach customer service manager Mark Whittle confirmed no passengers were hurt in the accident and said they had to be transferred on to another bus."One of our vehicles was involved in an accident on Union Street," he said."At the driver of the car's request, the police were called to the incident."There were passengers on the bus but nobody was injured. As it is a high frequency service all the passengers were transferred on to another bus. I hope they were not inconvenienced too much."It is an unfortunate incident."Damage was caused to the car door and the side of the bus, which is part the new £3 million fleet launched by Stagecoach earlier this year.
P.S.
What the story did not say was the during the arrest the car driver became so violent that Pepper Spray had to be used which effected students in a nearby park and several passers by.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Change of duty
Sunday 18 July 04
To day I should have been driving a number 12 as usual. Then one of the Newton Abbot drivers rang in sick. There are 3 routes in Newton on a Sunday and the 2 day drivers cover 30 trips between them. If one driver is missing on the 12 it means a 30 min gap. In Newton it can mean an hour and a half gap. we have a spare driver system to cover some one going sick. The trouble is we don't all know all the routes. To day the spare driver did not know Newton and I did. so I was volunteered. I hate local routes. by the time you have done 2 hrs and you have changed gear about 2000 times and there are still 11 trips to do and the day stretches in to infinity and none of the passengers know or care how hard I am working compared to driving a 12.
As long as the bears think they are Catholics and the pope shits in the woods I will never do Newton abbot again.
P.S. most Newton drivers wouldn't drive the number 12 if their life depended on it. they Must be insane.
................................................................
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Trip to Exeter
To day I did an 85 duty, also known as the Coast as you drive up the coast to Exeter. I like going to Exeter now and then as I can see when I go there that no matter how bad Stagecoach Torquay is there is always some where worse.
To day they lost my bus for the 2nd half of my duty. The fitters had it and when it turned up is was of I type that I had not been Type Trained on. I could have refused to drive it but there were 35 passengers waiting to get on the thing and the passengers do put bread on the table and beer in the belly. Good for them. So I drove it and now I am Type Trained on a Volvo B10.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Sick on Duty
SOD stands for Sick on duty.
Not something I do often, in fact to day was only the 2nd time I have SODed in 7 years. I woke up with a migraine, took some pills and the pain and visual effects went away. Now it is 20 years since I have had a migraine and I had forgotten how tired you feel for the rest of the day and I went to work instead of ringing in sick. After 2 hours at work I had had enough and got on the radio and arranged for an other driver to take my bus and I went home. Feel better now but still slightly odd.
Monday, July 12, 2004
Cars parking in bus stops.
Monday 12 July 04
When I first started driving a bus in London one of the things that got on my wick was car drivers parking on bus stops. I used to drive up behind them and flash my lights and blow my horn to get them to move. Usually they did, though some times after a little delay. Then one day an other bus driver, older and wiser, said, "Good. That's one car driver who wont park on a bus stop again. Only 27 million left to persuade." So now I just pull up along side the car, unload, load and be on my way.
Well on my way home last night on the bus there was a car on the Bus stop and the bus driver pulled up behind it and started blowing horn and flashing lights. Little old lady got out and explained to driver she had broken down. The bus now had to reverse out with some difficulty and danger into a stream of traffic. The passengers got on and off the bus which then drove away.
10 Seconds later it was overtaken by said little old lady who had her arm out the window with one finger raised. Result; one pissed off bus driver.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Breaking Down
Saturday 10 July 04
It is always embarrassing to break down. The passengers have waited for the bus and given Stagecoach's reputation there is always a slight sense of relief that it has turned up. Then just when they think all is well and they will some be at their destination a loud alarm buzzer sounds and the bus stops and the driver turns round and says, "We have a small problem".
Most of my passengers were on the way to Brixham Carnival and the last thing they wanted to do was sit at the side of the road in a broken down bus waiting for the next one. When I broke down the buses were running every 15 mins so the next bus should have picked them up in 15 mins. Unfortunately the next bus was being driven by a new driver. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. He was also running 25 mins late and I had 50 passengers who were saying," Don't worry driver, it's not your fault the bus broke down". Finally a spare bus arrived, driven by a driver who had heard me on the radio and had given up part of his meal break to help out and my passengers went on there way.
I hate it when a bus breaks down, especially when said bus is 4 months old and has only done 18 000 miles
Thursday, July 08, 2004
More events than usual.
My normal day is usually spent driving up and down between Brixham and Newton Abbot, picking people up and drooping them of and collecting some money.
But today I also had ago at a controller because a 31 bus driver had parked his bus on the Strand (which the 31 and 34 bus drivers shouldn't do) and blocked the whole of Torquay town up. Which is why they shouldn't park there.
Then I took over a bus and the was a lady in a wheel chair on the bus and when she came to get of she started moaning the none of the drivers would get the ramp out so she could get off the bus. As I was just getting the ramp out I was not very pleased and told her that next time she needed my help it would be nicer if she was a little more pleasant in her method of asking for assistance other wise she may find herself stuck on the bus like some ancient bus passenger domed to travel between Brixham and Newton Abbot for ever.
5 mins later a bus driver going the other way informed me over the radio that some lads upstairs on my bus were up to no good. I pulled over and went upstairs and there were 4 young men spreading sandwiches all over the front windows and seats of the bus. I asked them to leave the bus and they refused so I got on the radio and asked for police assistance. Actually that was foolish of me. Last time a bus driver asked for police assistance he waited an hour for them to turn up and them gave up and drove on. However these four weren't to know this and got off and walked. One of them actually cleaned up some of the mess before he got off.
Next when I got into Newton there was an accident just in front of me involving a motorcycle. This was the forth motorcycle accident I have heard about in the last week. This blocked the road for 20 minutes. I don't suppose it did the motorcyclist any good.Later when I got to Brixham A man and a young woman got on the bus and she tried to use a school pass but she was going the wrong way, you don't go to school at 6:30pm. He, her father, then asked for a "Two pound single ticket to Paignton". When we got to Paignton he told me I had overcharged him as his daughter was only 13. He asked for the adult ticket and that is what he got. I said if he wanted a refund he should write to Stagecoach.The rest of the duty passed without incident.
Monday, July 05, 2004
British Telecom and their Telegraph Poles
A note went up in the pay-in room at work over the weekend. It seems that BT have come up with a way of increasing their profits without putting up the cost of phone calls.
They have noticed that bus companies have been attaching Bus Stop signs to some of their Telegraph Poles and NOT paying any rent. This has got to stop said a senior executive.
£100.00 per sign per year was the figure decided on by BT; or take them down. Well Stagecoach decided to take them down and get the council the put up posts for the Bus Stop Flags. Believe it or not Bus Stops and Shelters are the Local Council's problem not the bus companies. You dear council tax payer are the ones that will have to pay for posts to be erected after BT's brilliant fiscal plan fell flat. Please don't ring them and complain, send them a letter instead, leave off the stamp.
Anyway, an other note went up to day asking us (the drivers) to report any bus stop flags on BT poles so they can be removed before BT send in The bailiffs. As if we didn't have enought to do.
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Police message and bus crash.
At about 12:30 to day control sent out this police message to all the buses; Following a shop lifting incident in Teignmouth the police are looking for a young man (a discription followed). He was last seem carrying a large black bag containing stolen alcohol, whiskey, gin etc and belived to be on a bus heading for Torquay or Paignton. Please report any sightings to control. End of Message.The problem I have with this kind of broadcast is that the passengers on the bus can hear what is being said on the radio. What would happen if the person in question was on the bus and had a weapon of some sort and did not want the driver of the bus to report his presence to control?The other thing that happened to day was that there was a crash involving a bus. Buses have minor scrapes from time to time. I myself have taken 2 wing mirrors off cars in the last 3 years, I even hit a car side on last Febuary. (It did a U Turn just in front of me).In today's incident it appeared that the bus ran into the back of a car, and pushed it into the car in front of that one and into the next in line as well.I got to the scene 20 mins after the incident and there was a large dent in the front of the bus. I don't know the exact details, was anyone hurt or who's fault it was. I will report if I find out. Suprizingly we don't always get to know exactly what happened in such incidents.
Thursday 22nd July 04
I was on paignton bus station waiting to take over a bus when i saw mr hildtich the managing director of stagecoach devon walking along the platform towards me. As he got close i greeted him, saying," good morning mr hilditch."
He returned no greeting and walked past me. As he passed me he turned and said," are you Mr Banks."
I agreed that i was. He said nothing and carried on walking.
I was a little upset by his lack of greeting, but not greatly surprised. He is not known as the nicest of people. I was puzzled by him knowing my name and why he had asked me to confirm it. Maybe i will find out why some day.
Then, partly due to this incident i went and waited for my bus at the wrong stop. I only noticed my mistake just in time and managed to leave only 2 mins late but mr. Hilditch was standing on the platform and must have noticed.
Later on in the day i clipped a temporary road sign and broke the lens on the nearside indicator. Not a good day.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Car door hits bus.
From the Torquay Herald Express 20 July 04
TOWN CENTRE TRAFFIC CHAOS AFTER BUMPA car driver was arrested following a crash involving a bus in Torquay town centre yesterday.The collision between a double decker bus and a parked car in Union Street caused traffic problems as it blocked off Torre for almost one hour. A number 12 Stagecoach bus on route to Newton Abbot collided with the open door of a stationary Ford Orion parked on Union Street by the Memorial Gardens at about midday.Police were called to the scene and the bus was left in the road while details of the collision were recorded.Nobody was injured in the collision.Following the bump, traffic was queued up through Union Street as Torre was completely unaccessible.All vehicles had to be diverted down Trematon Avenue until the bus could be moved, about one hour later.Stagecoach customer service manager Mark Whittle confirmed no passengers were hurt in the accident and said they had to be transferred on to another bus."One of our vehicles was involved in an accident on Union Street," he said."At the driver of the car's request, the police were called to the incident."There were passengers on the bus but nobody was injured. As it is a high frequency service all the passengers were transferred on to another bus. I hope they were not inconvenienced too much."It is an unfortunate incident."Damage was caused to the car door and the side of the bus, which is part the new £3 million fleet launched by Stagecoach earlier this year.
P.S.
What the story did not say was the during the arrest the car driver became so violent that Pepper Spray had to be used which effected students in a nearby park and several passers by.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Change of duty
Sunday 18 July 04
To day I should have been driving a number 12 as usual. Then one of the Newton Abbot drivers rang in sick. There are 3 routes in Newton on a Sunday and the 2 day drivers cover 30 trips between them. If one driver is missing on the 12 it means a 30 min gap. In Newton it can mean an hour and a half gap. we have a spare driver system to cover some one going sick. The trouble is we don't all know all the routes. To day the spare driver did not know Newton and I did. so I was volunteered. I hate local routes. by the time you have done 2 hrs and you have changed gear about 2000 times and there are still 11 trips to do and the day stretches in to infinity and none of the passengers know or care how hard I am working compared to driving a 12.
As long as the bears think they are Catholics and the pope shits in the woods I will never do Newton abbot again.
P.S. most Newton drivers wouldn't drive the number 12 if their life depended on it. they Must be insane.
................................................................
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Trip to Exeter
To day I did an 85 duty, also known as the Coast as you drive up the coast to Exeter. I like going to Exeter now and then as I can see when I go there that no matter how bad Stagecoach Torquay is there is always some where worse.
To day they lost my bus for the 2nd half of my duty. The fitters had it and when it turned up is was of I type that I had not been Type Trained on. I could have refused to drive it but there were 35 passengers waiting to get on the thing and the passengers do put bread on the table and beer in the belly. Good for them. So I drove it and now I am Type Trained on a Volvo B10.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Sick on Duty
SOD stands for Sick on duty.
Not something I do often, in fact to day was only the 2nd time I have SODed in 7 years. I woke up with a migraine, took some pills and the pain and visual effects went away. Now it is 20 years since I have had a migraine and I had forgotten how tired you feel for the rest of the day and I went to work instead of ringing in sick. After 2 hours at work I had had enough and got on the radio and arranged for an other driver to take my bus and I went home. Feel better now but still slightly odd.
Monday, July 12, 2004
Cars parking in bus stops.
Monday 12 July 04
When I first started driving a bus in London one of the things that got on my wick was car drivers parking on bus stops. I used to drive up behind them and flash my lights and blow my horn to get them to move. Usually they did, though some times after a little delay. Then one day an other bus driver, older and wiser, said, "Good. That's one car driver who wont park on a bus stop again. Only 27 million left to persuade." So now I just pull up along side the car, unload, load and be on my way.
Well on my way home last night on the bus there was a car on the Bus stop and the bus driver pulled up behind it and started blowing horn and flashing lights. Little old lady got out and explained to driver she had broken down. The bus now had to reverse out with some difficulty and danger into a stream of traffic. The passengers got on and off the bus which then drove away.
10 Seconds later it was overtaken by said little old lady who had her arm out the window with one finger raised. Result; one pissed off bus driver.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Breaking Down
Saturday 10 July 04
It is always embarrassing to break down. The passengers have waited for the bus and given Stagecoach's reputation there is always a slight sense of relief that it has turned up. Then just when they think all is well and they will some be at their destination a loud alarm buzzer sounds and the bus stops and the driver turns round and says, "We have a small problem".
Most of my passengers were on the way to Brixham Carnival and the last thing they wanted to do was sit at the side of the road in a broken down bus waiting for the next one. When I broke down the buses were running every 15 mins so the next bus should have picked them up in 15 mins. Unfortunately the next bus was being driven by a new driver. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. He was also running 25 mins late and I had 50 passengers who were saying," Don't worry driver, it's not your fault the bus broke down". Finally a spare bus arrived, driven by a driver who had heard me on the radio and had given up part of his meal break to help out and my passengers went on there way.
I hate it when a bus breaks down, especially when said bus is 4 months old and has only done 18 000 miles
Thursday, July 08, 2004
More events than usual.
My normal day is usually spent driving up and down between Brixham and Newton Abbot, picking people up and drooping them of and collecting some money.
But today I also had ago at a controller because a 31 bus driver had parked his bus on the Strand (which the 31 and 34 bus drivers shouldn't do) and blocked the whole of Torquay town up. Which is why they shouldn't park there.
Then I took over a bus and the was a lady in a wheel chair on the bus and when she came to get of she started moaning the none of the drivers would get the ramp out so she could get off the bus. As I was just getting the ramp out I was not very pleased and told her that next time she needed my help it would be nicer if she was a little more pleasant in her method of asking for assistance other wise she may find herself stuck on the bus like some ancient bus passenger domed to travel between Brixham and Newton Abbot for ever.
5 mins later a bus driver going the other way informed me over the radio that some lads upstairs on my bus were up to no good. I pulled over and went upstairs and there were 4 young men spreading sandwiches all over the front windows and seats of the bus. I asked them to leave the bus and they refused so I got on the radio and asked for police assistance. Actually that was foolish of me. Last time a bus driver asked for police assistance he waited an hour for them to turn up and them gave up and drove on. However these four weren't to know this and got off and walked. One of them actually cleaned up some of the mess before he got off.
Next when I got into Newton there was an accident just in front of me involving a motorcycle. This was the forth motorcycle accident I have heard about in the last week. This blocked the road for 20 minutes. I don't suppose it did the motorcyclist any good.Later when I got to Brixham A man and a young woman got on the bus and she tried to use a school pass but she was going the wrong way, you don't go to school at 6:30pm. He, her father, then asked for a "Two pound single ticket to Paignton". When we got to Paignton he told me I had overcharged him as his daughter was only 13. He asked for the adult ticket and that is what he got. I said if he wanted a refund he should write to Stagecoach.The rest of the duty passed without incident.
Monday, July 05, 2004
British Telecom and their Telegraph Poles
A note went up in the pay-in room at work over the weekend. It seems that BT have come up with a way of increasing their profits without putting up the cost of phone calls.
They have noticed that bus companies have been attaching Bus Stop signs to some of their Telegraph Poles and NOT paying any rent. This has got to stop said a senior executive.
£100.00 per sign per year was the figure decided on by BT; or take them down. Well Stagecoach decided to take them down and get the council the put up posts for the Bus Stop Flags. Believe it or not Bus Stops and Shelters are the Local Council's problem not the bus companies. You dear council tax payer are the ones that will have to pay for posts to be erected after BT's brilliant fiscal plan fell flat. Please don't ring them and complain, send them a letter instead, leave off the stamp.
Anyway, an other note went up to day asking us (the drivers) to report any bus stop flags on BT poles so they can be removed before BT send in The bailiffs. As if we didn't have enought to do.
Sunday, July 04, 2004
Police message and bus crash.
At about 12:30 to day control sent out this police message to all the buses; Following a shop lifting incident in Teignmouth the police are looking for a young man (a discription followed). He was last seem carrying a large black bag containing stolen alcohol, whiskey, gin etc and belived to be on a bus heading for Torquay or Paignton. Please report any sightings to control. End of Message.The problem I have with this kind of broadcast is that the passengers on the bus can hear what is being said on the radio. What would happen if the person in question was on the bus and had a weapon of some sort and did not want the driver of the bus to report his presence to control?The other thing that happened to day was that there was a crash involving a bus. Buses have minor scrapes from time to time. I myself have taken 2 wing mirrors off cars in the last 3 years, I even hit a car side on last Febuary. (It did a U Turn just in front of me).In today's incident it appeared that the bus ran into the back of a car, and pushed it into the car in front of that one and into the next in line as well.I got to the scene 20 mins after the incident and there was a large dent in the front of the bus. I don't know the exact details, was anyone hurt or who's fault it was. I will report if I find out. Suprizingly we don't always get to know exactly what happened in such incidents.
Wednesday, 30 June 2004
June 2004
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Torbay Half Marathon
27 June 04 SundayToday was the Torbay Half Marathon. The race starts on Paignton Sea Front and goes along the coast road to Torquay Harbour and back again.Half the road is closed and in order to get from Torquay to Paignton we had to divert from the Grand Hotel via back roads to Preston Bus Shelter.As the route is narrow and twisted the police try to make most people go over the ring road which is twice as far. This involves turning right off the sea front at Belgrave Rd and out of town for about two miles. The bus were to take the short diversion but problems cropped up.First the lights at Belgrave road normally only let 3 or 4 cars turn right at a time but there were 200 hundred cars trying to turn right and the lights should have been turned off and police should have directed traffic. But they didn't even think off doing that. It took 15 minutes to cover what normally takes 2 minutes.Next the policeman on duty at Belgrave Rd took it on himself to direct the buses over the Ring Rd. When I got there I told him that I was going the short route. He first said that the Ring Rd route had been agreed with Peter Lacy the Operations Manager at Stagecoach Torquay. The OM Torquay is John Lacy not Peter.I told him this was not so as I had been given a map, which I showed him, when I signed on showing the short route.He then said that we (the police) didn't want the buses to go the short route. I said that I was going the short route as it was the one agreed by the Senior Police Officer in charge of the event. He repeated his statement that 'We dont want buses going that way.'I asked contol and they said take the short route. So I took the short route.All went well till I got to the end of the diversion at Preston Bus Shelter. Even though there was only traffic coming off the diversion route the traffic lights were still on and only letting 3 cars through at a time so we soon had a massive tail back of traffic.The Police round here have a reputation for being lazy and lacking in all the normal policing skills and to day they went a long way to continuing that reputation.I don't know who won the race.
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Urban Foxes
A couple of weeks ago I was driving a 85 up to Exeter from Torquay and a fox ran across the road in front of me. Now I have been here in Torquay for 6 years now and this is the first fox I have seen.In London, where I lived for 10 years I saw quiet a few foxes, espectially on early or late turns. I don't go out of my way to look for wild life but if it turns up it nice to see. One night in London I was last bus, from Chiswick to Greenford at about 12:30 in the morning and I spent 20 minutes feeding my last sandwich to a passing fox and got back late to the depot and missed the staff bus home. It only took 45 minutes to walk home so I didn't mind. On Saturday I again drove an 85 from Torquay to Exeter and at the same place I again saw a fox. I am not sure if it was the same fox but this fox I will not see again as it was lying dead at the side of the road.
Some years ago in about the same area I saw a dead badger at the side of the road and seagulls flattened in the middle of the road are not unusual in Torbay. It used to be just cats in London. Seems that country wide life gets run down just like urban wide life. Sad.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Junk in the Road
I came home from work on Sunday and the heater was still there but it had been joined by a chair. The heater has been there for 4 weeks now, left out by someone at 67. The chair came from 71( I think). I had also seen a bed and matress that had been thrown over the back garden wall by some one in 71. I know that because no one else could have dumped it there.So I rang the Council Environmental Services and they came and collected the bed, matress, chair and heater 20 mins later. Good on Torbay Environmental Services. Bad on the dumpers.we live in a nice part of the world but some people don't want it to stay that way
From the Herald Express
Here is a story taken from the Torbay Herald Express.
DOGGED DRIVER SEES OFF BOY RACER 11:00 - 07 June 2004
Imagine the scene .... a Stagecoach bus and a "boy racer" locked in a dispute in a narrow Torquay road and neither willing to give way. They meet in the middle of Sherwell Lane in Chelston.The bus driver isn't for reversing and nor is the young car driver.He decides to sit it out and lights up a cigarette in defiance.The bus driver pulls out a flask and pours himself a cup of coffee.The passengers on board are a little bemused as the traffic starts to stack up.Boy racer is joined by two mates who pull up behind. Bus driver is still non-plussed and carries on sipping.Things are in danger of turning nasty as the youngsters begin to lose patience.Astonishment turns to panic on board the bus with one woman claiming she is getting claustrophobic.Eventually, the racers give way and the bus moves on.It is almost 30 minutes since the impasse first began.Good on the bus driver.
I wasn't the driver but some times it can be fun driving a bus.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Democracy at work.
Does democracy work?Is it important to cast your vote?
On Thursday we had European and local elections. Labour and Tories got stuffed in the European Elections. Tories don't like Europe but know we are in for good and should move forward slowly and give up as little power to Europe as possible, Labour really don't care but Tony Blair sees him self as a world leader and wants to get the UK in no matter what, so long as he does not loose power doing it and so he can play a central role in Europe. That's Tony playing the cental role, not the UK. Tony does not care about the UK, Tony only cares about Tony. The 2 parties that made gains were the LibDems (a small gain 2%) and the UKIP, 18%.These two parties have compleatly different views about Europe. The LibDems want to move to The United States of Europe with all speed and can not understand why every one else does not have this view. The UKIP want to leave Europe as soon as posible. Next week would be a good time.Not all the people that voted for the UKIP would want to leave Europe but they are using this vote to say to Tony and to Europe that the idea of 1956 and a Common Market may not have been a bad idea but lets not get to close to the US of E.In the local elections 20% of existing Labour councillors lost their right to call themselves Councillor because Tony took the country to war. A protest vote. This means in both Local and European elections people have got MEPs and councillors representing them that they did not want just because the only time they can make them selves heard is by the protest vote.Well, does democracy work?
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Well the pay deal has been finalised. We are to get 3.5% this year and 3.5% or RPI plus 0.5% next year and sick pay will be at 93% of pay. The Union are going round saying that is a good deal so I guess it must be. It will mean about £7.50 increase a week (net).
Torbay Half Marathon
27 June 04 SundayToday was the Torbay Half Marathon. The race starts on Paignton Sea Front and goes along the coast road to Torquay Harbour and back again.Half the road is closed and in order to get from Torquay to Paignton we had to divert from the Grand Hotel via back roads to Preston Bus Shelter.As the route is narrow and twisted the police try to make most people go over the ring road which is twice as far. This involves turning right off the sea front at Belgrave Rd and out of town for about two miles. The bus were to take the short diversion but problems cropped up.First the lights at Belgrave road normally only let 3 or 4 cars turn right at a time but there were 200 hundred cars trying to turn right and the lights should have been turned off and police should have directed traffic. But they didn't even think off doing that. It took 15 minutes to cover what normally takes 2 minutes.Next the policeman on duty at Belgrave Rd took it on himself to direct the buses over the Ring Rd. When I got there I told him that I was going the short route. He first said that the Ring Rd route had been agreed with Peter Lacy the Operations Manager at Stagecoach Torquay. The OM Torquay is John Lacy not Peter.I told him this was not so as I had been given a map, which I showed him, when I signed on showing the short route.He then said that we (the police) didn't want the buses to go the short route. I said that I was going the short route as it was the one agreed by the Senior Police Officer in charge of the event. He repeated his statement that 'We dont want buses going that way.'I asked contol and they said take the short route. So I took the short route.All went well till I got to the end of the diversion at Preston Bus Shelter. Even though there was only traffic coming off the diversion route the traffic lights were still on and only letting 3 cars through at a time so we soon had a massive tail back of traffic.The Police round here have a reputation for being lazy and lacking in all the normal policing skills and to day they went a long way to continuing that reputation.I don't know who won the race.
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Urban Foxes
A couple of weeks ago I was driving a 85 up to Exeter from Torquay and a fox ran across the road in front of me. Now I have been here in Torquay for 6 years now and this is the first fox I have seen.In London, where I lived for 10 years I saw quiet a few foxes, espectially on early or late turns. I don't go out of my way to look for wild life but if it turns up it nice to see. One night in London I was last bus, from Chiswick to Greenford at about 12:30 in the morning and I spent 20 minutes feeding my last sandwich to a passing fox and got back late to the depot and missed the staff bus home. It only took 45 minutes to walk home so I didn't mind. On Saturday I again drove an 85 from Torquay to Exeter and at the same place I again saw a fox. I am not sure if it was the same fox but this fox I will not see again as it was lying dead at the side of the road.
Some years ago in about the same area I saw a dead badger at the side of the road and seagulls flattened in the middle of the road are not unusual in Torbay. It used to be just cats in London. Seems that country wide life gets run down just like urban wide life. Sad.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Junk in the Road
I came home from work on Sunday and the heater was still there but it had been joined by a chair. The heater has been there for 4 weeks now, left out by someone at 67. The chair came from 71( I think). I had also seen a bed and matress that had been thrown over the back garden wall by some one in 71. I know that because no one else could have dumped it there.So I rang the Council Environmental Services and they came and collected the bed, matress, chair and heater 20 mins later. Good on Torbay Environmental Services. Bad on the dumpers.we live in a nice part of the world but some people don't want it to stay that way
From the Herald Express
Here is a story taken from the Torbay Herald Express.
DOGGED DRIVER SEES OFF BOY RACER 11:00 - 07 June 2004
Imagine the scene .... a Stagecoach bus and a "boy racer" locked in a dispute in a narrow Torquay road and neither willing to give way. They meet in the middle of Sherwell Lane in Chelston.The bus driver isn't for reversing and nor is the young car driver.He decides to sit it out and lights up a cigarette in defiance.The bus driver pulls out a flask and pours himself a cup of coffee.The passengers on board are a little bemused as the traffic starts to stack up.Boy racer is joined by two mates who pull up behind. Bus driver is still non-plussed and carries on sipping.Things are in danger of turning nasty as the youngsters begin to lose patience.Astonishment turns to panic on board the bus with one woman claiming she is getting claustrophobic.Eventually, the racers give way and the bus moves on.It is almost 30 minutes since the impasse first began.Good on the bus driver.
I wasn't the driver but some times it can be fun driving a bus.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Democracy at work.
Does democracy work?Is it important to cast your vote?
On Thursday we had European and local elections. Labour and Tories got stuffed in the European Elections. Tories don't like Europe but know we are in for good and should move forward slowly and give up as little power to Europe as possible, Labour really don't care but Tony Blair sees him self as a world leader and wants to get the UK in no matter what, so long as he does not loose power doing it and so he can play a central role in Europe. That's Tony playing the cental role, not the UK. Tony does not care about the UK, Tony only cares about Tony. The 2 parties that made gains were the LibDems (a small gain 2%) and the UKIP, 18%.These two parties have compleatly different views about Europe. The LibDems want to move to The United States of Europe with all speed and can not understand why every one else does not have this view. The UKIP want to leave Europe as soon as posible. Next week would be a good time.Not all the people that voted for the UKIP would want to leave Europe but they are using this vote to say to Tony and to Europe that the idea of 1956 and a Common Market may not have been a bad idea but lets not get to close to the US of E.In the local elections 20% of existing Labour councillors lost their right to call themselves Councillor because Tony took the country to war. A protest vote. This means in both Local and European elections people have got MEPs and councillors representing them that they did not want just because the only time they can make them selves heard is by the protest vote.Well, does democracy work?
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Well the pay deal has been finalised. We are to get 3.5% this year and 3.5% or RPI plus 0.5% next year and sick pay will be at 93% of pay. The Union are going round saying that is a good deal so I guess it must be. It will mean about £7.50 increase a week (net).
Sunday, 30 May 2004
May 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Looking for Nessie.
I watched Globetreker this evening on Discovery TV. It was fron Scotland and one of the people on the show was some guy who had moved up to Loch Ness and was living there in an old van. He made some money selling Nessie models he makes and spent his time scaning the loch for the monster. He was on a TV program 9 years ago when he first moved up there.Now he is asked 60 times a day if he has seen the monster. "No." he anwsers. Easy to just say no,easier than saying yes and have to tell 60 people a day what it looked like and all the atttendent details. He admitted that even if he had seen Nessie he would probably still say no.So he's been there at the side of the Loch in an old van for 9 years following his ambition to find the Loch Ness Monster. And if he sees it, what then? Will he go home? Will he just carry on watching and carry on denying that he has seen the beast. Maybe his real ambition was to just drop out and he used poor Nessie as an excuse.Does he really want to see her?
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Bus Drivers are Human
I went into Brixham this morning. I had come down from Newton Abbot which is 12 miles or so from Brixham. It takes 92 mins to drive a bus along the route and I will have stopped 30 or more times to pick up and drop of about 60 to 80 passengers. I will have been involved in may be 10 queues of slow moving traffic and at least 3 car drivers will have done something to try and upset me and several pedestrians will have walked out in front of me with out looking.When I got to Brixham the bus in front of me was just about to leave. He, or she, runs 10 mins ahead of me so I now have 10 mins Stand Time. Time for a short rest. Not a chance. Some old guy tries to get on the bus even though I tell him I am going to the toilet and will be 5 mins. He wants to go to Paignton and can not see why he can't go now. he gets nasty saying I was being rude. I explain that the bus does not go for 10 mins and I am having 5 mins away from the bus if you don't mind. The sun is shining and its warm and dry. It's not as if it is cold and wet.When I get back to the bus I hear him say to his wife that all bus drivers are lazy bastards. He then asks me for 2 singles to Paignton. £4.00.Now he was over 60 and a holiday maker. I usually explain to over sixties holiday makers about our £3.00 explorer ticket for the over sixties. Did he get this example of my charm? What do you think?When we got to Paignton he asked, without any grace, where to bus to Babbacombe went from. Hopefully he will get singles again for £2.00 each and his day out will cost £16.00 in bus fares for himself and wife instead of what it should have cost. £6.00 for two Explorers.Being nice pays; usually.
Change over day.
Sunday 23 May 04
Today at work was change over day. We changed from the winter time table to summer. What this means is there are more buses out there for the holiday makers and the foreign language students who come to Torquay every summer to learn English. The services that need more buses are the number 12 and the open top buses.
The problem to day was with the open tops. They go from St Marychurch by Meatfoot Beach, Torquay Harbour, Paignton and then either to Brixham or the Zoo. Good Zoo at Paignton, been seen on BBC TV.
Last year they did not go by Meatfoot Beach for some reason best known to the Boss. Well no one bothered to cut the trees down. Not the whole tree, just the bit sticking in the road that threatened to rip the passengers faces to pieces. So we could not go that way and it is the nicest part of the route since that nice Mr Hilditch took the part down to Kingswear out. That was the best part. Mr Hilditch found out that because of problems with the time table drivers had 20 minutes rest time in Kingswear and he soon put a stop to that. We don't go there any more and Mr Hilditch is happy and it is always a good idea to keep the boss happy even if the passengers don't get to Kingswear and Dartmouth.
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Good Day.
Yesterday I went in the canteen at Paignton for my break and the news was on the TV. Most news these days and for as far back as I can remember is either bad or depressing.However there were 2 items which cheered me up no end. The first discribed how Dictator Blair, sorry Prime Minister Blair is coming under increasing pressure from all sides concerning his starting a war. You know the one in Iraq. He has been told to get British troops out of Ireland, sorry Iraq as soon as posible and to stop seeing his American Lover(That nice Mr. Bush).Tony should have tried to make him self in to a great Prime Minister of the Uk, working hard to improve the future of the people he was elected to rule. But what did he do? He became a war lord.Are the problems of Law and Order, Education, the National Health Service and Public Transport so hard to solve that he had to have a war to distract us from the fact that his government isn't even trying to find solutions to these problem. Did Iraq presented a problem more important than pensioners unable to pay their council tax bills or what people would say about his U Turn on a European Union Referemdem. Maggie had a war. It came at a good time for her and got her elected for a 3rd term. But that war was forced on her. Anthony Eden had his war, unforced. and look what happened to him. North Korea has WMD. Are we going to goto war with them?Take the Q from the end of IRAQ and you get IRA. We had the IRA for 40 years, will I be celabrating my 100th birthday and saying"Thank God we are finally out of Iraq"? Second item of news was that the Basking Sharks are back.Second biggest fish in the world and they swim just of the coast here in Torquay. Isn't that nice of them?
10 facts about basking sharks
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the world, after the Indo-Pacific whale shark (Rhincodon typus).
They may reach 12m in length, and weigh up to 7 tonnes.
They may take 12-20 years to reach sexual maturity.
Gestation may take 18 months - 3 years.
Females give birth to 5-6 live young (pups) at a time.
Pups are believed to be 1.5m at birth.
They feed only on tiny zooplankton.
Basking sharks are found in most temperate waters of the world.
Basking sharks appear in the waters around the western coasts of Britain each spring from May onwards.
The basking shark is the biggest wild animal to regularly visit Britain.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Not a good day
Sunday 16 May 04
I started in Paignton to day. I knew the day was going to be one of those days. I got on my bus, loaded the passengers, had a look round for any one running up at the last minute, no, closed the doors and started to reverse.
I don't know where they came from but suddenly two people were banging on the door. Now once we have started reverse we can not stop and pick them up. Company rules for everyone's safety.
In Brixham I left 2 minutes late and the same thing happened while I was at the lights. Still can not pick them up.
Further down the road at Windy Corner some one was standing behind the bus shelter and only appeared with her arm out as I was driving past. I had only been out 30 minutes and I had upset 5 people. Now I don't like upsetting people like this but I am not going to put myself and others at risk by stopping when it is not safe.
The rest of the day went on like this. In one incident a car ( Reg Number VW04FUN just in case you are reading this) over took me just after a two lane road had narrowed to one lane, forcing him self between me and oncoming traffic, missing both by inches. After the car got past me it spent the next 2 miles travelling in front of me in a queue of traffic at 15 mph. In the car the drivers wife and child. Testerone makes potential killers of some people.
Later a passenger boarded the bus in Torquay, complained I was late and asked for a single to Windy Corner. I issued the ticket and asked for the fare, £2.05. She said "Oh no it's only a pound. I have an OAP pass." See then spent almost 2 minutes finding it.
The frustration of a day like this tends to make me forget the first two rules of stress free bus driving.
1 Be nice to the passengers
2 Never worry about what other road users do.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Summer Rotas.
At this time of year we start getting ready for the summer season and an increase in the number of holiday makers, Grokels as they are known locally.This means changes in the 12 service and the start of the Open Top bus service between St Marychurch in the north of the bay and Brixham in the south. The new rotas came out to day and were awaited with some trepidation by the drivers.One good thing from my point of view is that I don't have any Torquay Locals to do this summer.I dislike Torquay Locals. Not the people but the routes,some of the go up and down 12 times a day driving manual gear box buses that are well past their 'trip to the scrap yard date.'The 12 service has new automatic buses and 3 trips a day max. Much easier. Some drivers like Torquay Locals but I don't.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Torquay Locals
To day was one of those days which I dislike. I usually enjoy my job but for some unknown reason 3 times every 4 weeks I have to drive Torquay locals instead of the 12 I normally drive.Sometimes I can swop but today I couldn't and drove 31 s and 32 s.I hate Torquay Locals.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
New Route; 12D
To day I drove the 12D which is a new route for me.It runs from Paignton Bus Station through Torquay and up to St Marychurch. Very quiet route,I carried only 87 people compared with 300 on my usual route (12). I would not like to do 12D s all the time, the bordom would drive me bonkers. It is one of the Managing Director's ideas and I can not understand why it has lasted so long carrying so few people. Routes that attract this small amount of revenue usually only last if there are no other buses along the route but this one has the 12 and the 32 covering the route. Maybe the boss does not like to admit that one of his ideas isn't working even if it is costing the company money.I did not take enough today to cover my wages.
85A Drivers
I placed the following notice on the staff notice board to day.The company had changed the fare but had not bothered to tell the drivers and they were having problems as they had no idea why the fare had changed. No one looks after the small detail at our place.Mind you they somethimes don't look after anything at our place.
85A DRIVERS
Please note:
The correct Devon County Wide return fare between
Teignmouth Triangle (54)
and
Newton Abbot (16)
is £1.75.
It had been coming up £1.65 but this was a mistake and has been corrected.
Please apologise for any inconvenience caused.
If anyone complains tell them
to write to that nice Mr Hilditch.
This notice is not a union notice and in no way represents company policy but it is factually correct.
Friday, May 07, 2004
Mass meeting re pay talks.
Well on Tuesday the MD Mr Hilditch agreed to the union demands re 3.5% plus an upgrading of our sick pay but then, after consultation with head officechanged his mind about the sick pay.
The amount of money involve here is about £30 000.
So next time you get on a bus and the driver snarls at you it may be that he works for some one like our Boss.
It may be that the driver just hates you. Who Knows?
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
The Union and Proxy Voting.
Thursday evening there will be a mass union meeting to discuss and vote on the latest pay offer. Some drivers will be unable to attend as they will be working. The Union have very kindly decided to allow them a proxy vote at the meeting. However the have not said what the pay offer is. How can you decide to accept or reject something is you don't know what you are voting to accept or reject? Well it seems that if you have a proxy vote, it will be added to the majority vote of those drivers attending.
Is this the RMT's idea of how democracy works or is it the RMT's idea of fooling all the people all the time into thinking they have a say in what the Union does?
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Pay Talks
The day after tomorrow, Thursday, is pay talks day. They have been going on since March already. A day here, a day there but as we should start on our new pay rates from the first complete week in May this should be the final pay talk.
Last year we went on strike over pay. Chris Hilditch the MD wanted us to give up our paid meal breaks. This would have meant that we could start work at 7am and end at 7pm with an unpaid break of 4 hours in the middle and so only be paid for 8 hrs. This is the way for a bus company to use the least number of drivers to cover the busy times in the morning and early evening but it would mean going out at 6:30 am and getting home at 7:30 pm for less than £200.00 per week. No Chance.
We were on strike for 9 days over a five week period and kept our paid breaks and got an average rise of 40p per hour. There is still bitterness and resentment amoung the drivers towards the Managing Drirector.
Anyway this year he offered us 20p and hour with several strings; give up our meal breaks for one. We, the Union that is said give us 25p per hour no strings. He said he would do some working out and see if the company could offord it. Two week ago he still had not worked out what 700 drivers times by 25p/hr times by 40hr/week times 52 weeks per year is. Well after 30 seconds on my calculator I could tell him the increase in the wage bill would come to £364 000. The offer he made would cost £291 200 a difference of £72 800. I expect he will come up with the money.
PS The owners of the company just gave themselves a bonus of £250 000 000. (In case you think I
mis-counted the zeros I will write that in words.
One Quarter of A Billion Pounds.
Looking for Nessie.
I watched Globetreker this evening on Discovery TV. It was fron Scotland and one of the people on the show was some guy who had moved up to Loch Ness and was living there in an old van. He made some money selling Nessie models he makes and spent his time scaning the loch for the monster. He was on a TV program 9 years ago when he first moved up there.Now he is asked 60 times a day if he has seen the monster. "No." he anwsers. Easy to just say no,easier than saying yes and have to tell 60 people a day what it looked like and all the atttendent details. He admitted that even if he had seen Nessie he would probably still say no.So he's been there at the side of the Loch in an old van for 9 years following his ambition to find the Loch Ness Monster. And if he sees it, what then? Will he go home? Will he just carry on watching and carry on denying that he has seen the beast. Maybe his real ambition was to just drop out and he used poor Nessie as an excuse.Does he really want to see her?
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Bus Drivers are Human
I went into Brixham this morning. I had come down from Newton Abbot which is 12 miles or so from Brixham. It takes 92 mins to drive a bus along the route and I will have stopped 30 or more times to pick up and drop of about 60 to 80 passengers. I will have been involved in may be 10 queues of slow moving traffic and at least 3 car drivers will have done something to try and upset me and several pedestrians will have walked out in front of me with out looking.When I got to Brixham the bus in front of me was just about to leave. He, or she, runs 10 mins ahead of me so I now have 10 mins Stand Time. Time for a short rest. Not a chance. Some old guy tries to get on the bus even though I tell him I am going to the toilet and will be 5 mins. He wants to go to Paignton and can not see why he can't go now. he gets nasty saying I was being rude. I explain that the bus does not go for 10 mins and I am having 5 mins away from the bus if you don't mind. The sun is shining and its warm and dry. It's not as if it is cold and wet.When I get back to the bus I hear him say to his wife that all bus drivers are lazy bastards. He then asks me for 2 singles to Paignton. £4.00.Now he was over 60 and a holiday maker. I usually explain to over sixties holiday makers about our £3.00 explorer ticket for the over sixties. Did he get this example of my charm? What do you think?When we got to Paignton he asked, without any grace, where to bus to Babbacombe went from. Hopefully he will get singles again for £2.00 each and his day out will cost £16.00 in bus fares for himself and wife instead of what it should have cost. £6.00 for two Explorers.Being nice pays; usually.
Change over day.
Sunday 23 May 04
Today at work was change over day. We changed from the winter time table to summer. What this means is there are more buses out there for the holiday makers and the foreign language students who come to Torquay every summer to learn English. The services that need more buses are the number 12 and the open top buses.
The problem to day was with the open tops. They go from St Marychurch by Meatfoot Beach, Torquay Harbour, Paignton and then either to Brixham or the Zoo. Good Zoo at Paignton, been seen on BBC TV.
Last year they did not go by Meatfoot Beach for some reason best known to the Boss. Well no one bothered to cut the trees down. Not the whole tree, just the bit sticking in the road that threatened to rip the passengers faces to pieces. So we could not go that way and it is the nicest part of the route since that nice Mr Hilditch took the part down to Kingswear out. That was the best part. Mr Hilditch found out that because of problems with the time table drivers had 20 minutes rest time in Kingswear and he soon put a stop to that. We don't go there any more and Mr Hilditch is happy and it is always a good idea to keep the boss happy even if the passengers don't get to Kingswear and Dartmouth.
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Good Day.
Yesterday I went in the canteen at Paignton for my break and the news was on the TV. Most news these days and for as far back as I can remember is either bad or depressing.However there were 2 items which cheered me up no end. The first discribed how Dictator Blair, sorry Prime Minister Blair is coming under increasing pressure from all sides concerning his starting a war. You know the one in Iraq. He has been told to get British troops out of Ireland, sorry Iraq as soon as posible and to stop seeing his American Lover(That nice Mr. Bush).Tony should have tried to make him self in to a great Prime Minister of the Uk, working hard to improve the future of the people he was elected to rule. But what did he do? He became a war lord.Are the problems of Law and Order, Education, the National Health Service and Public Transport so hard to solve that he had to have a war to distract us from the fact that his government isn't even trying to find solutions to these problem. Did Iraq presented a problem more important than pensioners unable to pay their council tax bills or what people would say about his U Turn on a European Union Referemdem. Maggie had a war. It came at a good time for her and got her elected for a 3rd term. But that war was forced on her. Anthony Eden had his war, unforced. and look what happened to him. North Korea has WMD. Are we going to goto war with them?Take the Q from the end of IRAQ and you get IRA. We had the IRA for 40 years, will I be celabrating my 100th birthday and saying"Thank God we are finally out of Iraq"? Second item of news was that the Basking Sharks are back.Second biggest fish in the world and they swim just of the coast here in Torquay. Isn't that nice of them?
10 facts about basking sharks
The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest fish in the world, after the Indo-Pacific whale shark (Rhincodon typus).
They may reach 12m in length, and weigh up to 7 tonnes.
They may take 12-20 years to reach sexual maturity.
Gestation may take 18 months - 3 years.
Females give birth to 5-6 live young (pups) at a time.
Pups are believed to be 1.5m at birth.
They feed only on tiny zooplankton.
Basking sharks are found in most temperate waters of the world.
Basking sharks appear in the waters around the western coasts of Britain each spring from May onwards.
The basking shark is the biggest wild animal to regularly visit Britain.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
Not a good day
Sunday 16 May 04
I started in Paignton to day. I knew the day was going to be one of those days. I got on my bus, loaded the passengers, had a look round for any one running up at the last minute, no, closed the doors and started to reverse.
I don't know where they came from but suddenly two people were banging on the door. Now once we have started reverse we can not stop and pick them up. Company rules for everyone's safety.
In Brixham I left 2 minutes late and the same thing happened while I was at the lights. Still can not pick them up.
Further down the road at Windy Corner some one was standing behind the bus shelter and only appeared with her arm out as I was driving past. I had only been out 30 minutes and I had upset 5 people. Now I don't like upsetting people like this but I am not going to put myself and others at risk by stopping when it is not safe.
The rest of the day went on like this. In one incident a car ( Reg Number VW04FUN just in case you are reading this) over took me just after a two lane road had narrowed to one lane, forcing him self between me and oncoming traffic, missing both by inches. After the car got past me it spent the next 2 miles travelling in front of me in a queue of traffic at 15 mph. In the car the drivers wife and child. Testerone makes potential killers of some people.
Later a passenger boarded the bus in Torquay, complained I was late and asked for a single to Windy Corner. I issued the ticket and asked for the fare, £2.05. She said "Oh no it's only a pound. I have an OAP pass." See then spent almost 2 minutes finding it.
The frustration of a day like this tends to make me forget the first two rules of stress free bus driving.
1 Be nice to the passengers
2 Never worry about what other road users do.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Summer Rotas.
At this time of year we start getting ready for the summer season and an increase in the number of holiday makers, Grokels as they are known locally.This means changes in the 12 service and the start of the Open Top bus service between St Marychurch in the north of the bay and Brixham in the south. The new rotas came out to day and were awaited with some trepidation by the drivers.One good thing from my point of view is that I don't have any Torquay Locals to do this summer.I dislike Torquay Locals. Not the people but the routes,some of the go up and down 12 times a day driving manual gear box buses that are well past their 'trip to the scrap yard date.'The 12 service has new automatic buses and 3 trips a day max. Much easier. Some drivers like Torquay Locals but I don't.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Torquay Locals
To day was one of those days which I dislike. I usually enjoy my job but for some unknown reason 3 times every 4 weeks I have to drive Torquay locals instead of the 12 I normally drive.Sometimes I can swop but today I couldn't and drove 31 s and 32 s.I hate Torquay Locals.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
New Route; 12D
To day I drove the 12D which is a new route for me.It runs from Paignton Bus Station through Torquay and up to St Marychurch. Very quiet route,I carried only 87 people compared with 300 on my usual route (12). I would not like to do 12D s all the time, the bordom would drive me bonkers. It is one of the Managing Director's ideas and I can not understand why it has lasted so long carrying so few people. Routes that attract this small amount of revenue usually only last if there are no other buses along the route but this one has the 12 and the 32 covering the route. Maybe the boss does not like to admit that one of his ideas isn't working even if it is costing the company money.I did not take enough today to cover my wages.
85A Drivers
I placed the following notice on the staff notice board to day.The company had changed the fare but had not bothered to tell the drivers and they were having problems as they had no idea why the fare had changed. No one looks after the small detail at our place.Mind you they somethimes don't look after anything at our place.
85A DRIVERS
Please note:
The correct Devon County Wide return fare between
Teignmouth Triangle (54)
and
Newton Abbot (16)
is £1.75.
It had been coming up £1.65 but this was a mistake and has been corrected.
Please apologise for any inconvenience caused.
If anyone complains tell them
to write to that nice Mr Hilditch.
This notice is not a union notice and in no way represents company policy but it is factually correct.
Friday, May 07, 2004
Mass meeting re pay talks.
Well on Tuesday the MD Mr Hilditch agreed to the union demands re 3.5% plus an upgrading of our sick pay but then, after consultation with head officechanged his mind about the sick pay.
The amount of money involve here is about £30 000.
So next time you get on a bus and the driver snarls at you it may be that he works for some one like our Boss.
It may be that the driver just hates you. Who Knows?
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
The Union and Proxy Voting.
Thursday evening there will be a mass union meeting to discuss and vote on the latest pay offer. Some drivers will be unable to attend as they will be working. The Union have very kindly decided to allow them a proxy vote at the meeting. However the have not said what the pay offer is. How can you decide to accept or reject something is you don't know what you are voting to accept or reject? Well it seems that if you have a proxy vote, it will be added to the majority vote of those drivers attending.
Is this the RMT's idea of how democracy works or is it the RMT's idea of fooling all the people all the time into thinking they have a say in what the Union does?
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Pay Talks
The day after tomorrow, Thursday, is pay talks day. They have been going on since March already. A day here, a day there but as we should start on our new pay rates from the first complete week in May this should be the final pay talk.
Last year we went on strike over pay. Chris Hilditch the MD wanted us to give up our paid meal breaks. This would have meant that we could start work at 7am and end at 7pm with an unpaid break of 4 hours in the middle and so only be paid for 8 hrs. This is the way for a bus company to use the least number of drivers to cover the busy times in the morning and early evening but it would mean going out at 6:30 am and getting home at 7:30 pm for less than £200.00 per week. No Chance.
We were on strike for 9 days over a five week period and kept our paid breaks and got an average rise of 40p per hour. There is still bitterness and resentment amoung the drivers towards the Managing Drirector.
Anyway this year he offered us 20p and hour with several strings; give up our meal breaks for one. We, the Union that is said give us 25p per hour no strings. He said he would do some working out and see if the company could offord it. Two week ago he still had not worked out what 700 drivers times by 25p/hr times by 40hr/week times 52 weeks per year is. Well after 30 seconds on my calculator I could tell him the increase in the wage bill would come to £364 000. The offer he made would cost £291 200 a difference of £72 800. I expect he will come up with the money.
PS The owners of the company just gave themselves a bonus of £250 000 000. (In case you think I
mis-counted the zeros I will write that in words.
One Quarter of A Billion Pounds.
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