Keighley Bus driver holds passengers hostage (9/6/2015)

[Teflon Lettuce]

The hostage bit was probably just a bit of humour from the OP, hardly a big deal though.

not neccessarily. I remember a journey a few years back where perversely the driver was quite willing to pick up passengers but at each stop refused to open the centre doors to allow passengers off (this was in London). Technically he was committing the offence of kidnap in that he was holding those people on board against their will...

now as to the situation under discussion... when a vehicle breaks down then the contract between the operator and it's customers could be said to be broken and therefore it is up to the passenger to do what they want.

I have been in the situation where I have broken down and some passengers have decided to wait for a replacement vehicle to continue their journey, some who haven't far to go have elected to walk.. and some have even phoned friends to come and collect them in a car... a suitable warning as to the dangers as they leave the vehicle is all that is needed to fulfill the requirements of any insurance issues.

Obviously if I were to breakdown in the outside lane of a dual carriageway I would insist on passengers staying on the vehicle until either the police or a 2nd company official arrived FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY.

I think if I tried to stop passengers from leaving the vehicle when it is safe to do so then I would probably be sacked for bringing the company into disrepute.

 

[Antman]

not neccessarily. I remember a journey a few years back where perversely the driver was quite willing to pick up passengers but at each stop refused to open the centre doors to allow passengers off (this was in London). Technically he was committing the offence of kidnap in that he was holding those people on board against their will...

now as to the situation under discussion... when a vehicle breaks down then the contract between the operator and it's customers could be said to be broken and therefore it is up to the passenger to do what they want.

I have been in the situation where I have broken down and some passengers have decided to wait for a replacement vehicle to continue their journey, some who haven't far to go have elected to walk.. and some have even phoned friends to come and collect them in a car... a suitable warning as to the dangers as they leave the vehicle is all that is needed to fulfill the requirements of any insurance issues.

Obviously if I were to breakdown in the outside lane of a dual carriageway I would insist on passengers staying on the vehicle until either the police or a 2nd company official arrived FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY.

I think if I tried to stop passengers from leaving the vehicle when it is safe to do so then I would probably be sacked for bringing the company into disrepute.

Was there any particular reason he wouldn't open the rear doors? This might apply on the X68 route which has first set down restrictions but even then passengers can leave by the front door if they wish.

Even in the outside lane of a dual carriageway I would only advise people not to get off, if they chose to ignore me that's up to them although in some situations it might be safer to advise passengers to get off the bus and behind a crash barrier.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

But if there is no letter?

Basically a bus breaks down and it's up to each individual what they do, the driver has no 'control' over them.

The hostage bit was probably just a bit of humour from the OP, hardly a big deal though.

Not a letter. A major firm like Transdev doesn't have a procedure for this? Of course it does!

And the OP hasn't shown a sense of irony on this one

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

Was there any particular reason he wouldn't open the rear doors? This might apply on the X68 route which has first set down restrictions but even then passengers can leave by the front door if they wish.

Even in the outside lane of a dual carriageway I would only advise people not to get off, if they chose to ignore me that's up to them although in some situations it might be safer to advise passengers to get off the bus and behind a crash barrier.

no it was the 281... and the strange thing was the bus was full to bursting...

 

[Bletchleyite]

no it was the 281... and the strange thing was the bus was full to bursting...

Was it unsafe to open the rear doors? Could you have exited by moving forwards? Were the doors perhaps faulty?

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

Was it unsafe to open the rear doors? Could you have exited by moving forwards? Were the doors perhaps faulty?

unsafe to open rear doors? no... if it was then every bus stop along the 281 route needs redesigning

could you exit by front doors? only if you was quick enough and ignorant enough to shove your way through the overcrowded lower deck

were the doors faulty? who knows... driver made no announcements... and made no attempt to wait for people to move forward when he knew that people wanted to get off...

in fact the point at which I knew there was a problem was when someone rang the bell and the driver drove straight past the stop (no-one waiting to get off)

needless to say I reported the matter to the Inspectors at Fulwell and the driver was never seen again...