Stagecoach Manchester's "Magic Bus" fleet have a distinctive dark blue livery which is very different from the rest of the fleet. However, there appears to be a regular allocation of a Magic Bus to a morning X41 service to Altrincham which is very confusing especially as these buses often pass by empty going to Sharston depot, and also the LED displays of some of the older buses leave something to be desired.
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Things that annoy you on bus and coach journeys
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Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Surprised at that on a TfL bus - must have been a printing error.
I have however seen misspellings on destination blinds (even printed ones) on a number of occasions on the buses of the cheap-and-nasty local tendered operators. They also have a habit of misspelling places on their registrations, that because they don't get proof-read tend to appear on the printed timetables done by the Council.
It is *incredibly* unprofessional, but seems to be the way things (not only transport) are going - people just don't ascribe value to correct spelling and grammar and accurate proof-reading any more.
Neil
Seacook
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Most National Express West Midlands buses have fully working displays with a small but significant problem - if the sun shines directly on them you can't read them. Roller blinds are much better but only the older buses have them.
Busaholic
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A couple of years ago I was prevented from boarding a no. 11 bus at Victoria Coach Station stop- it had just arrived blinded for Liverpool Street and had a driver changeover. A route controller, or whatever they're called these days, then instructed the driver to short turn at Mansion House but it couldn't be found on the blinds - being a helpful type I actually stood in front of the bus and watched the blind wizz from a to z and back again to confirm it just wasn't there! After a few more minutes, by which time the bus was runnung even later, the driver was told to turn at Aldwych, by which time a further bus had arrived going to Liverpool Street, my intended destination.So, based on that experience, an omitted destination on the blind prevented the bus running that far, but I suspect other controllers might have adopted a different approach. Never discount the human input.
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For the moment, with Hendy and Daniels, electronic blinds won't be allowed on London buses for this, and other, reasons. Long may this be so.
They do. Silvertown and Rainham (Blue Triangle) garages are notorious for using buses without correct blinds in routes, either through not having the routes physically on them, being too lazy to set the blinds correctly, or faulty electronically set "power blinds" (although this last one can be seen across London, mainly side blinds but also sometimes front or rear. One Silvertown bus has only had front blinds for at least 18 months.
The power blinds have been mandatory on new buses since 2011 but first reliable ones appeared in 2008. There are a very small number of buses from 2002-2004 still in use with unreliable ones, and all the bendys had unreliable ones too.
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ThePannier
Member
While on one of my regular Saturday outings yesterday, I hopped on Go North East's service 52, operated by an Optare Versa, intending to travel from Wrekenton High Street as far as Gateshead Interchange.
Just outside of Wrekenton, some kid got on with some chavs (I say kid, I am also a kid, but he looked about 10!) and with his back to me for the whole of the journey, every few minutes he would turn around and pull what I think is known as a 'rape face', where you grin and stare at someone in a strange way...
Just outside of Wrekenton, some kid got on with some chavs (I say kid, I am also a kid, but he looked about 10!) and with his back to me for the whole of the journey, every few minutes he would turn around and pull what I think is known as a 'rape face', where you grin and stare at someone in a strange way...
Gets a bit easier when you are older but just stare back. Freaks them out. And if they ask what you are looking at do a Paddy Considine on them.
Mikey C
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It's very annoying at night-time if the bulb behind the blind isn't working, as it makes the blind virtually invisible...
Temple Meads
Established Member
Whoever programmes SGBC's Nat Ex blinds can't spell 'Bridgwater': https://www.flickr.com/photos/swbuspics/16326471889/
Not my picture - even though it was taken at my local bus station
Not my picture - even though it was taken at my local bus station
Busaholic
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Whoever programmes SGBC's Nat Ex blinds can't spell 'Bridgwater': https://www.flickr.com/photos/swbuspics/16326471889/
Not my picture - even though it was taken at my local bus station
A common mistake, along with Newton Abbot spelt with two Ts. Some buses in London for a while went to Schepherds Bush!
Tom B
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The first ones appeared in the 1990s. Mainline had a batch of S-reg Darts which had them. They required regular maintenance so, after FirstBus took over, they gradually broke and were eventually replaced with LED boards.
Lothian had them on all buses from 1999 onwards, they seem to have managed to keep them broadly reliable and defective screens are a rarity. The type seemed to change in 2005/6ish as the modern ones are a lot faster in changing.
pne
Member
Is that what they are called!
Nasty stuff indeed.
Though on the other hand, I find it annoying to be dressed for -2 °C and then board a bus that the driver insists on keeping at 23 °C so that they can drive it in a short-sleeved shirt. Having to keep taking off clothes and putting them back on just to board the bus is not fun.
The inside doesn't have to be -2° as well, but some kind of compromise would be appreciated, that is not uncomfortably warm with the stuff you wear outside. (Especially when it gets cold enough that you have to layer and it's not enough simply to unzip your coat.)
Statto
Established Member
Try reading roller blinds at night, which is difficult until the bus is right on top of you, LEDs might not be perfect in direct sunlight but are easy to read at night, plus bus companies are using LEDs as they're easier to program, especially if a vehicle transfers to a different depot.
Ah, cheers for the info, even if I was only talking about London
. Although in any case I made a mistake, the reliable Mobitec ones first appeared in London at the end of 2006 (I should have remembered that, some of those buses are nominally for my local route :P)Light sensors should be used to adjust the back light or LED brightness. Blinds are fine though if they have all the destinations, and buses aren't swapped around at will as with some rural operators.
Higher density LEDs can also improve readability immensely. I quite like the new white LED boards too.
Higher density LEDs can also improve readability immensely. I quite like the new white LED boards too.
Teflon Lettuce
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A passenger is on the vehicle usually for a short time whereas the driver can be on board the vehicle for up to 5 hours... why should the driver be uncomfortable in his workplace? If, as I suspect, you're an office worker would you be willing to sit at your desk in your hat scarf gloves and coat all day? I think not lol
90019
Established Member
The older ones are Bright Tech, which are a bit crap - they're quite slow and do fail much more often than the newer ones, usually not being able to read the barcode for what you've selected and then blanking everything.
The newer ones are Mobitec, which are a lot more reliable and just generally better.
It's fairly easy to tell which is which, as the Bright Tech screens have three seperate blinds for the numbers/letters, whereas the Mobitec ones have a single blind with all the preset numbers on it. All the LED screens are Mobitec.
It's 5½ hours maximum on domestic rules - I think the longest run I have is 5h20.
Teflon Lettuce
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I was once put on disciplinary for refusing a vehicle with no heating in the depths of winter. At the beginning of the hearing I asked the manager if I could do something before the hearing took place.. I was begrudgingly indulged whereupon I got up and switched off the heaters and opened all the windows... I then sat back down and stated I was ready for my disciplinary. The manager exploded and said "if you think I'm going to sit here freezing my tits off disciplining you....." case dismissed lol
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Quite so!
pne
Member
Perhaps we need a separate HVAC'ed cell for the bus driver.
In places where there's an assault screen and you can't pay by cash anyway, you're already three-quarters of the way there.
pne
Member
I'm also annoyed by those who won't move all the way through in the bus, instead congregating in the rear doorway when the corridor behind them is still free (and sometimes there are even seats there at the back!). Or, worse, they congregate in the front corridor just behind the entrance door.
Bus capacity can be used a lot more effectively if people will walk as far back as they can and sit down if there are free seats (the latter so that they are not standing in the way of others who could occupy that seat).
The worst, though, may be those who stand in the corridor because they are talking to a friend who is sitting there, rather than because they think they can't easily move further down.
Bus capacity can be used a lot more effectively if people will walk as far back as they can and sit down if there are free seats (the latter so that they are not standing in the way of others who could occupy that seat).
The worst, though, may be those who stand in the corridor because they are talking to a friend who is sitting there, rather than because they think they can't easily move further down.
Usually the mentality of those people is 'it's not my fault I have to stand, it's the bus company for not providing bigger buses' etc
And most of the time they have their heads buried in some electronic device, oblivious to the outside word.
pne
Member
Yes, good point.
And it reminded me of another one here: the bendy busses in Hamburg have sensors in the middle and rear doors and the door will close automatically (rather than the driver doing so like in two-door busses), but only if it detects that nobody is standing in the door.
Especially when the bus is full (including the doorways), this may result in prolonged beeping and flashing of light as the door indicates that it would like to close but cannot because of people in the way... at which point most people will somehow try to squash a bit further inside to vacate the doorway so that it will close. So far so good.
But what gets me is that some people outside take this as an invitation to then jump onto the bus, meaning the door can again not close!
WelshBluebird
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Bus drivers who because they are late drive like lunatics in order to try to make up time.
Bus drivers who do not stop while you are waiting at the bus stop, clearly visible with your arm out indicating for them to stop.
Passengers who wait until they board the bus to start fumbling about getting change from their wallet / purse etc.
"Real Time" bus information that is horrifically inaccurate.
Passengers who press the stop buzzer just as the bus is passing the stop and expect the bus driver to have superhuman reaction times and still stop at the bus stop.
Bus drivers who do not stop while you are waiting at the bus stop, clearly visible with your arm out indicating for them to stop.
Passengers who wait until they board the bus to start fumbling about getting change from their wallet / purse etc.
"Real Time" bus information that is horrifically inaccurate.
Passengers who press the stop buzzer just as the bus is passing the stop and expect the bus driver to have superhuman reaction times and still stop at the bus stop.
Ha ha ha. All of the above.
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