Invisible Bus - Page 2

Gayle · 03-03-2006, 13:21

Funny stories from work, mmmm, not very funny but when I worked for a pharmaceutical firm got a phone call from a man who wanted paracetamol tablets but without any paracetamol in them (never really found out what he meant).

Yesterday I was in work and the IT chap piped up loudly, "has anyone had any spam lately", the lady who works next to me said "I haven't had that for years, I used to love spam fritters".

WillowTheWhisp · 03-03-2006, 17:38

That reminds me of the woman who blamed computer viruses on too many people coming in to work when they've got the flu!

SPUGGIE J · 03-03-2006, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

That reminds me of the woman who blamed computer viruses on too many people coming in to work when they've got the flu!

Thats a classy one Willow.

Madhatter · 04-03-2006, 00:39

Still a sick thing to do in my opinion.
Dissabled shouldn't be alowed in the town centre, they should have spaces in car parks, if they can park their and get to the shops, they can get from the nearest car park. What they're doing is dangerous. I saw one parked on the zigzags of a zebra crossing the other day. I agree vans shouldn't be on the path, but sometimes the only alternative is to park on paths, and a van by nature has a big blind spot at the back. He probably assumed that as you were behind waiting for him that you'd tell him if it wasn't clear. thats what you have to do rely on others. What should be done is proper delivery bays, and pedestrian zone access. I've had loads stolen of the van cos i've left it and that was while parked close by. a whole pallet that needed a fork truck to take it off gone in two minutes out of a locked van. I've also had to walk from the edge of a pedestrian zone to a jewelers with a tote box full of expensive jewelery. that one was in chester. they don't let you in till four. In liverpool it's five, a lot of good that is, shops are closed then.

WillowTheWhisp · 06-03-2006, 15:37

I've just taken some photos of Peel Sreet to give you a bit of an idea what it's like. Amazingly I saw something today which even outdoes Busman's one in my opinion. I couldn't photograph it because I was actually ON the bus at the time. The Fern Gore bus was pulling out of its stop in front of Lloyds chemists in Peel Street when a red car reversed down Infant Street and right across into the middle of Peel Street only a few yards in front of us! It then reversed UP Peel Street and parked in the middle of the road, a good 3 feet from the kerb. The driver got out and went into a shop, leaving the bus driver to struggle to manoever round him!

As a regular bus passenger I often see the difficulties bus drivers have to face on the roads and they have my total sympathy. Quite apart from car drivers who just don't seem to notice the bus's existence they do have a timetable to keep to as well. If they arrive late through no fault of their own (i.e. road works causing a hold up or vans/cars reversing into them) the passengers don't half have a good old moan. The bus couldn't even get up Ormerod Street on Friday following a sudden heavy fall of snow. Cars couldn't get up never mind buses and they were skewed about all over the place blocking the road off but that didn't stop people moaning about the non-existent bus. I don't know how the drivers up here manage to stay so cheerful.

I must say that whenever I have been on Busman's route all his passengers seem to be a very pleasant bunch though. They are always friendly and chatty.

Anyway, here's the bollard and you can see how far onto the pavement it actually is and it was put there for the precise reason of stopping vans going on the pavement and being a danger to pedestruans. Also you'll note the very clear sign at the top of Peel St which says only buses are allowed.

The council really should have made a better bus station but it wanted the cake and the ha'penny.

BTW that Tourist Information sign is pointing in the wrong direction!

Madhatter · 06-03-2006, 20:55

Well that car drivers just a lazy git and a total idiot, shouldn't be allowed on the road. Reminds me of when I tried to take a photo the other day of a wall carving in town, stood there getting it in frame, focus..............., and a group of girls pullup right infront of me, between me and the subject. double yellow lines, not enough room for anything other than a cat to get by without going on the path. They got out and went shopping.

I can't comment from those pictures, I don't know the area layout, but that bollard is to stop vehicles cutting in when they turn. It's also too far on the path and and is an obstruction. That corner is a typical example of a road junction that is no longer suitable for the size, length, width, and amount of modern traffic. It's exactly like the one by the wall carving above, withe the car parking in the side street just with its bonnet by the bollard.

Still no excuse for letting anyone reverse in to anything. For one reason if the bollard had snapped off, and the van had just driven off, then it's council tax that has to pay for it's repair.

Madhatter · 06-03-2006, 21:00

You have to allow for idiots on the road, people who do what you don't expect, and white van man by the nature of the job is one of the worst, but not on purpose, mile for mile white van man is the safest on the road. Has to be, it's white vanmans livelyhood.

Today, i approached a service area, little chef garage etc, just before a roundabout. I indicated, slowed, followed the short decelaration lane in, and heard a blast of a horn, and looked to see an aldi lorry nearly take my back end off.
Funny in one way, because it was his error but blamed me.

WillowTheWhisp · 06-03-2006, 22:29

That junction where the bollard is isn't exactly a junction. It is more of an opening to a gate to the back of Wilkinsons etc. It used to be open access down there and was one of the oldest road in the town before HBC messed about with it. Was it called something like Pleck Road? The photos don't really show it very well.

If you think that bollard is badly placed you should see the one on the traffic island/peninsula thing at the top of Ormerod Street which causes traffic going down the road to be forced across to the opposite side. All in the name of road safety.

It doesn't alter the fact that the signs at the end of Peel St say buses only, but if you want a bit of typical HBC irony - just past where it says buses only, on the opposite side to the bollard there is this area.

Madhatter · 06-03-2006, 22:32

Now thats interesting, are you saying that you can't get to that unless you go through the bus only signs?

WillowTheWhisp · 06-03-2006, 22:46

Yep, clever that isn't it? You see the markings were on the road before the redesignation of access but those markings have never been removed. So I wonder how someone would stand if the traffic wardens (or whatever they are called these days) decided to book them for being in a buses only road but loading a white van in that section?