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Post by Madstuntman on Jan 8, 2008 1:23:45 GMT
I am not trying to blame anyone but safety has to be a priority. Bendy buses should only be going allong approved routes and roads. Tfl only allow them to be driven allong approved roads. This is done for safety reasons. Departing from approved routes can lead to buses getting stuck and pose danger to other vehicles. Yes risk assesments are carried out they are caried out for safety reasons and the roads are accessed for the suitabilty for the type of vehicle. Your approach of an articulated bus should run over any road the driver happens to think might be suitable is both reckless and potentially dangerous. We do not at present know the case of the accident so no ssumptions should be made but what we do know if that this bus should not have been on this particular road and no doubt the investigation will look into this aspect. It certainly concerns me that you do not appear to understand the risk & dangers of taking an articulated bus down an unapproved route. There are rules and regulations as to what roads bendys and other types or buses can and can't drive down in the form of weight/height/width restrictions. If none of them restrictions apply on this or any road then why can't a fully trained licenced profesional driver use that road?
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Post by lc1 on Jan 8, 2008 1:24:34 GMT
It was a Bendybus that was out of service according to BBC news so i can only assume it was a light running 453 The bus or the car?? Regardless of the cause I think questions have to be asked about the safety of running such large buses on our roads. I don't know that aea but the bus appeared to be running along a residential road that not suprisingly had cars parked on either side. I think one of the things that neds to be established is whether that bus should have been travelling along that road. They should only be travelling along approved routes and that includes when they are out of service. I suspect thi bus may have been taking an unauthorised route Although that road looks residential with cars parked both sides it is quiet wide and it is a common occurrence (won't be after February) to see an out of service 453 running along there, infact there's 4 double deck bus routes that run along that stretch of road. I think it might be an official light running route not only for the 453 but also the 54 to/from TL and 108/180/185's to/from BV (obviously cannot confirm as I drive none of them routes) I think for once people have to except the Bendy bus was not the cause of this accident
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2008 6:53:23 GMT
Regardless of the cause I think questions have to be asked about the safety of running such large buses on our roads. I don't know that aea but the bus appeared to be running along a residential road that not suprisingly had cars parked on either side. I think one of the things that neds to be established is whether that bus should have been travelling along that road. They should only be travelling along approved routes and that includes when they are out of service. I suspect thi bus may have been taking an unauthorised route Although that road looks residential with cars parked both sides it is quiet wide and it is a common occurrence (won't be after February) to see an out of service 453 running along there, infact there's 4 double deck bus routes that run along that stretch of road. I think it might be an official light running route not only for the 453 but also the 54 to/from TL and 108/180/185's to/from BV (obviously cannot confirm as I drive none of them routes) I think for once people have to except the Bendy bus was not the cause of this accident We do not know the cause of the accident. What is know is that this road had not been checked for suitability for use by articulated bus and as such the bus should not have been travelling along this road. It appear that it is common for drivers of bendy buses to take unapproved routs and this will almpst certainly come into the police investigation into the accident. They will want to establish why the driver was travelling allong an uncertified road and also whether the bus comany and or TfL were aware of this happening and if they were aware why had they not taken action I find it concerning that many on here claiming to be PCV drivers are unawre of the restrictions that apply to bendy buses and other long buses. They seem to be woefully ignorant of the regulations. This may account for why in recent years we have seen a very marked increase in the once excellent accident rate of PSV vehicles
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2008 10:30:34 GMT
Perhaps those on here who are PCV license holders, but unaware of the restrictions on artics don't drive them?!
I mean it's a change in paradigm to some extent by bus drivers, so why would they have been taught about them if they'll never drive the ruddy things?
Edit: Crikey! I can just imagine the headline next time the Evening Standard want to kick up a fuss about transport - Bus drivers "woefully ignorant" of bendybus safety restrictions. Sounds pretty bad taken out of context. Give 'em a break.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2008 10:51:17 GMT
What is know is that this road had not been checked for suitability for use by articulated bus and as such the bus should not have been travelling along this road. Bob - how do we know this, I have not seen any evidence to back this statetment up - could you please confirm the source of this information!
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Post by beaver14uk on Jan 8, 2008 11:31:54 GMT
I am not aware that the 453 was off route (out of service). Although I don't work at PD I have seen them use this road and the Lower Road via Greenwich to access Deptford. Indeed we use this route and the 108 and 185 out of service and indeed LC1 says the 54 does. Regardless of the cause I think questions have to be asked about the safety of running such large buses on our roads. I don't know that aea but the bus appeared to be running along a residential road that not suprisingly had cars parked on either side. I think one of the things that neds to be established is whether that bus should have been travelling along that road. They should only be travelling along approved routes and that includes when they are out of service. I suspect thi bus may have been taking an unauthorised route Although that road looks residential with cars parked both sides it is quiet wide and it is a common occurrence (won't be after February) to see an out of service 453 running along there, infact there's 4 double deck bus routes that run along that stretch of road. I think it might be an official light running route not only for the 453 but also the 54 to/from TL and 108/180/185's to/from BV (obviously cannot confirm as I drive none of them routes) I think for once people have to except the Bendy bus was not the cause of this accident
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Post by HA2215 on Jan 8, 2008 18:32:06 GMT
Bob, so if I am correct what you are saying is IF this is an unofficial route then the driver of this out of service453 was driving illegally down the road due to it not being checked by TFL first. Sorry, but where in PCV regulations does it state that a driver has to use a particular road or route. a out of service vehicle is just that. A bendy bus is no different to a LGV .... as another member said ... it could of been any vehicle or bus ... why is the bendy bus to blame ... by looks of this the driver was minding his own business going to pick up his line of route and some how a car appeared in front of him and a tradgic accident occured ... Bob do you or have you ever driven a bus. fully agree get off the bendy bus on this occasion. and can you show proof of any regualtions stating that a bus has to be suitable for the road it intends to travel down.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2008 19:07:34 GMT
I think you may have put it slightly better than i did steve, but that is roughly what i was trying to say!
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Post by bexleybusdude on Jan 9, 2008 11:14:39 GMT
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Post by eggmiester on Jan 10, 2008 2:18:11 GMT
Indeed it is. Again i have my own views on this tragic incident, but wont post them in case it offends. Though i will say, knowing the area and this particular junction very well, the bus would have had full priority given before crossing the junction.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2008 16:19:46 GMT
I am not quite sure what makes a bus an exception other than some personal axe to grind. Buses as far as i am aware, in the eyes of the law, are subjected to only the laws and regulations of HGV- PSV regarding height , weight or width. Technically therefore a bus can run light on any road approved for large vehicles. However some companies will reccomend that their fleet do not use certain roads, mainly to ensure that drivers who dont know an area do not get themselves stuck or lost or to avoid nuisance in resedential areas where a better alternative road is available. A bendi bus is no larger than any other full size bus in width, Length is irrelevant, so i cannot see what the fuss is about if a car hits a bendi bus when the bus is on its own side of road. As regarding length, well, all road users have licences and should be competent enough make the necessary allowances for large vehicles of all sizes. We are trained to make allowances for cars too. No excuses. You should see what we do with bendis and where we take them over here in Germany. If there is a general low standard of driving for car drivers the answer is not to get rid of the bendis!!
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Post by lc1 on Jan 11, 2008 22:51:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2008 7:48:04 GMT
Everybody pointing fingers as usual!!We have a general lowering of all moral and behaviour standards in the country. Why? Simply because we have let it happen by not enforcing existing rules, making exceptions till rules cannot be enforced and all running around in denial as a country. What difference will a conductor make except to be an easy target. Or wll they wear full body armour and carry an AK47. Then of course they would be locked up every time they took defensive action. I am afraid the only solution is to raise the level of morals, education and behaviour in our society and apply one rule to everyone! This will not happen in our politically correct society. There is no solution, so public trans port will just get more and more dangerous.
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Post by DLA 365 on Jan 12, 2008 11:38:10 GMT
I agree 100% - the laws in this country are so lenient on young offenders that they take full advantage of this and do whatever they feel like - and get away with murder Does the court not even care that the driver had a heart attack (possible life-threatening) and at his age can probably never work again?!?! They have sympathy with the totally WRONG people
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2008 22:35:32 GMT
According to LOTS-- The East London Bus Group is intending to arrange a Special visit to Stratford (SD) Garage on Feb. 16th (Sat) 1 week before closure and demolition for the Olympic Park Development 2012.
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