London Driver safety?

[Deleted]

Hi all,

New member (intro @ tangytango.proboards.com/thread/7836/hello-potential-newbie-driver-london) looking to go driving when PCV sorted.

Maybe a bit of a stupid question, but my girlfriend is worried about the safety of the job - obviously evening standard etc really publicise the "bad" incidents when they are prob fairly rare (not talking about low level grief/idiots here - though of course that is crap also).

Do you guys driving in London feel safe enough in the cab? Does it depend on the area you are working?

Are the assault screens on buses up to the job? On my local routes (usually envo 200/400) the screens are often cracked and sometimes metal plates applied to repair them, the cab door seems to move and shake allot when under way... or are they better than they look! Can the driver lock the cab from inside so it can't be opened?

I notice when I have used the 22/430 etc there is a big gap at the top of the  assault screen - again not ideal?

Just looking for any thoughts, as I say, I think "usual" idiots are part of the job, but everyone wants to be as safe as possible!

Cheers
D

[greeny253]

The cracks you see in the Enviro cab doors - are they at the top? Most of the buses of that type that I drive with cracked doors are as a result of the door lock being left up and then someone slamming the door shut.

Yes the doors can lock.

I feel safer driving away from where I live. I used to drive in my local area which, while handy for knowing where things were, did make me feel uncomfortable on the odd occasion I did run in to problems. Where are you considering driving/applying for?

[Deleted]

Seen a couple of 337s with bigish cracks at the bottom right of the screens!

See what you are saying about the local area - same as police don't work in "their" borough....

My local garages are Putney, Fulwell and Twickenham (I'm Richmond area). Fulwell has a few routes I use personally for travel so maybe not the best!

[Jack]

Devlin, I was speaking to a friend recently at Fulwell and he said that the garage is full at the moment but drivers are required at Stamford Brook if that is of any interest/help to you

[6HP502C]

I drive out of Fulwell, don't think the clientele in this neck of the words are likely to cause the kind of problems you fear to be honest!

[Deleted]

Even the 111?

[Hassaan]

Aug 23, 2013 11:25:12 GMT @devlin said:

Even the 111?

The 111 is out of Hounslow, not Fulwell, and is a long route, with rounders approaching around 3 and a half hours in some cases. As for the type of passengers, LX09FBJ would be better placed to tell you as it is his local route .

[slr]

Can't comment on the area in particular, but can answer from two different perspectives.

From an ex-engineering perspective, in my seven years as an Engineer I only ever saw two or three assault screens/cab doors badly damaged, and one of those was after the driver drove off with someones hand in the front door intentionally. This was in an inner South London Garage. You need to get someone REALLY mad to get anywhere near ripping one of those doors off, they are quite good. Just keep the cab window closed lol.

From a driving/customer service perspective, I find that some drivers I have spoken to have a terrible attitude and way of speaking to people, which whilst it in no way justifies an assault helps to understand the possible cause for it. I find that most people respond well to good old fashioned being civil to others.

You'll have fun, and to be fair after a few months you'll be more scared of management than the passengers lol

[LX09FBJ]

For the most part the 111 isn't too bad, it used to be worse though. The route runs through very diffrent areas and clientelle diffres from section to section. The only problem areas I'm aware of are around Hanworth and the Nurserylands 'estate' where there are some rowdy people around. Apart from the odd "I'm 11, innit" every now and then issue, there have been no incidents (that I've seen) involving other passengers on the bus. Same also applies with the R70, run by Abellio out of Twickenham

AV, HH, PK, S and V I think are the garages have recently had a phone number applied to the backs of the buses (though TA215-8 have had a spell at HH so they have phone numbers too)

[Deleted]

Thanks for people's replies so far - all useful info.

Another q - do you find it less pressured driving suburban type routes vs those routes that go all the way into the centre of town?

[greeny253]

Aug 23, 2013 16:16:48 GMT @devlin said:

Thanks for people's replies so far - all useful info.

Another q - do you find it less pressured driving suburban type routes vs those routes that go all the way into the centre of town?

Oh god yes! In the suburbs things tend to go quiet around 7ish whereas I've noticed that the routes I do which (bar 1) go into the centre of town or through the city are busy non stop until much much later.

I'll say this much though. The people are different. One of my colleagues summarised it pretty well by saying that people we pick up on the Bow routes are "working professionals." They're the sort of people who won't hesitate to complain - and I have to admit, in coming round to that way of thinking I'm finding my days less stressful.

[jay]

I refused to let someone on without paying, he punched the screen a few times and it fell through the frame and onto my head. Nobody, engineers, managers or even other drivers seemed remotely concerned. Certainly didn't want to take it very far, as slr says the attitude is that if you are assaulted it's your fault for winding the passengers up.

Nevertheless I do feel safe in my cab, I think I feel most un-at-ease when waking up sleepers and sometimes when checking the top deck when someones had a moan and I haven't clocked them getting off the bus so feel like they could be up there waiting for me!

[vjaska]

Question to all drivers or anyone who knows.

Are you allowed to drive with the assault screen wide open or must it be closed at all times - reason I ask is I once had a driver on the 109 driving a S reg DLA with the assault screen wide open.

[greeny253]

Aug 24, 2013 1:47:17 GMT vjaska said:

Question to all drivers or anyone who knows.

Are you allowed to drive with the assault screen wide open or must it be closed at all times - reason I ask is I once had a driver on the 109 driving a S reg DLA with the assault screen wide open.

On all new TfL spec buses the screen doesn't move anyway - and if it does that soon gets changed. That said, if a driver chooses to do that and he gets assaulted it's largely on his head as the screen is there for a reason (though I have to admit I enjoyed the lack of a screen at Chelmsford).

[RM5chris]

My partner has driven early DLAs with the top half of the screen open/tied off. Admittedly this was the quieter routes but found that with the screen gone many passengers seemed to realise you were a person and started saying 'hello' or 'morning driver' etc which when the screen was closed they wouldn't bother.

Going back a few years, when Capital Citybus/First had the 123 with their all Leyland Olympians ( Capital Citybus Olympian ) these did not have screens (a few did get them retrofitted much later IIRC but don't think they all got done whilst on this route) and these would have passed through Tottenham, Walthamstow and Ilford late at night!