Be Excellent To Each Other

Sure, that's why I was wondering about the "superhighway" bit. At least the name makes it sound as if they were attempting to do it properly for a change.

They could have replaced them with newer double-decker buses, though.

Who makes double deckers now? And surely they'd have the exactly the same problems: stairs and a high step.

Always a good excuse. Can't do something due to "health and safety", it's the universal get out of jail free card.

That and, "sorry we're not insured for that".

Tell me about it!
But if you were choosing to believe them, I wonder if you'd find that bus-related accidents and injuries had increased or decreased (per vehicle) since the change?

Those with access difficulties are never going to make up more than half of people travelling on a bus, so giving disabled people priority over downstairs seats, coupled with the fact that all modern double deckers have lowering suspension and extending ramps means that stairs and access just can't be an issue.

So busses can't have a top deck because some people can't get to the top of them? Surely as long as there is space on the bottom for disabled/elderly people then it doesn't matter?

Pish!

Oh and I'm pretty sure down in Devon we've just got some brand new double decker busses. (about 18 months ago any way)

Malc

Fair point.

Shrug, I know, but that's what they said. I thought it was a bit of a cop-out too, I think there was also the issue of people falling off the back with the Routemasters though, TBH.

Perhaps the decision was really to avoid the cost of having a conductor as well as a driver on each bus. (Or do they have conductors on the bendy busses?)



I must admit I haven't seen one like that. The Edinburgh double-deckers are all pretty old and nasty. But yeah, at least they don't have an open rear platform.

Ah, the London one's are superb in that respect. They can lower their left-hand side down to practically kerb-level for the elderly or people with mobility problems, and have a yellow wheelchair ramp that comes out of the 'back' door for people with wheelchairs.

[edit]More info: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/tra ... /1171.aspx

Sorry, I was just talking about modern double deckers. The Routemasters, while awesome, were indeed impossible to use for anyone in a wheelchair.

Apparently not. Lots of tales of people sneaking on the back entrance and not paying apparently.

My topical T-shirt for today:

A werewolf costume AND a Clarkson t-shirt?

My hair keeps me warm

Your wife must feel so safe and protected, when those big, strong, hairy arms are gently holding her in the sweetest embrace. *sigh*

I like Ken. If I lived in London, I'd vote for him. but I don't, so I can't.

I still maintain Boris is the best candidate except if you have to live or work in London.

He'd be hilarious on the news but you'd miss that in London thanks to the immediate descent into the middle ages.

Disabled access on double decker buses a problem?

They should stick lifts in them then. That would be interesting.

I doubt it. However, Boris's lack of giving a shit about voting is pretty well-known and doesn't entirely bode well for a mayoral position. If I had the vote, I think I'd go for Paddick as a new option rather than Boris. Clearly, Paddick's fucked, though—not only is he a Lib-Dem, but he's gay. That said, I'm surprised he's polling quite as low as he is.

In our area, we have a less interesting battle: a well-respected Lib-Dem councillor battling for re-election against the guy who spearheaded the anti-Pyestock campaign. Sadly, he nailed his blue colours to his mast, rather than running as an independent, and typical poisonous Tory campaigning over the past week (using Hampshire's crime figures to attack the Lib-Dems, while ignoring our council's own figures) means he's lost my vote.


The pretence of a bumbling oaf (public face), with vicious right-wing policies and beliefs underneath.

Hahaha - not only does that not work (they've removed it now), but the SMS service they put in it's place sent me this:

Not only are they using the language of a ten year-old, they're telling me I don't know where I live, and suggesting that I've somehow signed up for a constant stream of the SMS messages?
WTF?

[edit]And that website says to look on the LondonElects one. Fuck's sake.

The worst thing for London would be if it ended up with another out of control GLC style organisation in charge. After initially doing some good work with the GLC, Ken turned it into an egofest for himself and put the last nail in his and the GLC's coffin.

And I doubt Boris will screw things up, he won't be able to as much as breathe without Cameron giving the OK. He'll have to be seen to be doing a good job as part of the Conservatives push for the next general election. If he fucks up, he could lose votes for them left right and centre. He'll need to be seen to be doing the right things all the time as this will build confidence that the Conservatives are slightly less incompetent and corrupt than the current government.

Personally I'd hang the lot of them and install Alan Sugar as Mayor. He'd get things done.

I have been pushing for Alan Sugar to run for a while now. He'd clearly walk it.

And it is also sad that nobody can run for Mayor any more and stand a chance of winning unless they are at least to some extent a celebrity.

Which is where this dick fell down:

This a coincidence, or did you see Bremner, Bird and Fortune on Sunday?

Nope. I probably only see a couple of hours of TV a week.

I used to get the number 25 bendy bus from Stratford to St.Pauls twice a day, and in 6 months I had my oyster card checked twice. I'm not stupid, after a few weeks I stopped paying altogether and just hung around near the doors ready to make a quick exit if needs be. The next bus would arrive within 5 minutes and on you went.

Good work sir!

Woah, wait, waht? Bremner Bird and Fortune is back on? Fuck! Why did nobody tell me?

You didn't ask.

They've recently re-introduced double deckers in Nottingham. Not sure who makes them, but they are easy access for wheelchairs or buggies.

I made it to the elections last night, about fifteen minutes before they closed. I think. It's all a bit hazy really... my friends were plying me with shots of black sambuca.

We never got sent polling carrds, and we didn't bother chasing up about it.

In other news, it sounded from Today this morning as if Boris may have won London.... How long 'til he accidentally sets fire to it?

He's going to set fire to it? Fan-fucking-tastic. He'd probably get the same award for urban redesign that the IRA did when they decided to redesign Manchester city centre.

Still think it's to close to call mind. But imagine Kens face if he wins. Just imagine it. It would be the kind of face he would pull if you woke up to him after a heavy night out.

The Tories nearly grabbed our council back from NOC. It's now Tories: 17–everyone else: 18. I'm kind of hoping my councillor didn't get the boot, seeing as she's done a really good job, but I think it's likely she's gone in favour of a nice chap running on a single-concern agenda. Nuts.

As for London, if Boris has indeed won, Londoners are going to regret that decision very quickly. Ken's certainly not the best thing in the world, but in a two-horse race, you're better off not backing the one that's likely to run the wrong way, even if the other one has definite plans to shit in your garden.

Cameron will keep Boris on a tight leash. He'll just be the bumbling comedy figurehead.

I should probably look up our council results. I can barely remember who I voted for at the moment. I know that there were three ballot papers, and I asked the nice man who gave me them if I could give negative votes to a couple of the parties.

He'll have to - if Boris screws up, it'll reflect badly on the party, and there'a general election looming in the political calendar. I'm pretty sure they're aware of that and are planning accordingly.

I can keep our dog on a tight leash when we're out walking. That doesn't mean he doesn't occasionally bark at passers-by or take a shit on the pavement.

Indeed, but it stops him from biting anyone.

If the local elections are anything to go by, Ken is fucked.

I don't think there will be much of a correlation. The Mayoral contest is almost one of personality rather than party.

Despite the best efforts of people like the BBC to paint it otherwise.

I voted for Ken. I would almost certainly never vote for labour in a general election.

Better a dog that shits on the pavement than one that shits in your lap and all over your car.

All over your car.

I don't understand all the guff about the Bendy Bus. Almost every other city in Europe has them without any problem. I have been on a motorcycle in Turin and that is 10 times as scary as being in London traffic. They have had bendy busses there for years without any protest.

We fear change. Especially change that looks like something a Johnny Foreigner has been doing.

Because it's a fucking joke. If you're running out of space on a housing estate you don't go replacing all the tower blocks with bungalows, do you?

/me envisages an 18-storey tower-bus, complete with hoodies lurking near the lift..