Boris' Folly?

[Scouse]

Why? If it reduces passenger congestion getting off and on, what's the problem?

'cause I reckon that the space used up by the staircase could be put to much better use cramming a few more people on.

Lets face it, buses are there to move as many people about as possible. If people are really that bothered about tiny little extra morsels of comfort they could pay the premium and get a taxi.

The only way the extra staircase would make sense is if it saves so much time that the buses can get around their route a second time, otherwise it's just a waste of space...

 

[Sparx]

'cause I reckon that the space used up by the staircase could be put to much better use cramming a few more people on.

Lets face it, buses are there to move as many people about as possible. If people are really that bothered about tiny little extra morsels of comfort they could pay the premium and get a taxi.

The only way the extra staircase would make sense is if it saves so much time that the buses can get around their route a second time, otherwise it's just a waste of space...

When you have routes like the 38 (which has always been a routemaster route) buses are every 2 mins so there is plenty of room

 

[Damini]

I think they look great, and maintain that touristy english charm. I'm pretty proud of iconic English designs like the phone box, the letter box, and the big red bus, and think they are things we should actively support. Bendy buses were shit, looked shit, and killed people, which is a pretty big fail in my book. If they at least made noises like an accordion every time they went round roundabouts, that would have been something. Talk about a missed opportunity.

 

[Sparx]

I think they look great, and maintain that touristy english charm. I'm pretty proud of iconic English designs like the phone box, the letter box, and the big red bus, and think they are things we should actively support. Bendy buses were shit, looked shit, and killed people, which is a pretty big fail in my book. If they at least made noises like an accordion every time they went round roundabouts, that would have been something. Talk about a missed opportunity.

Still the best Arctic poster ad

 

[DaGaffer]

'cause I reckon that the space used up by the staircase could be put to much better use cramming a few more people on.

Lets face it, buses are there to move as many people about as possible. If people are really that bothered about tiny little extra morsels of comfort they could pay the premium and get a taxi.

The only way the extra staircase would make sense is if it saves so much time that the buses can get around their route a second time, otherwise it's just a waste of space...

Not really, by that logic we should just get the Bolivian chicken buses and stick people on the roof. Modern design means you can almost certainly package this routemaster to take more passengers than the old one even with an extra staircase. And by having the rear door they've reintroduced the one thing that keeps the overall numbers of passengers on the bus at any one time managable, you can get off without waiting for a stop (tbh I'm surprised the HSE Nazis didn't kill the rear door dead). When they got rid of Routemasters this was the biggest thing that caused congestion on the new buses, people having stay on longer than they needed to.

 

[ford prefect]

Saying that - my TFL friend looked at the new tube carriages that are coming in on the Victoria line and said they have a fraction of the seats because theres tons of Wheelchair spaces in every carriage (despite never seeing a wheelchair on the tube and I'm a Londoner lol).

Theres only a couple of stations on the network that have stair free access - its not exactly suitable for the disabled.

Fair enough, however my wife uses the Jubilee line every other week, and most of it is accessible and she is a wheelchair user. Also bear in mind that they will be focusing on the upcoming paralympics.

 

[Sparx]

I do think this country has completely gone over the top with disability access. The sainsburys near me has 2 full rows for disability cars. I've only ever seen 2 maybe 3 cars at a time parked there, not 20

Dont get me wrong its great that the access is there but not as many as that, there are more disability spaces than mother and child

 

[MYstIC G]

I think they've clearly saved a lot of space by moving the mechanical components anyway, most buses at the moment have a rear engine don't they?

 

[Sparx]

I think they've clearly saved a lot of space by moving the mechanical components anyway, most buses at the moment have a rear engine don't they?

Spoiler

 

[ford prefect]

I do think this country has completely gone over the top with disability access. The sainsburys near me has 2 full rows for disability cars. I've only ever seen 2 maybe 3 cars at a time parked there, not 20

Dont get me wrong its great that the access is there but not as many as that, there are more disability spaces than mother and child

Why does anyone need mother and child bays? What is wrong with carrying your child, people did for eons, it worked well. Wheelchair users actually NEED the extra space to get in and out of the car. When we go to the supermarket we usually can't find an accessible bay because people have the disability of being a parent, fat or old or a twat. It has gotten to the point now where we go in the evening to 24 hour asda/tesco so we can actually park.

 

[DaGaffer]

Why does anyone need mother and child bays? What is wrong with carrying your child, people did for eons, it worked well. Wheelchair users actually NEED the extra space to get in and out of the car. When we go to the supermarket we usually can't find an accessible bay because people have the disability of being a parent, fat or old or a twat. It has gotten to the point now where we go in the evening to 24 hour asda/tesco so we can actually park.

Blame safety legislation. Try getting your infant out of a car seat in a normal parking bay. Even if you're carrying your child you still need the doors wide open to physically get them out. Plus, modern child-safety rules recommend ISOFIX child seats, where you don't unbelt the child, but unclip the whole seat, making it even more awkward.

 

[ford prefect]

Blame safety legislation. Try getting your infant out of a car seat in a normal parking bay. Even if you're carrying your child you still need the doors wide open to physically get them out. Plus, modern child-safety rules recommend ISOFIX child seats, where you don't unbelt the child, but unclip the whole seat, making it even more awkward.

I'm a parent myself, I managed that feat quite easily by using some common sense and a removable seat, we had a big volvo estate at the time too. What really annoys me is when I regularly see people with kids who are school age using them, as well as disabled bays. It becomes a very irritating habit with some people.

If my partner isn't with me I use a normal bay with my kids, always have. It isn't rocket science. Outside super markets disabled bays are very rare and hard to come by quite often. We went to cardiff a couple of weeks ago on a saturday, it took 1 hour 40 mintes to find a accessible bay for example, they were all mostly taken by people with kids. Central London is worse as you can't really park and you need an orange badge for the westminster area as a blue badge just won't cut it, so it is public transport or bust.

 

[Sparx]

Why does anyone need mother and child bays? What is wrong with carrying your child, people did for eons, it worked well. Wheelchair users actually NEED the extra space to get in and out of the car. When we go to the supermarket we usually can't find an accessible bay because people have the disability of being a parent, fat or old or a twat. It has gotten to the point now where we go in the evening to 24 hour asda/tesco so we can actually park.

Thats not my point. Why need 20 spaces when only 3 or 4 get used at any one time? Im not trying to be disrespectful here saying fuck wheel chair users i think its great they can be accomodated more these days i just feel its gone overboard

 

[Calaen]

Mother and children bays are worth having simply because when you get kids opening doors, they aint going to be doing it carefully.

 

[ford prefect]

Mother and children bays are worth having simply because when you get kids opening doors, they aint going to be doing it carefully.

Teach your kids to open them carefully.

 

[ford prefect]

Thats not my point. Why need 20 spaces when only 3 or 4 get used at any one time? Im not trying to be disrespectful here saying fuck wheel chair users i think its great they can be accomodated more these days i just feel its gone overboard

If anything not nearly enough money is spent on accessibility.

 

[Calaen]

Teach your kids to open them carefully.

If it's windy adults can have a hard time opening them properly.

 

[Sparx]

Ford surely you could be sympathetic to people in situation like having to deal with 2 or 3 small children on your own and finding the bays helpful instead of thinking my needs are greater than yours attitude

Im able bodied so i dont mind parking at the back of the carpark same as i ALWAYS give my seat on public transport to less abled people, even to women as thats the way my dad brought me up. Ive been on the tube before at one end and a pregnant woman got on at the other end. Not one person gave her a seat so i yelled at the top of my voice here love have my seat, she then had to walk past everyone sitting down, with them all looking totally embarrassed so she could have my seat

I thought it was disgusting

 

[ford prefect]

If it's windy adults can have a hard time opening them properly.

If there are no accessible bays because Parents can't teach their kids to open and close a door, then wheelchair users physically can't get out of their cars at all.

 

[MYstIC G]

If anything not nearly enough money is spent on accessibility.

Given the ratios, I think we spend a fair amount actually.

Getting back to buses, it's always escaped me that as most black cab's are equipped for disabled access why don't they just have a subsidised disabled rate and put the space back on the buses? (in London anyway).

 

[Scouse]

there are more disability spaces than mother and child

I've no issue with disability spaces but mother and child can fuck right off.

If you've chosen to pump out whinging brats you shouldn't automatically be given extra space at the supermarket, extra cash benefits, tax breaks etc.

It's a lifestyle choice. If you're not prepared to put up with the inconvenience of having kids then don't fucking have 'em!

Grrrrr! N' stuff

 

[Sparx]

At my work we have spent alot of money putting wheelchair access in, as well as disability bays into a carpark that already isnt big enough for all staff to use bays which sit empty while other cant park. And in 7 years i havent seen a single person use those bays or ramps unless they are me and too hungover to walk up the steps

Its good we have it as everything its better to be prepared than caught out but my beef is why have so many bays if they arent being used and everyone else suffers?

 

[ford prefect]

Ford surely you could be sympathetic to people in situation like having to deal with 2 or 3 small children on your own and finding the bays helpful instead of thinking my needs are greater than yours attitude

Im able bodied so i dont mind parking at the back of the carpark same as i ALWAYS give my seat on public transport to less abled people, even to women as thats the way my dad brought me up. Ive been on the tube before at one end and a pregnant woman got on at the other end. Not one person gave her a seat so i yelled at the top of my voice here love have my seat, she then had to walk past everyone sitting down, with them all looking totally embarrassed so she could have my seat

I thought it was disgusting

Yes I can sympathise, and for people with very young children thats fine, when you take your six year old out with you, why do you need an accessible bay? Specifically why would you park in a busy car park and take up a disabled bay when you don't need one. People do it all the time. It is something we come accross everywhere we go. I doubt most people can appreciate just how frustrating it is until you have experienced it.

 

[Scouse]

Teach your kids to open them carefully.

In fact, beat them in the face with the buckle of your leather belt if they don't open them carefully.

If it's windy park close to a car on one side and tell them to get out of the other door. Easy.

 

[Sparx]

Yeah i agree if your child is able to walk fine then normal bays should be used, i was thinking of babies and toddlers

I know a couple of people who park in disabled bays due to driving their parents cars who have badges and it always makes me feel uneasy especially if its out on the street with only one bay

 

[Scouse]

I know a couple of wankers who park in disabled bays due to driving their parents cars who have badges and it always makes me feel uneasy especially if its out on the street with only one bay

Fixed

 

[ford prefect]

Yeah i agree if your child is able to walk fine then normal bays should be used, i was thinking of babies and toddlers

I know a couple of people who park in disabled bays due to driving their parents cars who have badges and it always makes me feel uneasy especially if its out on the street with only one bay

I don't have a problem with that at all, that is the entitlement of a blue badge holder. A lady I work with however borrows her mothers blue badge so she can park her landrover in the closest disabled bays "Because it is Quicker". There are a lot of people out there with a similar attitude.

I recently blocked a police car in a disabled bay. He was at asda in a car park full of empty bays and decided to park there. It turned out he had gone in there to do some shopping, but I couldn't have cared less if he was there to make an arrest, he shouldn't have parked there.

 

[Calaen]

If there are no accessible bays because Parents can't teach their kids to open and close a door, then wheelchair users physically can't get out of their cars at all.

There are more disabled spaces at all of the super markets in my area than mother and children spaces. And the spaces are no doubt often abused by people who neither have kids just like the people who are not really disbaled but use the badge.

 

[Sparx]

I don't have a problem with that at all, that is the entitlement of a blue badge holder. A lady I work with however borrows her mothers blue badge so she can park her landrover in the closest disabled bays "Because it is Quicker". There are a lot of people out there with a similar attitude.

I recently blocked a police car in a disabled bay. He was at asda in a car park full of empty bays and decided to park there. It turned out he had gone in there to do some shopping, but I couldn't have cared less if he was there to make an arrest, he shouldn't have parked there.

Yeah thats what i mean they do they borrow their parents car and badge without them and park up

 

[ford prefect]

Incidentally another place you get hardly any accessible bays are hospitals, our local hospital which is also our local A&E has 10 disabled bays total, all of which are still under a parking contract (one of the few hospitals in the UK which are), and they cost £3.50 per hour to use. The nearest on street parking is half a mile away.