Car users experience on the bus.

Archeron

Just thought I'd share a small experience with you that I had the week before last.

I am a long time car commuter and had little experience with the buses. Before I begin, I know people will chant "check the timetable you gimp" but that aside, just an opinion being stated here.

I had a day off work (I live in Trim) and wanted to meet some friends in Dublin, browse some shops etc. First inclination is to drive, and then I thought, no, sure I may as well get the bus, for many reasons, not the least of which is trying not to add to the traffic nightmare in Dublin.
Got the bus into town at 10am, nice journey. Pleasant bus etc. Got into town, met friends for lunch, had a good time. About 3pm, I thought I'll head back to Busaras for the bus home. I sauntered across the city as it was feckin lovely out that day, and got to Busaras at 3.20. I enquired as to the next bus to Trim, and the nice girl said 5.30pm (and looked genuinely apologetic), as I had just missed the 3pm one. Two and a bit hours of waiting later, got onto the un-air conditioned bus. Sat in rush hour traffic, and it took two packed hot sweaty sticky hours to get home. (I'm 6 foot three, and seats are not made to accomodate me)
I know you may say theres not the demand in Trim, but they had to put a 2nd bus on at 5.30 and both of them were full.
So I got home at 7.30, tired,cramped, sticky, p*ssed off and unhappy. Had I brought my car, I would have been home at 4pm cool as a cucumber, and humming my favourite tune.
I know this is a very selfish one sided point that I am making, but just wanted to throw it out how the option of public transport doesnt appeal as much as it should. Add to that the lack of seating in and the general unpleasantness of Busaras, and I think next time I'll just stay at home.
Rant over, and I'm braced for the nasty comments

Hagar

Busaras is a dirty kip. As the main bus station in a capital city it would be better suited to Estonia.

Ice_Box

I must say I hate the bus myself. Very poor service. Even though there is a one hour queue for my car on the Lucan road its still quicker than the bus.

peter1892

I'm braced for the nasty comments

Can't think why! Last saturday I decided to avail of public transport rather than drive into the city. After quite a bit of waiting around, I eventually got on a train heading back home. The train itself was fine, but waiting around on the platform at Tara st. (which was occupied by a number of...let's call them adult delinquents as they weren't juvenile) wasn't the most pleasant experience! :rolleyes:

My last few trips on Dublin Bus have been marred by an apparent inability of the company's employees to learn how to read their watches. In other words, late buses :mad:

So, I'm another one of those people who once used public transport but for a variety of reasons is happier to drive pretty much everywhere.

अधिनायक

There are 4 motorways planned for meath, None go past Trim. Dunno why. There is no railway and no prospect of one so it's a very car dependent place.

The more people choose to buy and then use cars, the less viable public transport becomes.

Car is nearly always the better choice for the individual and the worse choice for society. You should have driven for your own good, but by the same token, society should have taxed your bollocks off for the good of everyone else.

the_syco

If jjkavanagh go to or through Trim, use them. They have nice comfy air-conditioned buses. As for Bus Eireann, I've reguraly had to use a bus that was older then me:eek: (reg was 1979).

Dublin Bus is one example of public transport, which, although you'll get alot of complaints about, is fairly decent, esp with the QBC's. It takes me 20-30 minutes to get to work, but in a car, it'd take 10 minutes (with no traffic) to 1 hour (with traffic), and as I work shift, there is no "good" time to leave the house at

Hoof Hearted

I'm 6' 3'' too and legroom and comfort in addition to not waiting 2 hours for the next bus is another major reason why people resort to private car. If public transport is to be competitive at least give people basic comfort. My knees can get quite soar being pushed up tight against a hard plastic backing of the seats. An interim "cheap" solution would be to install soft padding behind the seat backs. I say cheap because I know expensive solutions like reducing the number of seats and spacing them farther apart will not be considered. It might be just enough to tilt the balance for me to use the bus and train instead of the car. Plus you don't want to be on the bus when I feel cramped in.... especially if Ize eats mee spinach the night before.. Think gas ....:o which first comes as a trickle and then gives my back a tickle. Another reason you don't want to share the bus when I am on board, further undermining the case to use public transport. At least I don't cause anyone to suffocate when I'm in my own car as I can always open the window and add to the eclectic aroma of the Dublin air. My apologies to past victims.;)
Hoof Hearted.

P.S. Anybody want my old car seat covers (Dr. Scholl brand). Maybe I should send them to Dublin Bus.

Red Alert

Seen as the PR/insert-other-gnome-term-here types who seem to now run CIE appear to have banned drivers from opening the front doors in the sweltering heat, it's time all new bus stock was fitted with Air Conditioning.

The problem is worse on RA/RV buses because of the engine radiator at the front which tends to heat up the front area. There is no interlock on the front door because assuming the bus isn't full to bursting and people stay behind the white line no harm can come to anyone.

shltter

Red Alert wrote:

Seen as the PR/insert-other-gnome-term-here types who seem to now run CIE appear to have banned drivers from opening the front doors in the sweltering heat, it's time all new bus stock was fitted with Air Conditioning.

The problem is worse on RA/RV buses because of the engine radiator at the front which tends to heat up the front area. There is no interlock on the front door because assuming the bus isn't full to bursting and people stay behind the white line no harm can come to anyone.

You will be pleased to hear that DB is fitting Door Brakes(interlock) on the front doors of all buses. Which should add a couple of minutes to most journeys.

Victor

Red Alert wrote:

The problem is worse on RA/RV buses because of the engine radiator at the front which tends to heat up the front area. There is no interlock on the front door because assuming the bus isn't full to bursting and people stay behind the white line no harm can come to anyone.

And what if someone tries to get on the bus in the middle of traffic and falls off?

TheMonster

Ice_Box wrote:

I must say I hate the bus myself. Very poor service. Even though there is a one hour queue for my car on the Lucan road its still quicker than the bus.

Would seriously doubt that - the N4 from woodies has a bus lane so you must be using that

spacetweek

TheMonster wrote:

Would seriously doubt that - the N4 from woodies has a bus lane so you must be using that

Yes but getting to that bus lane is rock hard. Back in 2005 I began getting the bus into town from Lucan having used other arrangements for many years. F*****g joke. It took about 30 minutes just to get from the centre of Lucan vill to the N4 Woodies junction (1-2km). Unusable. However if you hit the N4 at say Newcastle junction, although the traffic is slow, it does keep moving and is actually faster BION.

Red Alert

Front Door Brake is going to mean breakdown! Loads of DMS and M class metrobuses in the UK only became popular with private operators after a few companies set themselves up in business to deactivate these locks.

shltter

Red Alert wrote:

Front Door Brake is going to mean breakdown! Loads of DMS and M class metrobuses in the UK only became popular with private operators after a few companies set themselves up in business to deactivate these locks.

Yes and it makes for a rougher journey as the Bus kicks into gear not to mention the extra delay.
And anybody running for the bus or trying to get on at lights etc can forget about it once those doors are closed cant see many drivers stopping the bus and knocking it out of gear for anyone.

Red Alert

Do the interlocks just disengage but not brake, lock the transmission, or prevent the handbrake going off?

John R

Red Alert wrote:

Do the interlocks just disengage but not brake, lock the transmission, or prevent the handbrake going off?

Not able to open doors until handbrake is on. Gearbox will not engage drive until doors are closed.

John R

Victor wrote:

And what if someone tries to get on the bus in the middle of traffic and falls off?

In the bad old days they would get back on their feet ASAP to avoid public embarrassment for being stupid. Nowadays they would lie still on the ground, whip out the phone and call the lawyer, police and ambulance in that order.

Imagine, for over 50 years city buses had no doors at all and people could hop on and off wherever they wanted, buses typically spent a few seconds at the most stationary at stops. Parnell Sq to DunLaoghaire took 25 mns. We have progressed very much since then, the same trip takes close to an hour.

John R

the_syco wrote:

If jjkavanagh go to or through Trim, use them. They have nice comfy air-conditioned buses. As for Bus Eireann, I've reguraly had to use a bus that was older then me:eek: (reg was 1979).

Oldest buses in the regular BE fleet date from the early 90's. There are some buses in the schools fleet from the late 80s that may occasionally be used on services but nothing anywhere close to 1979.

Besides, unless you are familiar with the old style reg plates it isn't likely you could tell the age of a bus pre-87.

shltter

John R wrote:

Oldest buses in the regular BE fleet date from the early 90's. There are some buses in the schools fleet from the late 80s that may occasionally be used on services but nothing anywhere close to 1979.

Besides, unless you are familiar with the old style reg plates it isn't likely you could tell the age of a bus pre-87.

Possible it is an imported hacker bus working for BE

bazzer06

John R wrote:

Besides, unless you are familiar with the old style reg plates it isn't likely you could tell the age of a bus pre-87.

Don't older vehicles have to get an updated registration plate now? I've seen quite a few 60s and 70s registered cars around using the modern system.

John R

bazzer06 wrote:

Don't older vehicles have to get an updated registration plate now? I've seen quite a few 60s and 70s registered cars around using the modern system.

That's only for new registrations of old vehicles such as imported ones. Anything with a pre-87 issued plate can keep it indefinitely.

Vintage vehicles over 30 years old can also get an old style plate (ZV---) or a new style one.

John R

shltter wrote:

Possible it is an imported hacker bus working for BE

They shouldn't be using old buses either, the contracts BE have with them give a maximum age of the vehicle. The main contractors all use very recent coaches although there may be one or two rural outfits used to cover gaps with bangers.


The vast majority of the BE service fleet is under 10 years old.