Stafford's Traffic Lights...

[United57]

Henry's cat " Personally I'd sympathise with bus drivers adopting more of the Birmingham bus driving style - indicate and pull out very shortly afterwards...." as somebody who witnesed a Birmingham bus pulling out and driving over a sports car and nearly killing the occupant, I do not see this as a solution. I also believe there is no such law giving buses the right to pull out. The highway code gives guidance about allowing buses to pull out.

PSV licence might mean "pull out, signal, view the carnage."

 

[henryscat]

Incidentally, per mile travelled buses and coaches are involved in far less accidents than cars.

 

[Mr X]

Incidentally, per mile travelled buses and coaches are involved in far less accidents than cars.

In fairness though, they are huge things that stand out quite well, and because they travel such huge distances the number of accidents per mile travelled will be less. There are also factors such as the use of headlights all the time which as I mentioned a while ago should be a legal requirement imo.

Sadly, when a bus is involved in an accident it can be far more serious than in a car-car accident; people are not wearing seatbelts, there are a lot of people in one vehicle, no real safety features in buses (crumple zones, airbags etc.).

I have no evidence but I would be fairly confident in saying that there are accidents caused by buses indirectly. Although the bus is not actually involved there must be shunts as people stop suddenly behind, having to swerve to avoid buses pulling out quickly, and hitting oncoming traffic when trying to pass at bus stops?

For the record, I am not anti-bus at all. Buses have a purpose and are generally good at what they need to do. I raise these points only because you seem to repeatedly try and suggest that buses are perfect and offer all the answers to the problems caused by cars.

 

[henryscat]

Incidentally, per mile travelled buses and coaches are involved in far less accidents than cars.

In fairness though, they are huge things that stand out quite well, and because they travel such huge distances the number of accidents per mile travelled will be less.

Accident rates are measured on per passenger kilometre basis so that differences to compare like with like i.e. travelling a million miles in a coach you are far far less likely to be involved in an accident than a car.

There are also factors such as the use of headlights all the time which as I mentioned a while ago should be a legal requirement imo.

Yep, daylight running lights is probably not a bad idea.

Sadly, when a bus is involved in an accident it can be far more serious than in a car-car accident; people are not wearing seatbelts, there are a lot of people in one vehicle, no real safety features in buses (crumple zones, airbags etc.).

The accident stats don't back that view. Yes when accidents happen they can be nasty, but the outcome overall is you're less likely to be injured. Coaches are seat belt fitted and speed limited.

In terms of car/car accidents some of these are worse thanks to the increased popularity of 4x4s - i.e. the occupant of a car is more likely to be killed/seriously injured if they collide with a 4x4 as opposed to a car of similar size.

I have no evidence but I would be fairly confident in saying that there are accidents caused by buses indirectly. Although the bus is not actually involved there must be shunts as people stop suddenly behind, having to swerve to avoid buses pulling out quickly, and hitting oncoming traffic when trying to pass at bus stops?

You're clutching a straws!!

Again, if you're driving properly none of those risks exist. Drivers should anticipate what's going on ahead: i.e. bus ahead has indicator on, someone in front could slow down to let it out, I may need to slow down. Provided you aren't driving glued to the bumper of the car in front there isn't a problem. Overtaking a stationary vehicle whether a bus or anything else, it is the overtaking driver's responsibility and any accident is his fault.

For the record, I am not anti-bus at all. Buses have a purpose and are generally good at what they need to do. I raise these points only because you seem to repeatedly try and suggest that buses are perfect and offer all the answers to the problems caused by cars.

What I'm suggesting is that some people on here are downright inconsiderate and selfish in their behaviour to other road users, like buses. Personally I can't see what the great hardship is in letting them out.

 

[United57]

The bus incident I referred to in Birmingham was the bus drivers fault. He pulled out as they all believed they had the right to do so. He could not have looked and he did not indicate. A lot of witnesses came forward. Not all bus drivers are angels and the same goes for car drivers.

 

[Withnail]

If all journeys are equally important and there are 20 people on a bus, does it not follow that the bus is 20 times more important than a singly occupied car?

I mean that as a question rather than a statement, i'd rather cycle anyway.

Apropos cycling at roundabouts, approach with same advice as to randy bulls - show no fear and run at it shouting.

 

[My Name is URL]

What I'm suggesting is that some people on here are downright inconsiderate and selfish in their behaviour to other road users, like buses. Personally I can't see what the great hardship is in letting them out.

You have done very well to ignore my comments:

Its like when someone at the front of a freeflowing line of traffic goes out of their way to stop and let someone out when 5 or 10 cars behind there is a space that they could of got out in anyway... but by braking to let that person out the person at the front makes all of the other cars brake and then causes a backlog...

That is selfish....

 

[henryscat]

You have done very well to ignore my comments:

Its like when someone at the front of a freeflowing line of traffic goes out of their way to stop and let someone out when 5 or 10 cars behind there is a space that they could of got out in anyway... but by braking to let that person out the person at the front makes all of the other cars brake and then causes a backlog...

That is selfish....

The subject being discussed was letting buses out not cars letting other cars out.

Not letting buses pull out is inconsiderate and selfish.

PS> It's "could have" not "could of".

 

[My Name is URL]

Where did I mention letting other cars out... ? I said (repeating yself) "goes out of their way to stop and let someone out"

As for "Not letting buses pull out is inconsiderate and selfish." You're starting to sound like a politician constantly repeating yourself without ever managing to dispute the points that are repeatedly put to you....

Not letting busses out is inconsiderate and selfish against the people on the bus, maybe, but it is considerate and unselfish towards the people in the cars behind you. I thank you and good night. (but then as a bus user, you may think what is in the best interests of yourself as a bus user... hmmmmm)

 

[zakkwylde87]

Incidentally, per mile travelled buses and coaches are involved in far less accidents than cars.

In fairness though, they are huge things that stand out quite well, and because they travel such huge distances the number of accidents per mile travelled will be less. There are also factors such as the use of headlights all the time which as I mentioned a while ago should be a legal requirement imo.

Sadly, when a bus is involved in an accident it can be far more serious than in a car-car accident; people are not wearing seatbelts, there are a lot of people in one vehicle, no real safety features in buses (crumple zones, airbags etc.).

I have no evidence but I would be fairly confident in saying that there are accidents caused by buses indirectly. Although the bus is not actually involved there must be shunts as people stop suddenly behind, having to swerve to avoid buses pulling out quickly, and hitting oncoming traffic when trying to pass at bus stops?

For the record, I am not anti-bus at all. Buses have a purpose and are generally good at what they need to do. I raise these points only because you seem to repeatedly try and suggest that buses are perfect and offer all the answers to the problems caused by cars.

Yet again i completely agree.

Henrys cat i think your missing the point that gk141054 is making ...

I use the bus quite a lot and my main problem is the cost of them when there's no one on them usually and they are consistantly not on time. They smell inside and out. They are also noisier than the most obnoxious boy racer engines/exhaust systems.

It costs me 1.70 to go 2 miles to town. And if i ask for a return it works out more expensive. The cost goes from 1.20 from town to radford bank to 1.70 to get to the top of radford bank by the old PHQ! Thats 50p for a 100 yards! These are just a few of the problems i have with public transport.

However i ALWAYS let them out. But do thrash it past them if they pull over in the road infront of me and we have to wait for the people from Rugely to argue their way out of a fair... Obviously if its safe to do so within the speed limit Henryscat...

My main issue is having to share the bus into town with people from Rugeley who want to come and visit our lovely town.

Volvos have had daylight running lights for years and years and they have always been renound for being one of the safest cars to buy. If the weathers bad i sometimes use my fogs on as 'driving lights'. But everytime i do this i think the police are going to tell me off... and they have once already. This is presumably to do with the boy racer culture and adhereing to the high way code. Which is fair enough, it annoys me when people drive with fogs on in the sunlight and on perfectly clear nights. But i do wonder if it hinders safety in other conditions.

Personally i drive with side lights on nearly all the time especially over winter. But i like the way that on my car it makes four nice blue looking rings that look pretty swish

Roll on the cuffy!

I would like to re-itterate i am not a boy racer.

 

[db]

Henrys cat i think your missing the point that gk141054 is making ...

erm, no, i think you've missed the point that gk141054 is making! lol.. he hasn't mentioned any of the things you have.. your complaints are with the buses themselves, the associated costs, etc.. you even go so far as to say that you "ALWAYS let them out", which is the complete antithesis of gk's posts lol..

Its like when someone at the front of a freeflowing line of traffic goes out of their way to stop and let someone out when 5 or 10 cars behind there is a space that they could of got out in anyway... but by braking to let that person out the person at the front makes all of the other cars brake and then causes a backlog...

That is selfish....

are you serious, or is this an april fool? lol.. stopping to let someone out is selfish?? unless you were going to get a blowjob as a result of said act, there is no way it can be selfish lol.. at worst, inconsiderate of the drivers behind you, but that doesn't make it "selfish"..

i hate buses.. i will happily admit to being "anti-bus".. but i am genuinely struggling to believe some of the "arguments" you are making, i'm starting think this is just a well-played troll lol..

i drive home down the weston road every day.. very slowly, since the traffic is a nightmare at that time of evening.. when i get to the crossroads just before the met bar, i always wait there letting people turn into st. thomas street, or cross the road from westhead avenue.. i tend to wait there for quite some time, often letting as many as 20 cars in or out.. i can see the road ahead of me clearly, so i can see if the lights down by the met bar are on red, or if the traffic's backed up through normal evening congestion.. if that is the case, i will just sit there letting cars through with gay abandon.. this invariably renders a few "pips" from disgruntled drivers behind me, despite the fact that if i carried on my journey, the best i could manage would be to travel 100 yards down to the lights.. if i did this, however, you can guarantee that no other queynte would let the poor buggers through.. is this selfish? no, because i am doing it purely for the benefit of others.. inconsiderate of the drivers behind me? no, because i am considering them, and in my mind the benefit to the ones i am letting through far outweighs the minor benefit that i am depriving them of (i.e. moving forward 100 yards)..

so, in summary: adding 10 seconds to your journey by letting a bus out can hardly be called selfish, it's just good manners lol.. holding a door open for someone will take a similar amount of time, and may hold up other people behind you.. is that selfish also?

 

[Wyred]

I think you some of you guys ought to invest in a copy of this

 

[zakkwylde87]

i wasn't refering to Gk's comments at all really.... just saying that Henryscat maybe wasnt understanding them.

My points were just my thoughts on matters that are relevant to this thread.... Nothing more .

 

[db]

i wasn't refering to Gk's comments at all really...

then why did you say henryscat was missing gk's point?

i'm not disagreeing with your points - in fact, i completely agree, i hate buses for all those reasons and more!

 

[henryscat]

Volvos have had daylight running lights for years and years and they have always been renound for being one of the safest cars to buy. If the weathers bad i sometimes use my fogs on as 'driving lights'. But everytime i do this i think the police are going to tell me off... and they have once already. This is presumably to do with the boy racer culture and adhereing to the high way code.

Daylight running lights - fine, there is evidence to suggest that there would be a benefit.

Fog lights - it is illegal (not just highway code) to use fog lights unless bad weather means visibility is less than 100 metres (it is rare that visibility drops this low). If you are using them at other times then you are being utterly inconsiderate. Fog lights dazzle other drivers (as well as advertising idiot at the wheel).

I would like to re-itterate i am not a boy racer.

Sure about that? That's not the impression you gave on the other thread about enforcing road regs.

You seem to be a bit selective about which rules of the road you think apply to you.

 

[United57]

Daylight running lights

Yes I have been in Slovenia where this is the law. The locals hate it.

 

[wildwood]

My car has DRL's - and it's not a Volvo.

Although they've not had a bearing in my accident rate - which still remains at zero after 15 years.

 

[gon2seed]

Still not driving due to the DVLA not responding to my letter! I am insured, didn't have an epileptic fit, have served over 12 months recommended since my acident, begining to wish I hadn't even told them! May be I should drive and feck um! Knowing my luck I'd have an crash, questions would be asked, and I'd end up in the sugar!!!

(So exactly WHY do you think anyone will be remotely interested in this irrellevance, you numpty? Ed)

 

[United57]

Still not driving due to the DVLA not responding to my letter! I am insured, didn't have an epileptic fit, have served over 12 months recommended since my acident, begining to wish I hadn't even told them! May be I should drive and feck um! Knowing my luck I'd have an crash, questions would be asked, and I'd end up in the sugar!!!

(So exactly WHY do you think anyone will be remotely interested in this irrellevance, you numpty? Ed)

Unfortunately lots of people drive whilst not having insurance and the ones that loose out are those that insure their car.

I hope you sort out your issue with the DVLA

 

[Wembley1972]

It's rumored that Stafford has more traffic lights than Blackpool has illuminations It's particularly frustrating when sitting at a red light when there's nothing coming the other way, this happens frequently. Also the lights at the junction Sandon Rd/Corporation St only give traffic priority for a few seconds to traffic leaving from Corporation St/Albert Terrace (maybe 2/3 cars). Do the traffic/road sensors ever work correctly to measure the flow of traffic in Stafford?

The lane system on the Queensway by ASDA still causes confusion for some and Newport Rd is a nightmare at the best of times (who designed the exit from Tesco's? sometimes it can take 45 mins to leave the carpark onto Newport Rd) Lichield Rd by St Paul's church is best avoided unless you have plenty of time on your hands.