The "bus culture" in your area

[ChrisC]

Perhaps, but these are the instructions to drivers (as of 2019):

https://www.transportforall.org.uk/files/pub19006thebigredbookupdate2019aw.pdf

I also agree that on paper this looks very definitive. However, it doesn’t always work out like that in practise, especially on some more rural routes. Much depends on the drivers familiarity and knowledge of the route and the local authority maintenance of bus stops.

I don‘t live in a completely isolated location, but I do live in a village. The village is a conservation area with the bus stops being shelters built in local stone adjacent to a wall. These are ok for drivers who are very familiar with the route but are not so obviously visible for drivers new to the route. I’ve never had any problems being taken past the stop in the past because the route was operated by a local bus company with regular drivers who knew the route well. Just over a year ago the route was taken over by Stagecoach and although there are regular drivers who are now used to the route, there also are frequently new drivers to the route.

Having been taken past the bus stop on numerous occasions, I now always ring the bell and move to the front of the bus. I am then able to remind the driver if it becomes obvious that they are not going to stop. This is even more of a problem this time of the year when it is dark before the last buses run through the village.

 

[Siemens Trains]

I also agree that on paper this looks very definitive. However, it doesn’t always work out like that in practise, especially on some more rural routes. Much depends on the drivers familiarity and knowledge of the route and the local authority maintenance of bus stops.

I don‘t live in a completely isolated location, but I do live in a village. The village is a conservation area with the bus stops being shelters built in local stone adjacent to a wall. These are ok for drivers who are very familiar with the route but are not so obviously visible for drivers new to the route. I’ve never had any problems being taken past the stop in the past because the route was operated by a local bus company with regular drivers who knew the route well. Just over a year ago the route was taken over by Stagecoach and although there are regular drivers who are now used to the route, there also are frequently new drivers to the route.

Having been taken past the bus stop on numerous occasions, I now always ring the bell and move to the front of the bus. I am then able to remind the driver if it becomes obvious that they are not going to stop. This is even more of a problem this time of the year when it is dark before the last buses run through the village.

Do you state your destination to the driver when boarding? I find it's quite useful to do this in case the route is affected by diversions or maybe I've accidentally boarded the wrong bus. But it's also an opportunity to check if the driver is familiar with the camouflaged stops. If it's a lightly-used route the driver will probably remember the discussion when you ring the bell.

 

[ChrisC]

Do you state your destination to the driver when boarding? I find it's quite useful to do this in case the route is affected by diversions or maybe I've accidentally boarded the wrong bus. But it's also an opportunity to check if the driver is familiar with the camouflaged stops. If it's a lightly-used route the driver will probably remember the discussion when you ring the bell.

I get your point but it shouldn’t really be necessary. It is now just over a year since the route changed operator and I have to say that it’s a few months now since I was last taken past the stop, whereas 6 months it was a variety regular occurrence. Although only a small village, it is the main bus stop, on the main road, in the centre of the village, right outside the village pub. It’s one of the stops listed in the timetable and so I presume is also a timing point. That’s another matter of concern, as since Stagecoach took over running the route, buses are sometimes passing through the village up to 5 minutes early and they do not stop and wait for the right time. I always try to get to the bus stop in good time and I’ve only missed the bus once due to early running.

 

[450.emu]

Poor driver training. Lovely smooth gearboxes when driven correctly. They require a different style of driving compared to a normal automatic.

I think it's the sudden surge forward after the bus chooses it's next gear.

 

[richw]

I think it's the sudden surge forward after the bus chooses it's next gear.

All the Ishifts I’ve driven I’ve never experienced that since I was a novice. They do that when pushing the throttle too hard.

 

[ricoblade]

If you go back far enough, the provinces had 'request' and 'compulsory' bus stops too. When I was a conductor, many years ago, the company I worked for had introduced 'request' stops in the early 60s, and by the mid 70s all apart from the main stops were considered such (unless you had one of the diminishing band of 'old timer' drivers who insisted on stopping at compulsory stops unless given two bells on approach).

Most bus stop flags were only introduced in 1940 or so to congregate passengers in order to reduce brake and tyre wear ('4 stops per mile'), prior to this buses stopped anywhere people were waiting (however in many deep rural areas flags were not erected at all)

In Sheffield in the 70s/80s bus stops were either "Request Stop" black type on yellow or "Fare Stage", which I thinl were a white/cream background.