176 bus (Lounged)

[sallyfran]

Has anybody else noticed a pattern of driving styles on the different buses? 63 drivers seem in general a calm and steady bunch but I've always found the 176 drivers to be frustrated boy racers who aim for maximum acceleration between stops, making for a lurchy ride.

[KalamityKel]

They certainly are scary late night at the weekend. One particular journey zoomed from penge to Kings before I knew it... I wanted to get off on LL lol :-$

[Nero]

The 12 and the 63, 263, 197 can get caught up in Peckham, where the police and the usually super-efficient traffic wardens don't ticket the lorries and minivans that quite often park on the yellow lines. When there is a jam it can take a looooong time for the buses to get through. Nero

[KalamityKel]

The 12 can also be a nightmare around waterloo/westminster. Took me 2 hours once from the Plough to Piccadilly... made me late for the theatre grrrrrr!

I have noticed the 176 in the evenings (from say 8pm) to be more frequent travel through ED lately. Maybe Arriva have more drivers at the Norwood Garage these days ;-)

[Siduhe]

Nero Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The 12 and the 63, 263, 197 can get caught up in

> Peckham, where the police and the usually

> super-efficient traffic wardens don't ticket the

> lorries and minivans that quite often park on the

> yellow lines. When there is a jam it can take a

> looooong time for the buses to get through. Nero

Nero, you must have been on one of the same buses as me this morning! Two number 12 buses both tried to overtake vans parked on the double yellows at the same time and got "locked" with no room for either to get round their respective obstable or each other. 20 mins of reversing/forward 2" or so, and lots of folding mirrors in - finally resolved by one of the van drivers being located and made to move his van a bit further onto the pavement to give the bendy bit of the bus a chance to move through. Poor driving all round, but actually quite funny once I'd reconciled myself to running late...

[Parker's Folly]

The 436 is the Devil's own bus, quick or not. I'd rather pierce my eye repeatedly with a rusty nail than be forced to climb on that bus.

[Keef]

I must admit, one of the major advantages to living by Sydenham train station rather than where I was in ED is not having to get the bus to Peckham then New Cross every morning. I bloody hated it!!!!

[KalamityKel]

I used to hate that journey too. Oh the days of Uni!

The P13 is just a bad a route and service especially at the early time of the last bus. Not ideal if you're seeing a late movie in Streatham!

[KalamityKel]

Oh the joys of the 176 bus in the wee hours of the morning! Took me two bloody hours to get home last night! (6) all of the two buses in that time were packed... come on TFL u know ppl r still out and about past 12am these days! grrrrrr!

[Nero]

KK - The 12 goes from Whitehall and Regent Street. Hop on at the start of the journey and you'll get a seat. I hate the 666 (my preferred name for the 176) too. A few years ago the buses were like something out of the 20s - wooden, grooved floors and scratchy seat fur. Nero

[KalamityKel]

I shouldve pointed out that I was standing in the freezing cold on Waterloo Bridge... Don't ask wot I was doing there... :s lol

[Michael Palaeologus]

What were you doing there?

[KalamityKel]

w8ing for a bus obviously! ;-)

[Administrator]

Lounged

[lordship_bod]

-- moved topic --

[Michael Palaeologus]

Clearly the Administrator of the day is very bored.

[o.davis]

Quick question, and this seems like the most relevant thread to ask it!

Need to head into Dulwich next week on the 176, been told by a friend to meet up at the Dulwich Harvester bus stop, somewhere between East Dulwich and Forest Hill... does anyone know the "proper" name for this stop, ie that I can find on TFL bus route maps etc? Anyone know the approximate time for the 176 to get to the Harvester from Waterloo in the early evening?

Much obliged for all help...

[KalamityKel]

ud be looking for the stop called "Grove Tavern" :)

[SeanMacGabhann]

o

The stop is Dulwich Common - Lordship Lane and I would allow an hour at that time of day. On a good day 50 mins is more likely

[KalamityKel]

Bus Map

Stop labelled Lordship Lane, Grove Tavern (tu)

[will dex]

Guys, there is a bus which runs from Ahsford to Faversham in kent) which infact is the 666! (Fact of the day complete..)

[Keef]

Wasn't the 007 code for Bond based on the number of the coack that Flemming used to catch or something like that?

[176depressive]

I have been travelling on the 176 for about 3 years now because I just couldn't cope with the cattle truck conditions on the trains.

I catch the bus near Lawrie Park Road SE20 and travel to the Strand End of Waterloo Bridge. I actually need to go to Tottencourt Road but unfortunately the amount of time it takes the bus to travel along the Strand and around Trafalgar Square, it it quicker for me to get off at Waterlool Bridge and walk through Covent Garden.

I have nothing but contempt for Arriva buses who refuse to take any complaints seriously. Over the years I have complained about:

Heaters being left on in the summer

Heaters being left off in the winter

Drivers not alerting passengers about diversions or temporary closure of bus stops

Journeys being curtailed without notice

When the journeys are curtailed the driver refuses to provide tickets for the next bus

Drivers never explaining why the journey have been curtailed.

Changing drivers half way round the route and having to wait for the new driver. Why isn't the new driver waiting at the bus stop?

I am also concerned the TFL seem to spend most of their time defending the totally inadequate bus companies instead of defending the passengers they are supposed to represent.

Despite my complaints all the above continue to happen despite assurances for TFL and Arriva.

Things will only get worse now that Ken Livingstone is no longer Mayor. What worries me is that when Boris removes all the bendy buses (I am no lover of them myself but see them as a necessary evil) and replaces them with traditional buses, where will all the drivers come from. I see cuts to routes coming.

I also believe things will only get worse now that Boris has taken over. I remember Margaret Thatcher saying that anyone over 35 who catches a bus is a failure.

If Boris wants people to get out of cars and onto buses he must improve the service but I suppose he has other priorities like looking after his friends with their ?70.000 Range Rovers who live in the West of London.

[citizenED]

Wow, 176depressive - memorable first post. Spleen vented! Welcome to the forum. Happy posting.

[HonaloochieB]

176depressive Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Things will only get worse now that Ken

> Livingstone is no longer Mayor. What worries me

> is that when Boris removes all the bendy buses (I

> am no lover of them myself but see them as a

> necessary evil) and replaces them with traditional

> buses, where will all the drivers come from. I see

> cuts to routes coming.

>

> I also believe things will only get worse now that

> Boris has taken over. I remember Margaret

> Thatcher saying that anyone over 35 who catches a

> bus is a failure.

>

> If Boris wants people to get out of cars and onto

> buses he must improve the service but I suppose he

> has other priorities like looking after his

> friends with their ?70.000 Range Rovers who live

> in the West of London.

Hello and welcome to the EDF 176.

Why do you reckon that 'bendies' are a necessary evil. Why were they necessary in the first place?

If it's about wheelchair/pram access, I think that was taken care of with the modern double-deckers.

Where will all the drivers come from? Thebendies presumably.

Why will things get worse under Boris? Why would the improved bus service that Livingstone brought about be ruined by Johnson?

Why would he do that? He seems to be going out of his way to be populist. His recent sackings have indicated a certain craveness on his part, that he should watch I think.

Just getting back to buses, it was livingstone who said something along the lines of 'only a souless moron would get rid of the Routemaster' I paraphrase, but that was the gist. He then proceeded to... well you know.

I trust Johnson as much as I trusted Livingston. Never voted for either one, as I went for more 'left-field' candidates.

Wait and see what Johnson actually does about transport, before you make judgements.

Sorry that makes me sound bossy, doesn't it?

Anyway, welcome and get on the Song Game and Word Association threads, they're bundles of fun. Honest.