After being a dad for 21 years and with 4 children, I went to help on my first school trip today with 20 charming and well-behaved 7-year-olds. Bon't bin this post yet mods, the motoring bit is just coming.
We travelled from Richmond to Chester-le-Street and back in a modern tall 50-seater air-conditioned coach with a 100 KPH sticker on the back. I sat near the front so I could be nosey and watch what was going on 'cos I used to drive coaches part-time in the early 70's.
During the trip up the driver yawned continually, appeared to ignore his mirrors, mercilessly tailgated traffic trying to observe the 50 mph limit through the roadworks and took a 15 minute call on the plumbed-in mobile fitted to the dash (not hands-free) during which time he steered with alternate elbows (never deviating more than a couple of inches from the nearside lane marker). I would characterise his driving as aggressive and unprofessional and I hope I put up a better show 30 years ago even when distracted by a victorious, noisy, drunken and incontinent darts team.
Now I'm not even an occasional user of buses or coaches, preferring the cars, motor-bike or push-bike so my questions are, is this normal? Do any of you use buses or coaches to get about and is this driver representative or a one-off? Any input from the professionals among you?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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Some years ago when I lived in the West Midlands I always used Flights Coaches to go to and from Heathrow. Their service included free secure parking at their garage (could also have your car serviced if you wanted) Invariably always sat in seat at rear of driver to watch over his shoulder. If only all the rest of us drove to their standards we should have no worries and no so called accidents.
Happy Motoring Phil I
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Last year I had to travel London-Newcastle return and after working out I could have had a dirty weekend in Paris for 2 for the cost of the train fare, and being in no particular hurry -- it was on a weekend --, I took the National Coach. I also sat in the front mainly so I had some scenery to look at both ways. I can say the driving throughout was impeccable, despite the antics of some other road-users, (not to mention the value for money, the on-time departures and arrivals, and the assistance provided by the driver with everyone's baggage).
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I drove a coach on and off for roughly ten years and like all professions there were good and bad attitudes.
I would say 90% of the coach drivers i encountered were excellent.However it did seem to attract a small percentage of drivers who thought the size of a coach and a uniform made them superior to other road users, kind of look at me i'm mr wonderful
The job was often enjoyable but was frequently very long hours.
There was sometimes pressure but on drivers to operate illegally and not being the best paid job in the world most would succumb.
I gave up in the end because of the decline in reasonable behaviour of people in general, children in particular. believe me fifty screaming children or drunken party goers on a coach for any length of time is not to be recommended.
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Hawkeye,
From what you say, this moron isn't fit to be awarded the privilege of holding a PCV licence. I cannot believe that any professional driver would behave like that, especially when he has a coach full of young children. (That sounds like I'm doubting your tale - I'm not!)
I feel the need the apologise for him, Hawkeye, as the vast majority of us do our jobs well, and with necessary diligence and care.
Do you know the name of the coach company he was employed by? A letter or phone call registering your disquiet may be in order. Of course, if they ignore your concerns then there is always the Ministry...
I really do get fed up of idiots like this tarring our (ie bus/coach drivers') good name and I hope he gets what he deserves.
I'll bet the kids were a darned sight better behaved than the darts team, eh?
Cheers
Rob
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Some year back the wife and I used a coach to get to Gatwick (from 'The North') in order to take a flight to Seattle.
Trip down was uneventful. Unfortunately the trip back home (jet-lagged...) was courtesy of the 'driver from hell'. Standard of his driving was quite unbelievable and one lady passanger was almost in tears for part of the journey. He nearly caused several accidents, at one point on the M1 almost pushing a car into the central barrier.
I reported him to the police the following day - they had me at the station making a full statement. Never heard if they followed it up though.
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Same in any job - there are mostly good ones but occasionally bad ones. Having helped to run school sports teams for about 15 years I went to away fixtures every other week by coach. Almost invariably the drivers were very skilful and also helpful, but there was one we used to dread - aggressive, rude to other road users and to his passengers, drove too fast etc. Culminated in him taking one of our teams to Stow on the Wold (Gloucs) rather than Stowe School (Bucks) despite being told he was going to the wrong place (Don't you try to tell me my job etc).
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As a PCV licence holder I apologise on behalf of the idiot concerned. I sat here reading the story and I feel so embarrassed that a fellow driver has let the side down in this way.
I'd be inclined to bring it to the attention of your local traffic commissioners office, I believe they view complaints of this nature with the seriousness they deserve.
Contact details at;
www.tan.gov.uk/tanen/tancs/generalinfo/genweb10.asp
PP
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This thread has stirred a dim and distant memory that has obviously been locked away due to the trauma involved!
I once caught a National Express coach from Colchester to Victoria, operated by the now defunct Eastern National. The driver stalled the coach twice going up Colchester Hill, joined the A12 without slowing despite the inside lane being jam packed with lorries, swerved around in between lanes, joined the outside lane and then proceeded to tailgate an XR4i (so Gawd knows what speed the coach was doing), then went round a corner so fast in London that the luggage lockers on the nearside sprang open, spilling bags and cases far and wide.
Luckily, the neanderthal miscreant was wearing his PSV badge so I noted the number and contacted his employers. I later learnt that he had been persuaded to take early retirement on health grounds. Obviously the health of his passengers.....
Cheers
Rob
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Our primary school use a very good family firm that run about 4 to 5 buses, coaches from 15 to 50 seaters.
The chap is the father of a friend of mine, but even so he and his drivers are, as I understand, the model of coach drivers.
Rob, I should imagine you have a really good temprement as a PSV driver, but a worringly twisted SOH to hoodwink your dear lady onto the M25!
Hugo
"Forever indebted to experience of others"
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I organise weekend trips and booze cruises for my office social club and have done for over 20 years. Originally we used a local family company but when they got out of the private market to concentrate on contract work I started going through a local group travel company. I must say that with one exception all the drivers we've had have been excellent. Courteous, safe and considerate drivers. The only phone calls have been when caught in a jam (M25 on a Sunday night etc).
The exception? I made the appropriate comments to the group travel company and they no longer use that coach firm.
Funny though how it's cheaper for a trip starting and finishing in Surrey to use a company based in Lugershall rather than a local company. And for booze cruises an excellent (very large) company in the Medway towns are cheaper than our locals - and they have a lot further to drive - and they have double deckers with trailers for the personal imports!:o)
Terry
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