Drag racing buses
Grandad April 24th, 2007
There are basically four types of bus used for public transport.
The big ones are the double-deckers and the articulated single-deckers [though I haven't seen many of them]. Then there are the ordinary single deckers and finally the little Imps.
Double decker buses predominate. They are ideal for large volumes of passengers in urban areas.
Imps are designed for very low volumes of passengers in rural areas.
I live on a lane off a ‘main road’. When I say ‘main road’, I mean a country road that is very hilly, has very bad bends on it and it doesn’t really go anywhere except up to the bogs.
But we have a bus service. There is a loop up the road that is used as a terminus. Not many people use the bus, as most have cars. But there are a few folk who use it and it is very handy. So what kind of bus do you thing is most suitable for this route [hint: look at the images above] and what kind of bus is used on the service?
Correct.
The double decker.
A strange phenomenon though is the volume of double-deckers that pass at night. And they all seem to drive in first gear. You can hear them for about half a mile in each direction as the roar up the hills or roar around the hairpins. No sooner is one gone, than another appears. And they never have more than one or two passengers.
Then I realised what was going on.
The drivers are frustrated with traffic snarl-ups all day. They have to cope with all the other idiots on the road, timetables and, worst of all, passengers.
So to give themselves a break, they all head out to our nearby town. They line up. And then they hold races to see who can get up to my terminus and back the fastest. I’m glad they are enjoying themselves.
But they don’t half make a racket.
let the races begin
- Around the village , On the road
- Comments(9)
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Ahh, those imps are so cute, are they still running? You are ruining my image of you living in the tranquil countryside.
I do live in the tranquil countryside. I am sitting here now with birdsong roaring in through the open doors to the garden. Finches, warblers, blackbirds, robins, thrushes – you name ‘em. Several pigeons and a couple of doves too.
There is an occasional car on the main road, but that’s all.
Wait until tonight though!!!!
Not so long ago, ClareBear and I (on hols) travelled from London to York in a double decker bus. I thought the thing was going to fall over every time it went around a corner. The trip took us 11 hours! (we’d have done that distance in Oz in around 3) I could only eat so many white bread and plastic cheese sandwiches. Thank God for Picnics (the ugly chocolate bar). I heard that they’re phasing them out in London so you might be unlucky enough to get the leftovers. Double Decker buses that is, not Picnics
I understand the breach of tranquility. I wake to Kookaburras (only when it’s raining for some reason) and Cockatoos, the big white ones with yellow crests, destroying my carob tree! Then am brought back to earth by the sounds of bulldozers and encroaching development.
Ah the tranquility, as peaceful as a country evening with a mozzie zapper going.
There is supposed to be some building work here over the next few months. A couple of neighbours are starting some reconstruction work shortly. But that is only temporary. I hope.
Grandad,
Once, years ago,I took my usual bus ride home from work in the city. It was 6 P.M. in December and snowing.
The bus was jammed with people (Typical Transport Authority only ran the big buses AFTER rush hour was over). I squeezed in and stood with the rest of the crowd because there were no seats left. A man was standing next to me and he was holding the silver pole that you grip for support. I gripped the same pole ,putting my hand just above his. Well, the bus careened around curves and bends in the road and after about 10 minutes of my hanging on to that pole for dear life, the guy turned to me and said, “I would like to get off here.” I said, “Feel free, don’t let me stop you.” He asked if I would please remove my hand from the support pole and I did, and he then exited the bus carrying his newly purchased ALUMINUM SNOW SHOVEL!!!
Dublin Bus are the Great Satan!
Just thought I’d make my opinions known.
Here is the 747 B bus parked near Grandad’s house ready to make a night time climb of the mountain
http://www.ishipress.com/grunt.jpg
Grandad, those buses are probably ferrying all the mountainy men to and from the FF holding stations, from whence they shall emerge in a few weeks to cast their votes in the General Election. Four more years!
Pecker,
Everyone knows that most of the local FF voters are up in the graveyards. Unlikely they’d be using buses.
And don’t say ‘four more years’. You’re depressing me.