Dublin Bus took a wrong turn

WithCheesePlease

Just wondering something...

Was getting the bus into work one morning last week - the 48A from Milltown to Lombard Street, by Pearse Street. Long story short after the bus goes down Dawson Street it takes a right and goes around Nassau Street, onto Westland Row and around to Townsend Street.

Well this morning anyway (and not for the first time) the bus driver turned LEFT at the end of Dawson Street. He then said he had no way of turning around and he'd have to head to Westmoreland Street and up O'Connell Street. I had to get off the bus and walk the 20 minutes or so in the rain to where I should have been dropped to begin with.

Was very annoying, especially seeing as it was raining. I had a good mind to ask for cab fare to cover the rest of the journey, or at least my fare back.

I'm guessing there was nothing I could have done there no?

Crazy mistake, and as I said it wasn't even the first time.

Victor

You could have asked for a transfer ticket, although they are usually for when you get on the wrong bus.

KC61

While I can understand your frustration, it is actually an easy enough mistake to make, if the driver loses concentration for a minute.

The 14, 14A and 48A all work off the same driver rosters, so it is perfectly possible for a driver to work an inbound 14 and then do a return trip on the 48A as part of his roster. Hence if he/she does lose concentration, they could make that mistake that you outlined.

Since the routes merged in 2005 I have on a handful of occasions experienced each of the following accidental diversions:

1) An inbound 48a that operated via Suffolk Street rather than Westland Row
2) An outbound 14 that turned into Charlemont Street (driver had just done a 48A return trip!)
3) An outbound 14 that turned into Upper Rathmines Road (driver thought he was a 14a)
4) An inbound 14A that operated via route 14 by accident at Churchtown.

In cases 2, 3 and 4 the driver managed to turn the bus, but in the first case it was indeed too late.

As Victor said, he should have given you a transfer ticket to take any bus from Townsend Street.

I hear your pain, but it does sound like an honest mistake.

OK-Cancel-Apply

There was a time when the city-centre bound 7 would completely bypass Blackrock village (2 stops) on a regular basis. My sister used to use that route regularly (years ago) and when she asked the driver one time why he didn't turn, he hadn't a clue what to say to her and just muttered some BS and trailed off. Letter of complaint fixed it though - haven't seen it happen since.

Cookie_Monster

OK-Cancel-Apply wrote: »

There was a time when the city-centre bound 7 would completely bypass Blackrock village (2 stops) on a regular basis.

That should be manditory, adds up to 10 minutes to go through Blackrock.

I've been on multiple 7b's that go the wrong way in the mornings, there is always one that goes to Cherrywood in error in the evenings too.

Gotten a 45a coming DOWN Churchview Rd on it's way to Dun Laoghaire, funny story. Girlfriend got on at ballybrack and let me know to come out to meet her. Driver turned right instead of left coming on to Church Rd and she made him turn left onto churchview to get me He then did a 180 at Tesco and back up the road in the right direction.

One of my friends had to give a 7 driver directions all the way from College Green to Tesco Ballybrack one day too, drivers first day on that route and he had completly forgotten it.

KC61

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

That should be manditory, adds up to 10 minutes to go through Blackrock.

I've been on multiple 7b's that go the wrong way in the mornings, there is always one that goes to Cherrywood in error in the evenings too.

Gotten a 45a coming DOWN Churchview Rd on it's way to Dun Laoghaire, funny story. Girlfriend got on at ballybrack and let me know to come out to meet her. Driver turned right instead of left coming on to Church Rd and she made him turn left onto churchview to get me He then did a 180 at Tesco and back up the road in the right direction.

One of my friends had to give a 7 driver directions all the way from College Green to Tesco Ballybrack one day too, drivers first day on that route and he had completly forgotten it.

Actually that 7B has been correctly operating to Cherrywood. It is the public timetable that has been incorrect. There has been an error in the public timetable for the 7B since it started.

The evening departures are not all supposed to go to Shankill. One goes to Cherrywood and one goes to Loughlinstown Park.

Whether this is still the case since the timetable change at the weekend I am not sure.

Cookie_Monster

KC61 wrote: »

Actually that 7B has been correctly operating to Cherrywood. It is the public timetable that has been incorrect. There has been an error in the public timetable for the 7B since it started.

The evening departures are not all supposed to go to Shankill. One goes to Cherrywood and one goes to Loughlinstown Park.

Whether this is still the case since the timetable change at the weekend I am not sure.

I've been in contact with DB about this numerous times and had it confirmed with the routemaster in Donnybrook that it should not operate to Cherrywood and that it would be fixed immediatly:rolleyes:

KC61

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I've been in contact with DB about this numerous times and had it confirmed with the routemaster in Donnybrook that it should not operate to Cherrywood and that it would be fixed immediatly:rolleyes:

The accurate timetable is the running board that the drivers are issued with as this is the "bible" and it says Cherrywood for one bus and Loughlinstown Park for another.

I've had this argument myself, but it still persists.

bk

I was on the 123 before that took a wrong turn in Marino and got stuck down a narrow cul-de-sac, poor chap had to apologise and let everyone off as he called for backup to get out of there.

Cookie_Monster

bk wrote: »

I was on the 123 before that took a wrong turn in Marino and got stuck down a narrow cul-de-sac, poor chap had to apologise and let everyone off as he called for backup to get out of there.

WTF? Could he not just reverse?

bazzer

Victor wrote: »

You could have asked for a transfer ticket, although they are usually for when you get on the wrong bus.

I have only seen transfer tickets being issued from the previous Wayfarer machines. Do the latest TGX ones have that facility?

meanmachine3

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

WTF? Could he not just reverse?

actually No cookie. when reversing buses a driver is supposed to have someone reversing them to look out for blind spots. this is one of the most important basics we are taught up in the training school.when reversing you call for assistance. alot of the newer buses have reverse cameras on them but bk said it was a 123 so most likely it was a WV (single decker) which dont have the reverse cameras.

meanmachine3

bazzer wrote: »

I have only seen transfer tickets being issued from the previous Wayfarer machines. Do the latest TGX ones have that facility?

i cant remember, these new machines are like a mini computer. theres alot of stuff you can go into,but i've never gone into the bit for transfer tickets.
on the subject of the O.P.
the most common mistake being made with drivers is getting a route similar to the one they're marked in on. they're so used to doing their own route day in day out that when they get a different route is very easy to make that mistake. take the following examples. 41 and 33's the go the same way for most of the journey as do the 42's and 43's.

Cookie_Monster

meanmachine3 wrote: »

actually No cookie. when reversing buses a driver is supposed to have someone reversing them to look out for blind spots. this is one of the most important basics we are taught up in the training school.when reversing you call for assistance. alot of the newer buses have reverse cameras on them but bk said it was a 123 so most likely it was a WV (single decker) which dont have the reverse cameras.

Been on and beside a number of (older) busses reversing in the normal course of duty.

Sounds like another DB rule that they only follow when it suits them.

GerardKeating

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

WTF? Could he not just reverse?

As another poster mentioned, they are required to get assistance to do this.

I remember a few years back, a bus (might have been an 11) tried to reverse un-aided, but fortunatily none of the passangers on board were injured when the forks of the forklift truck ripped through the side of the bus...

Cookie_Monster

GerardKeating wrote: »

As another poster mentioned, they are required to get assistance to do this.

I remember a few years back, a bus (might have been an 11) tried to reverse un-aided, but fortunatily none of the passangers on board were injured when the forks of the forklift truck ripped through the side of the bus...

As per my post above in my experience, clearly they are not required. Anyway how is it any different (apart from being easier) to reversing a 40ft articulated truck which can and is done un-assisted daily all over the place.

idiotproof

I know you were put out but at least you weren't with me on the 67 when it turned off the N4 down the southbound M50 instead of heading to town.

People make mistakes, ain't no thang.

meanmachine3

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

As per my post above in my experience, clearly they are not required. Anyway how is it any different (apart from being easier) to reversing a 40ft articulated truck which can and is done un-assisted daily all over the place.

as far as i know when reversing big vehicles you are required to have someone reversing you. cookie i'm sure you're aware that i'm one of the few bus drivers that posts here and i know from my days in the training school that it is drilled into you that if you have to reverse that you get someone. alot of drivers usually reverse themselves ,either through sheer embarrasment of having to call in for back up or they just want to get on with their journey and not be waiting for back up. i know of drivers that have sat in one particular spot for hours waiting for the cavilary to arrive. i know of one driver some time ago hit a wall reversing then called for back up ,then the same back up also hit the same wall in the same place. i've often reversed buses on my own but i know the consequences if i hit anyone or anything. the strange thing about people is that as soon as a bus reverses they seem to come from nowhere right behind the bus.
i remember reversing a driver recently and some dimwit stood right behind the bus for a few mins, i had to let a roar at him. the driver was completely oblivious to this guy being there.

Cookie_Monster

I remember waiting for a 111 at the Pavillion once and the driver (Ray, nicest man in the world:)) wouldn't let anyone until he had reversed into the busstop bay first. Said he wasn't allowed reverse with people on board.

I can well believe that you shouldn't be reversing with people on board but to have to ask for assistance seems a bit tedious. Especially in Dun Laoghaire where either at the station or pavillion stops busses regularly have to reverse into the marked areas to aviod blocking traffic.

I'll fully accept it is a rule if you guys (the actual bus drivers on here) say it is but I've seen it happen so many times it's presumably not very high on anyones agenda.

Cookie_Monster

idiotproof wrote: »

I know you were put out but at least you weren't with me on the 67 when it turned off the N4 down the southbound M50 instead of heading to town.

where'd that end up?

BrianD

The 123 used to be notorious for skipping parts of the route. Rather than going through the streets of Marino they would go straight up Philipsburgh Ave or on the return go down the Malahide road and onto Fairview to rejoin the route.

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Cookie_Monster

Just thought of another incident that happened a few years back on the 184/5(?) Enniskerry to Bray bus. It turned into Fassaroe and goes up the estate and does a 3 point turn up there and comes back down.

Anyway bus reversed over one of those kids sit on lawnmower things and ended up dragging it almost to Bray station. Ripped out some water or oil line in the end too, big pool started seeping out from under the bus while parked at the station. Luckily the kid was off on the footpath as the driver seemed not to notice it (or didn't care). The noise as it was dragged along the road was something else.

SickCert

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Just thought of another incident that happened a few years back on the 184/5(?) Enniskerry to Bray bus. It turned into Fassaroe and goes up the estate and does a 3 point turn up there and comes back down.

Anyway bus reversed over one of those kids sit on lawnmower things and ended up dragging it almost to Bray station. Ripped out some water or oil line in the end too, big pool started seeping out from under the bus while parked at the station. Luckily the kid was off on the footpath as the driver seemed not to notice it (or didn't care). The noise as it was dragged along the road was something else.

If you dont hit the Fassoroe roundabout just right then you have to shunt it - but it can be done in one if you use the overhangs.

As per reversing in general - from the school, it must be a DB official or Garda that reverses you!

bk

In fairness to the 123 driver, it was late at night, so very dark with few street lights, cars were parked up on both sides of the road, so it was down to pretty much a one lane road and was at a curved angle, so very difficult to reverse out of, I'd say it would take a good few minutes to reverse out of even with assistance.

As it is near the terminus of the route anyway, I don't think any passengers minded, probably quicker walking even if the driver tried to reverse out himself.

The 123 used to be notorious for skipping parts of the route. Rather than going through the streets of Marino they would go straight up Philipsburgh Ave or on the return go down the Malahide road and onto Fairview to rejoin the route.

Never heard of a 123 skipping down Malahide road, little point in that as little advantage over just going straight down Philipsburgh Avenue. However often seen them skip Marino and go straight up Philipsburgh Avenue, in fact I thought it was a regular scheduled detour as it happens so often.

To be honest I think it should be routed to bypass Marino always, there isn't much of a walk from Philipsburgh Avenue to anywhere in Marino, 5 minutes walk maybe and Marino adds such a big delay to the bus journey for little benefit IMO. I think it is an example of the too many bus stops syndrome.