Arann Quay Bus - Stop optional for some drivers?

schemingbohemia

I think this issue has come up before, indeed I think AlekSmart commented on it before. I couldn't find the thread though.

Could someone explain why some drivers seem to think they don't need to serve this stop, which I'll admit isn't the best designed, whilst others do?

I watched in annoyance at the 145 driver yesterday sailing serenely past this stop at 1505 without so much as a glance at the stop or even a touch on his brakes. There was a Dualways tour bus at the stop so his sightline wouldn't have been great but still and all, slow down check and see if there's some gomm frantically sticking his hand out trying to, you know, use the service!

We then gave up at that stop and wandered down the street to outside the 4 courts where we could see the next 145 pull in at our previous stop.

Anyone know the score? Alek????

AlekSmart

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Could someone explain why some drivers seem to think they don't need to serve this stop, which I'll admit isn't the best designed, whilst others do?

I watched in annoyance at the 145 driver yesterday sailing serenely past this stop at 1505 without so much as a glance at the stop or even a touch on his brakes. There was a Dualways tour bus at the stop so his sightline wouldn't have been great but still and all, slow down check and see if there's some gomm frantically sticking his hand out trying to, you know, use the service!

We then gave up at that stop and wandered down the street to outside the 4 courts where we could see the next 145 pull in at our previous stop.

Anyone know the score? Alek????

This is indeed a live issue and one which SHOULD have been addressed long ago.

The Bus Stop concerned appears to have been plonked there by the Bus-Stop Fairy after knocking back a few sweet sherry's....DANGEROUS does'nt even begin to describe it.

It appears there was/is no record of a Safety Audit being carried out on this particular Stop. (Some posters may recall that this procedure was adopted in the wake of the Wellington Quay tragedy)

After some degree of prevarication,and strong lobbying by the Health & Safety representative, a Safety-Audit was carried out on the location which,surprise surprise,produced a negative result.

Now,this is where my understanding of the Safety Audit process falls down,but I expected that upon reciept of the Official Audit Report identifying the Stop Location as being Safety deficient the company would have had the Head Plate removed in a flash.

Instead it seems a renewed planning process has to be entered into to have the Stop repositioned back to it's original location between Arran St West and Lincoln Lane.

The stop is so dangerous on so many levels that I would strongly recommend any intending passenger to ignore it,but I would also agree that the company should remove the head-plate and erect a notice NOW.

I can't comment on Dualways policy regarding safety,other than to draw attention to it's continuing use of a totally inappropriate location on the junction of Sackville Place and Lower O Connell St where their parked Tour Bus also interferes with sight lines of approaching traffic,so perhaps that is DW policy ?

schemingbohemia

Thanks Alek, though it still doesn't explain why some drivers do and some don't stop there.

Whilst I sympathise with the stupidity of the stop, if it's there it should be used in a careful fashion of course, particularly as it's used by a lot of tourists who get off the tour buses there to hop onto DB buses.

I'll be reporting the Driver to Dublin Bus.

Losty Dublin

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Thanks Alek, though it still doesn't explain why some drivers do and some don't stop there.

Whilst I sympathise with the stupidity of the stop, if it's there it should be used in a careful fashion of course, particularly as it's used by a lot of tourists who get off the tour buses there to hop onto DB buses.

I'll be reporting the Driver to Dublin Bus.

Is this the stop beside Heathers shoes that you refer to? If so, I wouldn't blame any bus driver for not stopping there as it is beyond dangerous to move in and out of safely. That said, there needs to be a uniform decision made; either it's used by all drivers or it isn't used as it's farcical to have it purely at the drivers behest and at the detriment of the skull, sorry, passenger, sorry customer, sorry, client

AlekSmart

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Thanks Alek, though it still doesn't explain why some drivers do and some don't stop there.

Whilst I sympathise with the stupidity of the stop, if it's there it should be used in a careful fashion of course, particularly as it's used by a lot of tourists who get off the tour buses there to hop onto DB buses.

I'll be reporting the Driver to Dublin Bus.

Report away I'd say,cause a mountain of such complaints is probably the only realistic way to connect the dots between the Dublin Bus garages and 59 Upr O Connell St.

After a long period of it is/it is'nt to'ing and fro'ing between management and drivers we now have a definitive official call that it is an excessively dangerous location for a Bus Stop.

There is now a notice from the Safety Rep (Quite a different figure from a Union Rep and having a far greater Legal standing) advising of the results of the Safety Audit,which I have no doubt some drivers are reading and making their own decisions on.

From my perspective,the existence of the Audit Report and it's findings now means that I, as a "professional" Driver must take cognisance of the altered state.

If I knowingly expose myself,my bus or my customers to this,then I am accepting a degree of culpability way beyond what is reasonable.

A wrong call,at or on,the approach to this Bus Stop could leave me ,personally, open to Legal Sanction as well as internal Disciplinary action.

I have absolutely no idea as to why the Company are prepared to walk-the-wire on this,but all it takes is a single accident/incident at this location and the entire shaky edifice will collapse on top of some middle manager someplace.......It is then,I suggest,that the Bus Stop will be torn out of it's fittings instantaneously.

From my own perspective,up until the Safety Audit's result,I would have approached the location somewhat indecisively,(an increased risk-factor in itself) however now,i'm afraid the decision has been taken for me and I'll pass-on-by.

mgmt

That is a horrible bus stop. It creates I think a increased risk of collisions with bikes. Also does it not go against the whole QBC design criteria? i.e. bus stops should be flush with the road so as to allow for quicker alighting times.


They should rip up the bus stop and put in a Dublin Bikes stop. An ideal spot for one really.

The_Wrecker

At times its a Garda Mondeo parking area similar to Pearse st.

The angle of the stop means you pull out and give left turning traffic very little warning.
Back in my 145 days i wouldnt stop there if there was 2 or more vehicles. On a company course a couple of years back the present manager at Donnybrook stated never to stop if you could not get into the bay.

Needlees to say it wasnt designed with triaxles in mind.

AlekSmart

mgmt wrote: »

They should rip up the bus stop and put in a Dublin Bikes stop. An ideal spot for one really.

What an excellent proposal...one wonders what exactly our Civic Administrators do with their time when something like this comes forth from a public discussion forum.

As The Wrecker sez...it's a far more appropriate location for Bicycles than Buses :eek: