I’m driving down Mares Road in North London - pull up at lights with a bus in the inside bus lane me in the “normal lane”. Lights go green and we both pull away happily until - the bus starts to edge into my lane and catches my n/s mirror. I start to edge right but cant go any further as theres a high kerb and traffic lights so I stop and the bus carries on its merry way completely removing my n/s mirrors and I catch the o/s mirror on the traffic lights…
The bus stops about 50 yds down the road at a stop so I pull in behind, jump out and start to use some “industrial language” - “why did you come out of your lane and squeeze me over etc…” and guess what - its a female driver - do you know what she says - I didnt see you there FFS its big and bright white - whats not to see
So now Ive got no n/s mirrors (infringement) Ive got to fill out accident reports, and Ive got to prove its not my fault as she has now spoken to her “inspector” and is denying any fault
Anyway thanks to the guys at DAF in West Thurrock for fitting new mirrors in record time and getting me legal again.
Just watch out for those big red things who dont always check their mirrors
was down in greenwich yesterday,anyone else noticed how the bass drivers(bus drivers to those of us that speak english)pull into the bus stop with their offside indicator on
can only sympathise mate, the general standard of driving in London’s bad enough but the bus drivers really seem to be lacking - most of 'em look like they’ve only been in the country a week or so though so I’m not all that surprised.
darkseeker:
:lol: can only sympathise mate, the general standard of driving in London’s bad enough but the bus drivers really seem to be lacking - most of 'em look like they’ve only been in the country a week or so though so I’m not all that surprised.
Memories of the 50’ & 60’s when Enoch Powell brought people from the West Indies to drive buses and tube trains.
darkseeker:
:lol: can only sympathise mate, the general standard of driving in London’s bad enough but the bus drivers really seem to be lacking - most of 'em look like they’ve only been in the country a week or so though so I’m not all that surprised.
Memories of the 50’ & 60’s when Enoch Powell brought people from the West Indies to drive buses and tube trains.
I seen a Mcburnley wagon lose his mirror to a bus, i was right behind if the Mcburnley never slammed on the brakes the bus would have wiped him out. Dont know if they guy was asleep but he drifted right over.
harry:
She probably was checking her mirror - & the make up looked OK, so proceeded to next bus stop & checked again, can’t be too careful these days.
Female bus drivers needn’t bother with make-up from what I’ve seen…
Got to watch Oxford bus co drivers in the city; They’ll happily undertake at 35mph in a 30 (at least) and pull across in front of you when their lane is blocked…by another bus. Stagecoach are pretty good with us, they hold back traffic whilst we reverse into a site, we always let them out.
Strikes me that keeping pace with the bus instead of just easing back & letting the bus go, therefore making life much easier for yourself, was asking for trouble.
… and yes I have been in central London with a 44T 6 axle artic, I know you have to have eyes up your aris.
I do London fairly regular these days (in my car) and as a non-Londoner I learnt the basic rule of driving in London : whoever gets their nose of their vehicle there first, wins. Normal common sense and road rules go out 'the window in London and it’s basically a free for all. The surprising thing is that in general it works, but you’ve got to adopt a very defensive driving style otherwise you’ll never get anywhere.
I was coming onto the A40 wb from down the A312 only the other day and the roundabout is about 5 lanes across or something ridiculous. I was in the correct lane but as you come off onto the slip ramp it’s only 1 lane wide. Some guy was in the wrong lane on the roundabout and basically cut across the front of me when his road ran out so he could get on the slip ramp. I had the right of way as he was in the wrong lane, but he had his car nose in front of me and he wasn’t stopping so I could either drive into the side of his motor or ease off. If it had been anywhere else I’d giving him horn, lights and coffee but although no ‘apology’ was forthcoming, he got his toe down and off he went so that was the end of it. But I’ve been on the ‘other side’ of it as well where I’ve ■■■■■■ up and ended up in the wrong lane and would’ve still been sat there now if I’d patiently waited with the indicator on, but it’s just not the done thing in London - you turn wheel, stick nose of car/truck in the gap and then just press the loud pedal when the traffic starts moving and go for it. It’s rare that you’ll get beeped for it unless you’re REALLY taking the ■■■■.
Driving in London always reminds me of that youtube clip of the junction in India somewhere, where there’s rickshaws, cars, bikes, coaches, pedestrians all bombing about and cutting each other up, but they never seem to crash and even though it’s complete madness they all manage to get where they want to go just fine. That’s like London to me, but a bit more civilised.
FFS its big and bright white - whats not to see 
That’s like London to me, but a bit more civilised. 