Getting on the wrong bus - a FAIL

[MW]

I was travelling home this evening on a Plaxton President (4023 to be precise!) which very clearly on its bright orange LED display on the front and side showed 'Solihull Lane 31E'

At the Westley Road stop in Acocks Green, a gentleman got on and sat down, then as the bus moved round the island, and I got up to get off at the Shirley Road stop, he got up and followed me to the front, muttering something about 'wrong bus'.

As I stepped off, I could hear him saying to the driver 'I thought this was the 11'. The driver must have said something to him which I didn't hear, but then this chap just starts with some abuse at the driver, which I won't repeat here.

It really is very difficult for some people to know what bus they're actually getting on, it would seem, and I don't know what more NXWM or even Centro can do to help these unfortunate folk who can't read numbers on a big illuminated LED display.  ::)

Some prat got the 3 from Sparkbrook today and thought it was the 31... Ridiculous. I say prat because he was drunk and swearing etc so he is entirely to blame here.

[4504]

I was on the 8 today and there was this drunken women on the bus shouting down the phone, and people towards the back started calling her a drunken *****, and telling her to shut the **** up

[Ashley]

I also have eyesight difficulties and the only time I can read LED dispays is at night or on darker days. Many times if im waiting and a bus comes, unless iv got a good idea what it will be I have to flag the bus down and if its not the one I want I feel abit of a fool for wasting the drivers time but I suppose if you dont ask you dont know. Roller blinds are much easier to see or even simple white on black would probably be legible. Althought I like the colour contrast on the 255E blinds, I think more buses should have that. Sorry I cant see in colour so I cant elaborate on some details of this post

[Discodave]

I also have eyesight difficulties and the only time I can read LED dispays is at night or on darker days. Many times if im waiting and a bus comes, unless iv got a good idea what it will be I have to flag the bus down and if its not the one I want I feel abit of a fool for wasting the drivers time but I suppose if you dont ask you dont know. Roller blinds are much easier to see or even simple white on black would probably be legible. Althought I like the colour contrast on the 255E blinds, I think more buses should have that. Sorry I cant see in colour so I cant elaborate on some details of this post

Other bus companies use various colour led blinds most are in the east mids I think trent do would they be better and could existing blinds be reprogrammed to do this or is it replacement unit what do people think?

[Ashley]

The blinds on Claribels Commanders is probably the best example of easy to read LED blinds in the West Midlands

[MW]

The blinds on Claribels Commanders is probably the best example of easy to read LED blinds in the West Midlands

Claribel Commanders don't have LED's, do they? Aren't they all roller blinds?

[Ashley]

No they aren't rollers, its a light and dark text contrast that i saw change in the push of a button for example i saw 55 blinds change from chelmsley wood to city centre without the driver twisting a handle like you would on say a Merc

[MW]

Sounds like electric roller blinds to me then.

[Ashley]

Thats probably what I meant. Their Pulsars don't have the same type of blinds