New Road Crash

[Badger]

I caught the 81 Wolverhampton to Merry Hill... there was a smash on the Birmingham New Road and we were at the front of the queue (Sedgley Road West onto the NR), police car in front of us blocking us in.

Completely closed, no police waving people on, stream of traffic in the other direction, no way we were getting anywhere.

Driver asked the police at the scene if they'd reverse him but they weren't allowed to leave the scene. After a long while a National Express coordinator turned up who could do nothing as they couldn't get permission for any manouvres from control. (Quite rightly, I can't find anywhere the bus could have gone to both turn around and get back onto the route).

Now, I'm not blaming the driver, but if my watch is right we were behind the police car for an entire hour, making the whole journey in two hours. If they'd put just one police officer in place to wave us on, that's all, an entire bus of people wouldn't have been stuck for so long plus a few HGVs behind us (the cars could turn around).

The moaners on the bus of course were blaming the driver and directing him down side streets which he refused (rightly) to do. They based this on 1. knowing the area, and 2. a bus behind us overtaking us to go that way. Yeah, nice try, but it was an Optare Solo and we were a Merc 0405N... not going to happen.

Still, while the driver was not to blame, the Police really let us down, conducting no traffic control at all.

Meh, bad day, that's all. Feel sorry for the driver who took a lot of abuse.

[wbdriver]

I caught the 81 Wolverhampton to Merry Hill... there was a smash on the Birmingham New Road and we were at the front of the queue (Sedgley Road West onto the NR), police car in front of us blocking us in.

Completely closed, no police waving people on, stream of traffic in the other direction, no way we were getting anywhere.

Driver asked the police at the scene if they'd reverse him but they weren't allowed to leave the scene. After a long while a National Express coordinator turned up who could do nothing as they couldn't get permission for any manouvres from control. (Quite rightly, I can't find anywhere the bus could have gone to both turn around and get back onto the route).

Now, I'm not blaming the driver, but if my watch is right we were behind the police car for an entire hour, making the whole journey in two hours. If they'd put just one police officer in place to wave us on, that's all, an entire bus of people wouldn't have been stuck for so long plus a few HGVs behind us (the cars could turn around).

The moaners on the bus of course were blaming the driver and directing him down side streets which he refused (rightly) to do. They based this on 1. knowing the area, and 2. a bus behind us overtaking us to go that way. Yeah, nice try, but it was an Optare Solo and we were a Merc 0405N... not going to happen.

Still, while the driver was not to blame, the Police really let us down, conducting no traffic control at all.

Meh, bad day, that's all. Feel sorry for the driver who took a lot of abuse.

he was probably thinking how much overtime he could get lol :)

[BU07 LGO]

Very similar story to you but last night. Was an head on crash at the top of Kingstanding road about midnight and saw a B7TL ALX hading back to PB garage NIS but before i could warn him he got stuck and was sat there for a good 15 mins before he managed to turn around!

[danny]

On the subject of passangers moaning some can be right pretentious d***s, really annoys me when im on a bus and some people give off at the driver if he cought in traffic ect, what do they exect the driver to do drive over everything or mount the pavement, to the extent where i have said this to a rather rude, obnoxious snotty women who thought she was above everyone else and spoke down to the driver and anyone who told her to shut up or jog on, b***h! Rant over lol

[PM]

Its quite funny how several old women seem to think they know everything about the WM bus network. How to queue, what times the buses are etc and some seem to enjoy complaining to the driver if theyre late-its not their fault!! Somehow, i think many of them simply dont have anything else to do....

[Badger]

Had a woman with a pushchair do that on a Trident, standing between the driver and the stairs completely oblivious.

[PM]

Before the 2 pram policy, you could be on a trident/b7tl with three prams-especially the huge chavvy, essex ones with huge wheels

[4006]

Before the 2 pram policy, you could be on a trident/b7tl with three prams-especially the huge chavvy, essex ones with huge wheels

Yeah lol but best ones are those STUPID (yes look at me I'm trendy) ones with only the one wheel at the front, I mean how stupid...I sometimes have to stop myself laughing out load when they try to board with one and the stupid thing keeps goin' side to side but won't go forward  ;D ;D ;D How the H**l do they go up stairs? I mean it must be like watching a crab on a beach...must be hard work!!!

To all you single front wheel pram owners....Tip of the week....eBAY!!!!

[Ashley]

Im with 4006 on the issue of passengers who you could spend until christmas picking faults about. Moaning old people, mothers with oversized pushchairs, teenagers who just think they can do what they want on a bus, the list goes on. I'm merely a passenger and a spotter, but I've got alot of respect for NXWM drivers, and i try to show them the deserved respect, partly due to the sh't they put up, and also down to the fact that quite a few are friendly people

[Nathan4775]

Alot of passangers moan and abuse the drivers  in the winter when it snows heavy and the bus is running 15/20minutes late. Im thinking its snowing and the drivers doing his best efforts to get you home STOP MOANING.

[SMK]

I've seen people moan at Walsall's Bradford Place when a 34 or 38 pulls in, the driver lets people off, shuts the door and changes the number to the other (because they interwork).
One OAP had a go at the driver for changing to the 34, asked why he did it and where the 38 was.  :o
Plus don't get me started on those that moan when a bus takes a diversion due to road closures.
The drivers should be given a medal for having to put up with such behaviour and not losing their rag.

[Ashley]

I think some bend the rules just to make life easier for both parties