The Anonymous Widower

London’s Bendy Buses Are a Dangerous Joke

Yesterday on my way to Kings Cross, I was nearly run down because of a 73 bendy bus.  In fact, if it hadn’t been for the fact that I’d just got off it, it might have been closer.  It blocked the junction by Kings Cross, because it was just too long to get round the corner and then everybody jumped the lights to get through.  I was crossing on the green in all this mayhem, but pulled back to safety well out of the way. As I wasn’t in a hurry, I decided to be safe rather than sorry.

Thinking about it afterwards, the bus might have been blocking drivers views of the lights, so they thought it safe to carry on. A standard double-ecker with a smaller footprint would have been able to get round the corner and allow the lights to be clearly seen.

And then today, as I was coming back from the Angel, another 73 bendy was causing a traffic jam as it struggled to pass another of its ilk at Essex Road station.

They are just too long for London’s streets.  If you don’t believe me read this from the Evening Standard.

I just can’t wait until the 3rd September this year, when according to Wikipedia, they will be replaced by a mixture of hybrid and diesel buses. The seventy-free will only be missed by fare dodgers.

March 13, 2011 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Buses, London