What on earth is Stagecoach buses doing employing drivers that don’t understand PLAIN English?
I caught a 192 at 1505, vehicle number 19057, from Levenshulme on my way back to the city centre after putting the finishing touches to the show’s trailer at ALL FM. The weather is hot and the heater on the Stagecoach bus is full on, pumping heat out on the lower deck. After suffering top temperatures and wondering can my deodorant take it, I boldly went up to the driver to ask him to turn the heat off. Do these or any bus driver understand anything about passenger comfort? In many cases, NO.
The driver did not understand what heater, heat or heating meant. He shrugged his shoulders and looked puzzled, “Heater??”
‘What?’ I thought. ‘If this driver from over-seas cannot understand plain English, then how the hell can he read road signs and answer passengers’ inquiries?’
Well, I got off the mobile sauna at Longsight and caught another Stagecoach bus. This time the English driver decided to set off while a plump woman in her 40’s was trying to get to a seat. He set off with such force that she nearly fell over. I find this typical of Manchester bus drivers, they lack respect for older and disabled passengers and don’t have any basic understanding of passenger comfort.
The train would have been more comfortable! A car even better.
Another driver last week kept jumping on the brake, jerking the bus and making walking to the door a ride from hell.
I know drivers get sick of dysfunctional passengers and bad drivers on the road, but their top priority should be the very people they are employed to carry. Why take anger, frustration and road rage out on us fare paying passengers by letting off steam through bad driving?
Last weekend I saw a car making life hell for one bus driver by waiting in the bus lane then setting off and braking suddenly, turning hard left onto Hulme St. All this while the police drove past, oblivious to what was going on at the side of them on Oxford Rd on Sunday night. What happened to good policing and who are watching these cameras? I just hope the bus driver calmed down and remained professional.
Did the cameras notice a 20+yr old guy trying to follow a pair of 14/15yr old girls, who looked drunk or had taken drugs, on Monday night around 7.40pm? Was he just a relative? Perhaps the brother of one of them. He kept getting close to them, but they kept pulling away. Was he a stranger and his intention was rape and/or robbery? Maybe he was aware of the cameras and tried to look natural as can be as not to draw suspicion, while all the time waiting for his opportunity? They aren’t likely to ring the police if they themselves have been under-age drinking or taking drugs. What if I’m wrong?
Maybe others heard what he and the girls were saying, as they made their way towards McDonalds? After the tram attack, did bystander apathy and fear of attack stop any one from ringing the police? If police were present, perhaps people could approach and raise their concerns and suspicions. Then if it was all family, then nothing lost. This is not scenario, this did happen.
How can 1 man follow 20 screens?
As I traveled along Oxford Rd Monday evening, after doing the bank holiday Drive Time show, I saw loads of young teenagers going to see a band at the Academy, but not one policeman or police car was present.
Any of these young teenagers could be vulnerable to criminals waiting to rob or attack them and just follow, all innocently looking, until out of the watchful eye of the cameras. Experienced police on the beat would recognize offenders or use his/her instincts. A camera will just watch, record and, instead of preventing crime, the footage is used after the criminal has struck. Not exactly crime prevention. How can a camera recognise a guy wearing a hoody? “Come down this alley!” - where there are no cameras.
The dangers of drugs is not only addiction, money and health problems, it can make users easy targets for criminals.
The teenage girls were drawing attention to themselves near the Palace Hotel, so I would imagine that the cameras along there would have been watching them. As I looked round, there were no police at all. I hope they got home safely. If the police were present, hopefully, they may have stopped all 3 of them and checked - however, a camera doesn’t and never will!
It’s a false sense of security to imagine that cameras stop crime. It may be reduced, but they should never replace police presence.
3 years ago, in that same stretch of Oxford St, where the Palace Hotel is, 2 guys high on drugs started threatening me. They asked was I selling tickets. I think they were after money and wanted to rob me. I kept being pushed back, I thought they were going to physically harm me. What if they had a knife or gun? Finally, I was able to back into the Hotel reception where they followed me. Eventually they left, smiling and laughing. I asked staff did they have cameras. No, they didn’t. I rang the police, but they weren’t interested. I’m glad I don’t stay at that hotel!
Instead of the odd crack downs on Oxford Rd every now and again, why don’t the police patrol it regularly?
If we all used the freedom of information act to see CCTV footage… how much will it cost these companies? Would the council have to pay for all the costs involved?
Anyway - apart from the odd journeys from hell, care of Manchester buses, I had a great day!
