18:15 theoretical - including a 20 minute wait for a bus

Let us know about your latest FULL NETWORK CHALLENGE efforts
User avatar
Root
All Zones
Posts: 2401
Joined: 07 Mar 2006, 02:28
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Contact:

Post by Root »

hwolge wrote:Don't underestimate the 384 bus from High Barnet-Cockfosters directly. It only took 15-16 minutes, despite all the twists and turns, and also departed more or less on time at 21:10 a few weeks back... 8)
URGH!

One day, I decided to do a practise run. Everything was going fine, until I got to High Barnet. Upon arrival, I ran up to the bus stop in the pouring rain and was planning to wait for the 307. I saw neither a 384 or a 307 within ten minutes, so I decided, based on the adverse weather conditions, that I would just get whichever came first (I was freezing!). It was a 384, and I was glad to be inside for a while.

A few minutes down the route, two (hooded) kids ran up to the bus as it waited at a junction, and knocked on the door to get on. Now, the bus driver should theoretically not have let them on, but he opened the doors and they did. Next, neither of them had their Oyster cards or any money (allegedly), but the bus driver let them on despite that. Then, five more kids of similar age (13-16) got on, and again, none had Oyster cards or money. The bus driver let them on. Then, when they had all boarded (which takes around five minutes, obviously) the driver turned around and ordered them all off again, apparently because "he was doing them two big favours, and none of them had even said thank you". So we sat there for about another five minutes while they argued, and eventually they got off. We were on our way again.
Only a minute or so later, another kid tried to get on without Oyster or money, and again not at a stop. I thought the driver would have learned from the previous kerfuffle and simply say no, but he was let on. Okay, no real delay there.
Just another minute or so down the route, same scenario, different gang of kids, all trying to get on, not at a stop, none of them had Oyster or cash. This time there were about five children, and the driver thought it was too much. But they had already seen "their mate" get on the bus and so thought they should be allowed on too. The driver stood his ground, but did so without conviction considering he had already contradicted his reasoning a number of times. The kids knew that the bus driver was lenient, so they stood in the doorway for at least five minutes arguing with him. Eventually, the two other passengers on the bus and myself all spoke up, told the bus driver to do his job and told the kids to get Oyster cards (Yes, they can travel free on London buses!), and about five minutes later we were on our way, at last, with the driver having allowed them on.

A 15-minute journey had become a 40-minute journey. What a disaster.

To make things worse, one of my fellow, fare-paying passengers was an elderly asian woman, who got off before the rest of us and received middle-fingers and shouts of "Paki" when she had already gone and could not defend herself. So I did it for her, and told the kids in as simple language as I could that that kind of behaviour is unnaceptable. I was then declared "gay", much to my amusement. I told them to have respect for people older than them, including both myself and the old lady, and got off at Cockfosters.

I have since phoned TFL and reported the incident, and they say the driver will face discipliniary action. Now, I would never want to get anyone fired, but he could surely do with some more training. He proved somewhat incompetent in my eyes.

As for the rest of my route... well, I got a time of 17:30 having done all stations except Mile End-Upminster (35 minutes), Brixton (a few minutes) and T4 (a few minutes when the loop re-opens, otherwise 15 minutes). So that would give me a total time of 18:10, approximately, and that is including the bus palaver, some very bad connections and severe delays.

I would not consider this time "theoretical", as 95% of it has now been tested in one run - it is not based on Journey Planner's estimate. As it happens, there was another group of people doing a charity run on the same day as me, so we started together but then separated. When we met that evening, I was about an hour ahead of them.

I'm doing it this summer, and I'll do T4 as well, just to have a go at the "current" record before Shoreditch closes permanently.

I may have a vacancy for a travelling companion, too...
2012 Formula 1 predictions competition
Rules and discussion - Entry form - Results and standings
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests