Safety on British Buses - What You Can Do and What They Can Do

Problems
What can a bus driver do to help passengers?

Answer
Many, if not all, public buses in London allow the driver to directly contact police for assistance.

Story
I sat next to a bus driver who was enjoying what you might call a busman's holiday. (A British born driver, with family in the Caribbean, but his ultimate holiday destination this year was Bali!)

He told me that on his bus he has continuous recording, which was able to exonerate him when a woman stepped off the pavement as his bus was drawing into a bus stop. She went flying, but luckily was not injured.

The recording device is in the bus at the insistence of the insurance company. Its purpose is to protect the insurance company agains claims made on behalf of other drivers, vehicles, buildings or streetware and pedestrians. He was traumatised by the accident and worried that it might be his fault. The recording supported the pedestrians own admission, that he had done nothing wrong.

Apparently, if there is an emergency, the driver is supposed to stay at the wheel of the vehicle. (I suppose he is in charge of moving it and ensuring it can be moved or stationery.) He has a direct line to the police with a red or blue alert. A blue alert is a full emergency, which brings the operator to answer immediately and send the police along immediately, if required, top speed, racing through traffic, with lights or sirens blaring to clear the road ahead of them.

The blue alert, I understand is if the police are required to attend, but not racing to the scene nor making this a priority over other possibly more serious events.

Well, that's nice to know. Help at hand, when needed. Bus driver with instant connection to the police.

Tips
When alone, try to stay downstairs in a bus near either the exit or in sight and hearing of the driver. Carry your identity and the number of anybody to be informed in an emergency.

Fun Facts
Stagecoach runs buses. But another 'Mega bus' company runs coaches.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer,author and speaker. More posts on other blogs on bloger.com, websites, and Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube. See books on Amazon.com and Lulu.com