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Buses taking the wrong route
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miklcct
On Moderation
There was a fatal accident caused by a bus taking the wrong route today in Hong Kong:
www.hk01.com
Translation:
The discussions about this accident in other local forums mentioned that the driver was scheduled to operate the route 46X and its branch route 46P, but temporary assigned to route 88K at the time of accident.
Similar accidents happened in the past as well, when the driver tried to switch lane realising the bus entering the wrong route.
Therefore, this is a serious problem which can be life-threatening, especially when a driver needs to operate on different routes in a day. I think bus companies need to have more reminder to drivers, using the stop announcement system for example like in London where the route number is announced every stop, to remind the driver the route he's on.
大圍翻九巴│58歲車長涉危駕被捕 警質疑行錯路肇禍將檢黑盒調查
大圍發生雙層巴士翻側意外，釀成1死11人受傷慘劇。負責拯救行動的消防處，高級消防隊長鄭銘新表示，消防處於18日晚上11時16分接獲報告，指沙田大埔
www.hk01.com
Translation:
The discussions about this accident in other local forums mentioned that the driver was scheduled to operate the route 46X and its branch route 46P, but temporary assigned to route 88K at the time of accident.
Similar accidents happened in the past as well, when the driver tried to switch lane realising the bus entering the wrong route.
Therefore, this is a serious problem which can be life-threatening, especially when a driver needs to operate on different routes in a day. I think bus companies need to have more reminder to drivers, using the stop announcement system for example like in London where the route number is announced every stop, to remind the driver the route he's on.
philthetube
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I suspect that most drivers who work multiple routes will have made errors at some point, to judge from discussions in the canteen at grey green virtually all went the wrong way at some time when driving route 24 or 168, the two routes went the same way for around a mile then divided, and were both operated by the same fleet.
Whisky Papa
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On my first night driving minibuses for Yorkshire Rider in 1988, when on Todmorden local T1 I automatically turned the Sherpa into the street I live on thinking I was in my car! Fortunately the bus was empty and my somewhat surprised wife came out of the house to watch me as I reversed it at the next junction.
A year or so later, once I was double-decking, I turned left out of the old Todmorden bus station rather than right towards Burnley one afternoon. One of my colleagues was on the platform going home after his shift, and even his urgent shout did not convince me I was going the wrong way - and I knew full well where he lived too. I never quite understood what caused that one, but at least I didn't do it again.
A year or so later, once I was double-decking, I turned left out of the old Todmorden bus station rather than right towards Burnley one afternoon. One of my colleagues was on the platform going home after his shift, and even his urgent shout did not convince me I was going the wrong way - and I knew full well where he lived too. I never quite understood what caused that one, but at least I didn't do it again.
miklcct
On Moderation
I have seen operations where the driver is just assigned to a group of related routes (e.g. 1A/1B/1C/1D), and for each trip, he is told which "branch" he would operate on just before departure. Do you think this way of operation will help to reduce wrong routing?
galwhv69
Member
Returning home from Twickenham on SWR Rail Replacement to Putney after a rail replacement bus bash with mates. Got on one of Simp ... I mean Symphony Coaches E400MMC's. All fine until Chalkers Corner, where there are 2 left turns (one towards Mortlake Station and one towards Upper Richmond Road. Should've taken the second left turn (towards Mortlake Station) but driver took the first one, and stopped for around 5 minutes on Upper Richmond Road when realising their mistake. Got to Mortlake Station from the other side. Then on towards Barnes, saw that driver missed the turn at Barnes Pond, at which point I went downstairs. Turns out driver now had Google Maps open, which was leading him straight to Clapham Junction, no via points inputted. Had to act as a pilot until Putney, where I got off. I looked at the routing on Google Maps, which seemed correct to Clapham Junction. Surprised that Symphony Coaches are still an approved contractor for First Travel Solutions, especially after various previous incidents
Omnibi
Member
As previously posted most drivers have probably taken a wrong turning at some point. Anytime I've did it I've always felt a bit of a plonker , especially if one of my colleagues has witnessed it .
londonbridge
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I’ve had it happen twice on TFL route 154, in both cases instead of turning right from Stafford Road into Sandy Lane South, the driver went straight across the lights. In the first case he decided to do a three point turn so he could then turn left to get back on route. In the second he carried straight on and turned right up Redford Avenue, carefully negotiated the sleeping policemen and then turned left back into Mollison Drive, thus skipping out the whole Sandy Lane South/Forresters Drive/Roundshaw shopping centre section.
Was also once on an LNER RRB between Doncaster and Peterborough where the driver got lost and a passenger travelling to Peterborough had to direct him.
Was also once on an LNER RRB between Doncaster and Peterborough where the driver got lost and a passenger travelling to Peterborough had to direct him.
LancasterRed
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I have just been made aware of this Preston Bus service making a rather spectacular detour:
It has not only completely missed its terminus but has also managed to double back on itself through the next estate, missing a key interchange point on its route back into the bus station. It also seems to have lost 40 minutes going between 2 bus stops however the inbound timings seem to be confused.
I've heard of Preston Bus services taking one wrong turn or missing turnoffs shortly after route changes/thinking the service is operating a different route but no service has ever made some of the wrong turns that this one has.
One would presume this driver to expect questioning on their return...
This 44 has also managed to end up off route, down an old diversion that has not been used in some time:
Edit: it has partially happened again when the 31 has come inbound on its next journey
It has not only completely missed its terminus but has also managed to double back on itself through the next estate, missing a key interchange point on its route back into the bus station. It also seems to have lost 40 minutes going between 2 bus stops however the inbound timings seem to be confused.
I've heard of Preston Bus services taking one wrong turn or missing turnoffs shortly after route changes/thinking the service is operating a different route but no service has ever made some of the wrong turns that this one has.
One would presume this driver to expect questioning on their return...
This 44 has also managed to end up off route, down an old diversion that has not been used in some time:
Edit: it has partially happened again when the 31 has come inbound on its next journey
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Do you have any first-hand accounts of this service making a detour, or is this simply based on tracking data?
LancasterRed
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I went down after the first 31 took such a diversion, so I have seen the second incident first hand.
I can confirm at the very least both 31 incidents have happened. In any case the tracking data for this could not have been wrong.
I am still in the area so am going to check shortly to see if the third 31 on this route does the same thing.
The 44 is tracking data only I am afraid
delt1c
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Back in 1978 when I was a conductor at dalston Garage in London I was working on the 47 route one Sunday early turn , not my normal Route and we were scheduled to go right through to Farnborough The George ( Yes was a long route then). I had a new driver and i wasnt familair with the route . Somehow we missed a turning and ended up almost at Knockholt before realising our mistake . in those days the 47 has such slack running time on a Sunday morning. We even had one elderly woman upstairs who said she was just enjoying the view and the ride. Those were the days
Whistler40145
Established Member
During the West Coast Mainline upgrade works for some odd reason the last London Euston to Preston was a Rail Replacement Bus forward from Stoke-on-Trent calling at Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western, all went smoothly along the A500 until we reached the M6 Junction, instead of following the signs towards Crewe, the driver went down the road towards Alsager, so we're now heading in the wrong direction, he eventually backed into a field to complete a 3 point turn, thankfully the remaining journey went to plan bar some leg pulling by station staff plus a red faced railway official at Preston wondering why we'd taken longer than the timetable, we arrived after 2am on the Sunday morning.
Class800
Established Member
I don't tend to take complex or long bus journeys, due to the lack of protection for passengers in the event of service disruption compared to the railways. Off route RRBs, pretty common. In a service bus, yes once, a route 4 in Devon going from Cranbrook to Exeter - driver was new to the route - missed the right turn into Clyst Honiton and went through to the airport roundabout before having to turn around when a passenger asked to get off at Clyst Honiton. He had to tell the driver the way to get back on route. The driver said she didn't know the route, and was just following the road signs for Exeter!
Does an unexpected diversion count as going the wrong way? Earlier this year I caught the X3 from the outskirts of Leicester to Market Harborough which should have taken 48 minutes.
The driver had apparently been to the wrong place to pick up the bus and it arrived 28 minutes late (on a half-hourly service).
The A6 was closed because of an accident and we eventually arrived nearly 2 hours late into Market Harborough, after the driver turned round, spent 10 minutes on a call to the depot and then an improvised diversion.
The driver had apparently been to the wrong place to pick up the bus and it arrived 28 minutes late (on a half-hourly service).
The A6 was closed because of an accident and we eventually arrived nearly 2 hours late into Market Harborough, after the driver turned round, spent 10 minutes on a call to the depot and then an improvised diversion.
Clydeflyer
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The McGills 901/906s use various diversionary routes to avoid the M8 when it is hell, which is great and saves a lot of time. Out of Braehead for Greenock they use Renfrew/Dean Park as an escape. But a couple of years back one unfortunate driver had a lapse leaving Braehead bound for Greenock and we ended up going... and apologies to anyone not familiar with Glasgow but those of you who are will realise the mystery tour that unfolded...
- Out of Braehead in the wrong direction, ended up Glasgow bound again.
- Came off at Clyde Tunnel and headed for tunnel
- Crawled thru the tunnel (bearing in mind this is evening rush hour)
- Then ended up on the expressway Glasgow bound, crawling but moving
- Hit the back of the queues at Finnieston so decided to come off expressway
- Ended up going down to the Squinty Bridge at the SECC
- Over it and on the bus lanes to Govan Cross
- Then to the QEH where he parked outside and admitted defeat and called for help. Presumably someone then saw his position on the GPS and talked him back to Braehead, which by this point was just 5 mins away.
By this point the M8 was quiet again so it was back on the M8 and Greenock-bound. Hit Greenock about 2+ hours late. Strangely not a single passenger complained or got irate, we just all sat there and enjoyed the journey and said thanks and good night when we got off (!). Citaros must be hypnotising with their comfort.
- Out of Braehead in the wrong direction, ended up Glasgow bound again.
- Came off at Clyde Tunnel and headed for tunnel
- Crawled thru the tunnel (bearing in mind this is evening rush hour)
- Then ended up on the expressway Glasgow bound, crawling but moving
- Hit the back of the queues at Finnieston so decided to come off expressway
- Ended up going down to the Squinty Bridge at the SECC
- Over it and on the bus lanes to Govan Cross
- Then to the QEH where he parked outside and admitted defeat and called for help. Presumably someone then saw his position on the GPS and talked him back to Braehead, which by this point was just 5 mins away.
By this point the M8 was quiet again so it was back on the M8 and Greenock-bound. Hit Greenock about 2+ hours late. Strangely not a single passenger complained or got irate, we just all sat there and enjoyed the journey and said thanks and good night when we got off (!). Citaros must be hypnotising with their comfort.
There used to be a huge long Lincolnshire service from Grimsby all the way to Sheffield via Doncaster and Scunthorpe. One day I caught it from Doncaster to Scunthorpe and all went well until the driver turned on to the M18 motorway, necessitating an extension of over 20 miles to get back on route. When the bus finally got to Scunthorpe late, I was the only passenger left who had been on the bus at the time of the wrong turning - I didn't grass on the driver, who blamed it on congestion in Rotherham.
Surprisingly I can't remember a driver ever taking a wrong turn on a scheduled route all the time I lived in Leeds, even when I was a conductor on the 2/3/10/12/18/19/20/21 Moortown-Middleton circulars with plenty of potential for taking a wrong turn where the routes diverge. There again, in those days, the drivers knew the routes thoroughly through their stint as a conductor before they were ever allowed in the cab.
Surprisingly I can't remember a driver ever taking a wrong turn on a scheduled route all the time I lived in Leeds, even when I was a conductor on the 2/3/10/12/18/19/20/21 Moortown-Middleton circulars with plenty of potential for taking a wrong turn where the routes diverge. There again, in those days, the drivers knew the routes thoroughly through their stint as a conductor before they were ever allowed in the cab.
arbeia
Member
Happened a couple of times to me in over 30 years driving. The passengers, quite rightly would be alarmed, but to defuse the situation, I just told them that I wouldn't charge them for the extra mileage and that generally calmed any potential situation!
I will spare the driver’s blushes by being vague on the time and date of this very recent mishap! I was on the X1 from Bournemouth to Lymington. Unfortunately, at Highcliffe on Sea, the driver switched to X2 mode and headed directly to New Milton, thereby discombobulating the (largely elderly and exceptionally vocal) passengers who wanted Barton on Sea. Quite an entertaining few minutes!
BVW
Member
I suspect this may be a rather tall tale, but a driver I knew at Halifax spoke of being sent out on the 562 under similar circumstances with a minibus. Having crossed into some unknown part Greater Manchester he asked the two ladies on board if they knew the way, to which they said yes. His suspicions were raised when he ended up in a residential road which didn't seem to be on route, at which point they asked to get off as they lived there. He did a three-point turn as well. Right over her lawn.
One of my own biggest embarrassments happened back in the early 1990s in Torquay. I'd started off at Paignton on a National Express journey and turned off the seafront bound for the coach park at Lymington Road. Having followed the one-way system up instead of taking a left at the end as I'd done several times before, for some inexplicable reason I swung right towards the town centre. I didn't know the area at all and attempted to bluff my way through. I picked a side street only to find that not only did it suddenly ascend sharply but it got tighter and tighter near the top, at which point I realised I wasn't going to get round.
Only one thing for it, inch back down in reverse. Luckily there were some service bays which I hadn't seen though I had to endure being laughed at by the people stood near a nearby artic. Having extricated myself I carried on and was grateful for the twenty minute layover up the road at Exeter which got me back on time. I've always said that the best way to learn is to make a glaring mistake just the once, but it was as well that I had nobody on during all that...
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When the 298 used to terminate at South Mimms about 20 years ago, there was one morning when the driver forgot to turn left at South Mimms and was carrying on towards London Colney. Another time, the bus failed to turn into the South Mimms bus terminus. The road after that is a narrow Lane with a dead end in a farmyard, so that is where we alighted!
Whistler40145
Established Member
Sounds like a very unusual destination
Tom B
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Some years ago a driver at a Doncaster independent was rostered to do a particular school run that they did not know. The instructions they were given was to "go to X stop in Y, and pick up the first kids, ask them the route".
Some time later, the office called to ask where they were, "heading up the A1, apparently this is the route". I don't think they saw the funny side.
Some time later, the office called to ask where they were, "heading up the A1, apparently this is the route". I don't think they saw the funny side.
PG
Established Member
Things like this, while appearing comical, can turn deadly e.g. more than one bridge strike has been due to the bus being somewhere it wasn't meant to be.
Myself, I have vague memories of forgetting the location of the turning for a late night housing estate diversion and ending up in a sports centre car park, many years ago. Unfortunately the lighting was switched off and I failed to notice the boulders around the edge - cue a #ollokin* the next day for bent panelling
Saw a Connexions / Road Runner / "Harrogate Bus Company" / Harrogate Coach Travel / whatever else they might have called it that day X1 miss its turning towrads the bus station in Harrogate and instead of carrying on the wider road it was on which then joins the A61 towards the bus station took the first avaialble turning, a one way road with vehicles parked on both sides of the single main carriageway - a bit like threading a needle.
Also one day in the late 1990s I made use of a Dales & District Rover from Ripon. The bus from Leyburn to Hawes via Bolton Castle missed the turning to the Castle needing a prompt reverse while that from Bedale to Masham similarly missed a turning for a village and had to take similar corrective action, although pointless due to the lack of custom.
Deliberate wrong routes being taken during cycling events in Harrogate in the mid 2010s caused problems due to ticket machines used by Transdev failing to recognise where they were.
Also one day in the late 1990s I made use of a Dales & District Rover from Ripon. The bus from Leyburn to Hawes via Bolton Castle missed the turning to the Castle needing a prompt reverse while that from Bedale to Masham similarly missed a turning for a village and had to take similar corrective action, although pointless due to the lack of custom.
Deliberate wrong routes being taken during cycling events in Harrogate in the mid 2010s caused problems due to ticket machines used by Transdev failing to recognise where they were.
Furryanimal
Member
Some years ago on a Newport Transport number 7 on the Home Farm estate the driver went right when he should have gone left.
We alert passengers shouted ‘wrong way driver’.
He informed us he knew what he was doing and promptly turned the bus into a cul-de-sac.
Much to the amusement of the local residents who enjoyed watching him reverse out slowly.
We alert passengers shouted ‘wrong way driver’.
He informed us he knew what he was doing and promptly turned the bus into a cul-de-sac.
Much to the amusement of the local residents who enjoyed watching him reverse out slowly.
Paul Jones 88
Member
A few years ago I had a rail replacement bus going from Headcorn to Paddock Wood on the Sunday, the driver got completely lost between Marden and Paddock Wood and made all 23 passengers miss the London train, the next one was in an hour and the weather was bloody freezing.
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