yourhavingalarf:
How much…To replace the windscreen in that window-lickers house of fun?
Hahahaha!!
Pennineman:
0I’ve seen quite a few Lorries and vans/cars collide at this narrow point just north of Ardlui (and the other one close by) with varying degrees of destruction!
Like most roads, just need to respect them while traversing them.
Exactly my point mate, I was virtually touching that wall with loggers going crazy and the bridge along that route. It isn’t a road to be doing the speed limit on. The road narrows, twists and turns as you well know. Just bad driving from some of the loggers regardless to how well they know the road.
robroy:
I reckon the biggest challenge to me would be coming off something that bends in the middle after all these years, to something that doesn’t.
It was for me too mate, first couple of weeks I nearly went back to lorries as it takes some getting used to driving these big rigids about. I had a few near misses in the begining which doesnt do your nerves much good. Got used to them now but still would preferr it to bend. 
When I was a trainer for Megabus it was identified that most accidents involved tailswing. In fact look closely at the back end of a Megabus and you’ll likely see bodged up panels, filler, slightly different paint etc. They even changed the livery and removed vinyls on those parts as they were always getting crunched 
It’s an awareness thing. Many just don’t realise how far the tailswing reaches on a 15m vehicle that doesnt bend like an artic, so I used to take new starters down a quiet road and park the coach at the side of the road next to a bus stop then get new starters to put a cone where they thought it would be safe if the vehicle had to turn away from the kerb, most times the cones woukd be taken out but there was also a bus shelter set back which was within the range of the cones so it was easy for them to visualise that the tailswing woukd take that out too and give them an idea that real damage could be done.
That was one thing, the other was taking up two lanes to stop stuff sneaking down one side. London was a hotspot, especially Hyde Park Corner, Brent Cross and Finchley Rd, but a defensive approach to owning the road space when in any doubt helped sort that. Occasionally it would annoy another driver but its better than wiping them out and most seemed to understand when they seen the rear sweep taking up most of the road.
Yorkshire Tramper:
the odd fact of that there has never been a case of a logger driver ever hitting a coach is probably due to the fact that the coach drivers are in a position to move into a safe zone out of their way rather than the logger drivers ability to avoid a collision.
So the coach drivers are superior drivers?
toonsy:
When I was a trainer for Megabus it was identified that most accidents involved tailswing. In fact look closely at the back end of a Megabus and you’ll likely see bodged up panels, filler, slightly different paint etc. They even changed the livery and removed vinyls on those parts as they were always getting crunchedIt’s an awareness thing. Many just don’t realise how far the tailswing reaches on a 15m vehicle that doesnt bend like an artic, so I used to take new starters down a quiet road and park the coach at the side of the road next to a bus stop then get new starters to put a cone where they thought it would be safe if the vehicle had to turn away from the kerb, most times the cones woukd be taken out but there was also a bus shelter set back which was within the range of the cones so it was easy for them to visualise that the tailswing woukd take that out too and give them an idea that real damage could be done.
That was one thing, the other was taking up two lanes to stop stuff sneaking down one side. London was a hotspot, especially Hyde Park Corner, Brent Cross and Finchley Rd, but a defensive approach to owning the road space when in any doubt helped sort that. Occasionally it would annoy another driver but its better than wiping them out and most seemed to understand when they seen the rear sweep taking up most of the road.
Just out of interest and curiosity toonsy what training did you require to become a trainer at Megabus? Was it all done “in house” or were there outside parties involved?
jakethesnake:
toonsy:
When I was a trainer for Megabus it was identified that most accidents involved tailswing. In fact look closely at the back end of a Megabus and you’ll likely see bodged up panels, filler, slightly different paint etc. They even changed the livery and removed vinyls on those parts as they were always getting crunchedIt’s an awareness thing. Many just don’t realise how far the tailswing reaches on a 15m vehicle that doesnt bend like an artic, so I used to take new starters down a quiet road and park the coach at the side of the road next to a bus stop then get new starters to put a cone where they thought it would be safe if the vehicle had to turn away from the kerb, most times the cones woukd be taken out but there was also a bus shelter set back which was within the range of the cones so it was easy for them to visualise that the tailswing woukd take that out too and give them an idea that real damage could be done.
That was one thing, the other was taking up two lanes to stop stuff sneaking down one side. London was a hotspot, especially Hyde Park Corner, Brent Cross and Finchley Rd, but a defensive approach to owning the road space when in any doubt helped sort that. Occasionally it would annoy another driver but its better than wiping them out and most seemed to understand when they seen the rear sweep taking up most of the road.
Just out of interest and curiosity toonsy what training did you require to become a trainer at Megabus? Was it all done “in house” or were there outside parties involved?
A lot of it is in house, but national if you get me, and it depended on levels required. Bear in mind Stagecoach which is behind Megabus is huge. For instance we had in house instructors, all registered as they should be for teaching people how to drive and could have done so independently as they were qualified, registered etc etc but they were employed by Stagecoach.
I didn’t need to do that because I worked on Megabus and they didn’t take on new licences, they’d have to do bus work for a while first, so I was already dealing with people who had experience.
I was responsible for people knowing routes, rules, how to use the vehicles, the pitfalls of the vehicles, familiarisation including stuff like wheelchair accessibility and so on so on that respect I had to go through all that and get passed by the internal training team, but for CPC presentation and facilitation again they have their own assesors but I still had to be approved and registered on NRI for that as a CPC instructor.
Newstart90:
Yorkshire Tramper:
the odd fact of that there has never been a case of a logger driver ever hitting a coach is probably due to the fact that the coach drivers are in a position to move into a safe zone out of their way rather than the logger drivers ability to avoid a collision.So the coach drivers are superior drivers?
Not saying that at all, I am saying that a coach driver is in a better position than the logger driver to move into a safe zone to avoid a collision. If both coach and logger were both tearing up the road and both taking more space in the road then a collision will obviously occur.
If the coach driver is taking it steady and watching the road like a hawke expecting a logger shooting around the corner then the coach driver is in a better position to move over or stop. Where is your superior driver coming from? Nothing to do with being superior in the least.
Just stating a fact that the logger drivers I encountered on these roads in bad conditions were driving beyond the realms of sensible. They may be better drivers than me but in the cases I witnessed, definitely not.
Stagecoach (Slavecoach) use to be a Perth based company. Its now owned by a German organisation. Who won the war and all of that. The big mirrors on some coaches were referred to as elephants ears.
toonsy:
jakethesnake:
toonsy:
When I was a trainer for Megabus it was identified that most accidents involved tailswing. In fact look closely at the back end of a Megabus and you’ll likely see bodged up panels, filler, slightly different paint etc. They even changed the livery and removed vinyls on those parts as they were always getting crunchedIt’s an awareness thing. Many just don’t realise how far the tailswing reaches on a 15m vehicle that doesnt bend like an artic, so I used to take new starters down a quiet road and park the coach at the side of the road next to a bus stop then get new starters to put a cone where they thought it would be safe if the vehicle had to turn away from the kerb, most times the cones woukd be taken out but there was also a bus shelter set back which was within the range of the cones so it was easy for them to visualise that the tailswing woukd take that out too and give them an idea that real damage could be done.
That was one thing, the other was taking up two lanes to stop stuff sneaking down one side. London was a hotspot, especially Hyde Park Corner, Brent Cross and Finchley Rd, but a defensive approach to owning the road space when in any doubt helped sort that. Occasionally it would annoy another driver but its better than wiping them out and most seemed to understand when they seen the rear sweep taking up most of the road.
Just out of interest and curiosity toonsy what training did you require to become a trainer at Megabus? Was it all done “in house” or were there outside parties involved?
A lot of it is in house, but national if you get me, and it depended on levels required. Bear in mind Stagecoach which is behind Megabus is huge. For instance we had in house instructors, all registered as they should be for teaching people how to drive and could have done so independently as they were qualified, registered etc etc but they were employed by Stagecoach.
I didn’t need to do that because I worked on Megabus and they didn’t take on new licences, they’d have to do bus work for a while first, so I was already dealing with people who had experience.
I was responsible for people knowing routes, rules, how to use the vehicles, the pitfalls of the vehicles, familiarisation including stuff like wheelchair accessibility and so on so on that respect I had to go through all that and get passed by the internal training team, but for CPC presentation and facilitation again they have their own assesors but I still had to be approved and registered on NRI for that as a CPC instructor.
Yeah much as I thought it would be but thanks anyway. Don’t know about now but a few years ago anyone could get on the register without any proper training.
It or was a big pitfall in driver training.
alamcculloch:
Stagecoach (Slavecoach) use to be a Perth based company. Its now owned by a German organisation. Who won the war and all of that. The big mirrors on some coaches were referred to as elephants ears.
Oh yes, could tell you a few stories about that in the early days but you probably already know. A sister and her brother wasn’t it? 
Hey YT , honestly I have never heard of anyone calling a coach a “triaxle” Is this common these days? A rigid lorry was know as a 6 wheeler so why not call the coach a 6 wheeler or do you bus guys like to be a bit different.
jakethesnake:
Hey YT , honestly I have never heard of anyone calling a coach a “triaxle” Is this common these days? A rigid lorry was know as a 6 wheeler so why not call the coach a 6 wheeler or do you bus guys like to be a bit different.
Might well be that we like to be different. But it is commonly known as a tri coach as it obviously has 3 axles. In the tour industry they are very common but obviously at the higher end as they are expensive. Used mainly for long distance work as they hold more passengers and the third axle takes the additional size and weight. Also they are rear wheel steer too because the coaches are a fair amount longer than a standard. Also we have the inter decker coaches which are same size but higher having an upper deck. Similar to a double decker bus but longer and of course goes without saying much posher.
Yorkshire Tramper:
jakethesnake:
Hey YT , honestly I have never heard of anyone calling a coach a “triaxle” Is this common these days? A rigid lorry was know as a 6 wheeler so why not call the coach a 6 wheeler or do you bus guys like to be a bit different.Might well be that we like to be different. But it is commonly known as a tri coach as it obviously has 3 axles. In the tour industry they are very common but obviously at the higher end as they are expensive. Used mainly for long distance work as they hold more passengers and the third axle takes the additional size and weight. Also they are rear wheel steer too because the coaches are a fair amount longer than a standard. Also we have the inter decker coaches which are same size but higher having an upper deck. Similar to a double decker bus but longer and of course goes without saying much posher.
When the regulations were changed to permit longer coaches, it became necessary to equip them with rear steer axles, in order to comply with turning circle legislation, and rear overhang constraints. I think some coach drivers take a while to understand that they handle quite differently to a conventional rigid vehicle, and that it is not necessary to keep the front of the vehicle so far out from a kerb, in order to ensure the rear tyres don’t hit the kerb. It’s also a fallacy that rear steer equipped vehicles or trailers have more tailswing as a consequence of having that feature.
As far as how to refer to this type of vehicle, you can call it anything you like, but see nothing wrong with describing it as a tri axle.
but see nothing wrong with describing it as a tri axle
Absolutely, nothing wrong with it at all, just a new one on me.
Am I correct in thinking the rear steer axle gives you a better turning circle? But more of a tailswing. So Pros and cons in reality.
jakethesnake:
but see nothing wrong with describing it as a tri axleAbsolutely, nothing wrong with it at all, just a new one on me.
Am I correct in thinking the rear steer axle gives you a better turning circle? But more of a tailswing. So Pros and cons in reality.
Yes they can turn on a sixpence relatively speaking for the size of the vehicle.
jakethesnake:
toonsy:
jakethesnake:
toonsy:
When I was a trainer for Megabus it was identified that most accidents involved tailswing. In fact look closely at the back end of a Megabus and you’ll likely see bodged up panels, filler, slightly different paint etc. They even changed the livery and removed vinyls on those parts as they were always getting crunchedIt’s an awareness thing. Many just don’t realise how far the tailswing reaches on a 15m vehicle that doesnt bend like an artic, so I used to take new starters down a quiet road and park the coach at the side of the road next to a bus stop then get new starters to put a cone where they thought it would be safe if the vehicle had to turn away from the kerb, most times the cones woukd be taken out but there was also a bus shelter set back which was within the range of the cones so it was easy for them to visualise that the tailswing woukd take that out too and give them an idea that real damage could be done.
That was one thing, the other was taking up two lanes to stop stuff sneaking down one side. London was a hotspot, especially Hyde Park Corner, Brent Cross and Finchley Rd, but a defensive approach to owning the road space when in any doubt helped sort that. Occasionally it would annoy another driver but its better than wiping them out and most seemed to understand when they seen the rear sweep taking up most of the road.
Just out of interest and curiosity toonsy what training did you require to become a trainer at Megabus? Was it all done “in house” or were there outside parties involved?
A lot of it is in house, but national if you get me, and it depended on levels required. Bear in mind Stagecoach which is behind Megabus is huge. For instance we had in house instructors, all registered as they should be for teaching people how to drive and could have done so independently as they were qualified, registered etc etc but they were employed by Stagecoach.
I didn’t need to do that because I worked on Megabus and they didn’t take on new licences, they’d have to do bus work for a while first, so I was already dealing with people who had experience.
I was responsible for people knowing routes, rules, how to use the vehicles, the pitfalls of the vehicles, familiarisation including stuff like wheelchair accessibility and so on so on that respect I had to go through all that and get passed by the internal training team, but for CPC presentation and facilitation again they have their own assesors but I still had to be approved and registered on NRI for that as a CPC instructor.
Yeah much as I thought it would be but thanks anyway. Don’t know about now but a few years ago anyone could get on the register without any proper training.
It or was a big pitfall in driver training.
shouldn’t have told the snake the answer hell claim that as his own knowledge now, we all know he’s a fake and a liar with no evidence to back up any of his claims !!!
toonsy:
jakethesnake:
but see nothing wrong with describing it as a tri axleAbsolutely, nothing wrong with it at all, just a new one on me.
Am I correct in thinking the rear steer axle gives you a better turning circle? But more of a tailswing. So Pros and cons in reality.
Yes they can turn on a sixpence relatively speaking for the size of the vehicle.
You really need to drive something with rear steer to appreciate the advantages it gives. However, in my own experience, you get much, much less “cut in” without any noticeable increase in tailswing. This has more than a little to do with the fact that the rear overhang on a properly set up rear steered outfit, is usually a bit shorter than usual.
The thing with a rear steer is to forget the steering axle is there for turning purposes, the drive axle is the pivot point whether the rigid vehicle is two or three axle (if the rear axle steers), pacing the distance from the drive axle to the rear of the vehicle will give you in inkling of how much tailswing is involved.
Speaking of 3 axles buses, haven’t seen a twin steer bus for years.
By the way regarding capabilities skills attitudes etc, there’s good and bad in both sectors.
Old John:
When the regulations were changed to permit longer coaches, it became necessary to equip them with rear steer axles, in order to comply with turning circle legislation, and rear overhang constraints. I think some coach drivers take a while to understand that they handle quite differently to a conventional rigid vehicle, and that it is not necessary to keep the front of the vehicle so far out from a kerb, in order to ensure the rear tyres don’t hit the kerb. It’s also a fallacy that rear steer equipped vehicles or trailers have more tailswing as a consequence of having that feature.
As far as how to refer to this type of vehicle, you can call it anything you like, but see nothing wrong with describing it as a tri axle.
Yes pretty much nailed it in this post, a lot of coach drivers do not the rear steer as they handle completelyy different from a normal coach. The term familiarity pops up again, if you are not used to them they will catch you out.
The term tri axle is how they are referred to and seems to have stuck with being the defacto standard now. Some say multi axle but then there is no right or wrong so long as you understand what they mean. No expert in coaches but I do have 3 months worth now so I am picking it all up as I go. Helps being an ex lorry driver to pick it all up with the driving etc, its like anything, I drove that many different makes and models of lorry that a coach is just a big rigid which initself was a shock to my system as am used to bendy trucks more.