Catching Buses

[tony dunn]

Our local bus station is great because each platform bay has the destinations printed on them in lettering which is big enough to read.

[Lou]

I'm quite good at catching local buses because I recognise that all buses look different so I don't even look at the numbers, just at the shape and colour of the buses. I was at the bus stop once with my friend, who isn't visually impaired, and a bus came around the corner and I said there's your bus and she said how do you know? And I said trust me. When it got nearer, she was like wow, it is my bus how did you do that?

In the same way, I memorise people's number plates because one day my brother and I were walking out of our front door and our car and our dad's friend's car was both outside the house. It was dark and both cars were the same shade of green and, without thinking, I went to get in dad's friend's car instead of ours. My brother was like what are you doing, that's not our car! That sort of comment upsets me so I learn number plates (or at least part of them) so that it doesn't happen.

But going back to buses, I was brought up on public transport near enough because even though dad drives (and now so do my brother and sister) and so lifts have always been offered to me, my mum doesn't drive so whenever she took me somewhere, we got buses or trains. and as i got older dad used to ask if i wanted a lift and, unless i was feeling particularly lazy that day, i quite often said no as i liked being independent and not having to rely on other people!

[Mike H]

I wish I lived where you live Lou. Most of the time in the North West your approach doesn't apply. My main bus to and from work is a 12 from First Buses. Maybe 49 times out of 50 it's a single decker, All the other buses at my stops are predominantly double deckers. However, when something changes you can guarantee they use the 12 bus to be a 26 and the 37 too. Very confusing and impossible to judge. There must be occasions when my hand movements make me look like I have a nervous disorder.

Made several hospital trips on buses and had panic attacks part way through the journey when I've realised I'm on the wrong bus. That's fun, although having Google maps on the iPhone along with access to timetables means I can jump off and improvise. Thank heavens for the bus pass.

Mike

[Lou]

Occasionally they use some buses as other numbers, but not often though. And I always check the bus number before I get on just in case. Quite often, I'll see a bus coming and stick my hand out and then realise that it's not in service! I'm quite fortunate anyway as all the buses that stop at the end of my road go to the local shopping centre which I quite often go to. I have the iphone too, it's brilliant!

[Sofie]

Where I live, there are 3 bus companies and each companies' bus is a different colour.

I remember having to catch a bus at 7.30am t get to college - always missed the bus when it was winter and quite dark.

[Lou]

Catching buses in the dark is a different story! I often wonder if it's a car or a bus coming up the road as in the dark, I can't tell! It's mainly because the lights affect my eyes so much I think

[emmahallett]

Where I live, there are 3 bus companies

where i live there are 2 but i only like to use one of them 1) because the service is better and 2) because instead of having a nunber on the front they have the area they are going to, and it is easier for me to see the shape of the word than a number from a distance, and also they have bright green buses rather than white so i can see them coming from further off.

[Sofie]

Catching buses in the dark is a different story! I often wonder if it's a car or a bus coming up the road as in the dark, I can't tell! It's mainly because the lights affect my eyes so much I think

I think I have flagged down a few lorries and vans in the dark.

[Lou]

Haha, me too! And I always find it embarrassing when the bus that I'm putting my arm out for is not in service...

[Sofie]

I've done that too!