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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that buses are not quicker.

61 replies

Letstryagainshallwe · 09/09/2017 12:48

I have a friend who drives to work, I speak to her most mornings and she's always complaining how long it takes to get to work. She seems to think it's much quicker to get a bus, despite the fact that buses stop frequently to let people on and off and don't always go the quickest way as they have a route to follow. Even when I say this she still says "oh well buses have bus lanes" I can't think of any bus lanes in my area, bus lanes are in more built up places. So if you were going to the same place by bus or car which on do you think would be quicker?

OP posts:
user1471517900 · 09/09/2017 12:51

Depends. In many city centres it would probably be bus. Especially factoring in parking etc.

BeyondThePage · 09/09/2017 12:52

We have bus lanes, the bus is definitely quicker.

No parking to find, bus stops 250 feet from home and 25 feet from my shop (both have shelters in case it is raining) and runs every 10 min during the day.

Bus wins all the way here - anyday! bliss

LairyMcClary · 09/09/2017 12:53

So if you were going to the same place by bus or car which on do you think would be quicker?

Don't mean to be rude but that's a really silly question, given that it entirely matters on where you are going!

Original poster
Letstryagainshallwe · 09/09/2017 12:55

Well I couldn't find a way to work it but for example if you were going to your kids school would you get there quicker by bus or car? I know I would get there quicker by car. I missed one bus the other day and the next was a 15 minute wait.

OP posts:
Katescurios · 09/09/2017 12:56

It depends heavily on the route.

I drop my lg at my MILs every Monday morning and then pick her up in the evening. Its a serious of big busy 2 lane roads, 1 of which is a bus lane so the 6 mile drive from there to work easily takes me 1 and a half hours during rush hour. Or 40 minutes on the bus, even with all the stops and I get to read my book during that time rather than growling at traffic queues and idiot drivers.

Original poster
Letstryagainshallwe · 09/09/2017 12:57

The bus stop is also a ten minute walk from my house whereas cars tend to be parked up right outside

OP posts:
gamerwidow · 09/09/2017 12:57

Again it depends on the route, how far the bus stops are from the home and school, how long the wait between buses is, are there bus lanes?
Too many variables to say which would be quickest.

BeyondThePage · 09/09/2017 12:58

When you rely on buses you don't tend to miss them.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 09/09/2017 12:59

If I wanted to visit my mum I'd have to get one bus to the centre of town (totally wrong direction) to be able to catch the bus that does go near her house. It would take many times longer than driving.
On the other hand, if I wanted to.go to the airport I'd get the RailAir bus. Much quicker.
It all depends really.

FreudianSlurp · 09/09/2017 12:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Letstryagainshallwe · 09/09/2017 13:01

I live in south east london. She drives to work in Kent. Yes it's possible to miss buses sorry we aren't all perfect! Like you've never missed a bus lol

OP posts:
BeyondThePage · 09/09/2017 13:02

My neighbour did not know how her 14 year old was going to get to school as she came out to a flat tyre... There is a bus every 15 min to her local school, or it is 25 min walk. She rang her own parents to come 15 miles to take her, and she would have got in very late. I was gobsmacked.

Remy66 · 09/09/2017 13:02

Why are you asking us this? It's not like mumsnet knows how many bus lanes there are, how much traffic there is in normal lanes, how popular the bus route is (which means you may not get a pram space or the bus will stop lots to let people on and off) so many variables I won't even try to list them all... so none of us can accurately answer, only give our own experiences which are useless to you unless we live nearby!

FizzyGreenWater · 09/09/2017 13:02

Mad thread. It TOTALLY depends on the route, the location, city or countryside etc.

The easy answer to your friend's moaning is 'I don't know really - it could well be quicker considering bus lanes etc. Why don't you try the bus one morning and compare?'

BeyondThePage · 09/09/2017 13:03

(p.s. No I have never missed a bus - they run to a timetable here, I look at the timetable)

FreudianSlurp · 09/09/2017 13:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NapQueen · 09/09/2017 13:06

Id get so bored of this. Just suggests she busses in then.

FreudianSlurp · 09/09/2017 13:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Letstryagainshallwe · 09/09/2017 13:08

Oh right will take a look. Was more wondering in general if buses were quicker than cars not we specific situation just generally which is quicker. (She wouldn't be seen dead on a bus that's why I didn't suggest that)

OP posts:
ReinettePompadour · 09/09/2017 13:09

DDs public bus for school takes 50 minutes from home into school with all the pick ups/drop offs.

If I drove her into school about 15 minutes for the same journey.

We are a rural market town though and school is in the next large town with no bus lanes. For us driving is much much quicker.

alltouchedout · 09/09/2017 13:11

Depends really. On part of my route buses sail past lines of cars sitting in awful traffic, thanks to bus lanes. At rush hours the buses are definitely quicker. Outside of rush hours, the same journey is likely to be quicker by car. Your friend should try travelling by bus a few times and then she'll know for sure what would be better for her.

I do love how angry some car drivers get about bus lanes, BTW. Unreasonable and petty of me, but the fury and resentment some of them express is fairly unreasonable and petty itself so...

SparklyLeprechaun · 09/09/2017 13:12

Public transport has always been quicker for me for any commute I've ever done, plus going into the town centre, school run.
Not sure how that helps you, every area is different.

elliejjtiny · 09/09/2017 13:18

If I get the bus to pick up my DC from school it takes me 45 minutes. Dh takes 5 minutes in the car.

OhtoblazeswithElvira · 09/09/2017 13:18

Semi rural area with no parking issues and the bus stop 5 mins' walk away. Car wins hands down. The bus is a second close provided it turns up on time. As it happens it usually is 15 mins late so for short distances it's quicker to walk. Also many stops don't have a shelter so you could get soaked in the rain while you wait.

Our bus service is a joke, really Angry

FuzzyCustard · 09/09/2017 13:22

Round here cars are a lot quicker. Mainly because you can wait 3 days for the next bus.