London Banter - View Single Post

Colin Rosenstiel · November 5th 05, 08:39 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article .com,
() wrote:

Look, "d", is it really so offensive to you that some of us are
mourning the loss of an icon from the streets of London?

Comparing a Routemaster with a bendy bus is comparing chalk with
cheese.

No doubt, in the eyes of some, there are virtues in bendies which many
others cannot see. Likewise with those of us who prefer Routemasters.
That is really no reason to castigate those of us of the latter
persuasion with the description of "old, crusty, whiney men". Do you
really have to lower the tone of the debate to that level?

Do you really think the process of replacing RTs and their
predecessors
(even trams and trolleybuses) with Routemasters is in any way
comparable to the sea change that is now taking place: loss of double
deck and consequent increase in road occupation by cumbersome heavy
foreign-made machines, loss of conductors, loss of hop-on/off when
convenient etc.?

"It's just an old bus being replaced by a new one." Is that REALLY the
simplistic view you take?

In my youth Routemasters *did* replace the trolleybuses I used for
school. However, they still allowed me to get on and off when I wanted
and not have to be be nannied by drivers.

I wasn't that bothered by the passing of the RT family but the loss of
open platforms is another matter entirely.

--
Colin Rosenstiel