Diaries of a (London) Bus Driver Vol. 1.4May 16th 2003

Dear friends,

What is it about buses that makes other drivers lose all their common sense! In consecutive days, I have been passed on bends in the road. The car drivers couldn't possibly have known what, if any vehicles were approaching from the opposite direction. Both were lucky. Within a minute of the second incident, on Green Dragon Lane, a third car overtook me on a straight, downhill section of road, doing somewhere in excess of 50mph. To deter such speedsters, there are 3 sets of chicanes at mini-roundabouts. This particular stunt was attempted an insufficient distance from one of these, so the driver was forced to negotiate the entire manoeuvre on the wrong side of the road. This time, the driver was almost not so lucky. Another vehicle was coming the other way. I doubt they missed each other by more than a couple of feet. This incident almost brought to life my enduring waking nightmares.

The vision I have almost overcome, is where I am driving at a decent speed and misjudge how far I am from a parked vehicle, causing a gut-wrenchingly spectacular smash. In the second scenario, a testosterone drunk dick-for-brains pulls out from behind me, while crossing into the path of oncoming traffic - a scene that unfolds several times daily. This time around, neither the perpetrator nor the victim, a bus or articulated lorry driver, can avoid a devastating crash. Car parts and flames fly through the air. Fortunately, my imagination has spared me visions of the mangled bodies.

I also have another accident to report. As seems to happen weekly, the tunnels on the North Circular Road, going under the Great Cambridge Roundabout and Silver Street, were closed for repairs that nobody has ever actually witnessed taking place. Two lanes had just merged into one on the slip road. Without enough space to get past me, another car attempted to do so anyway. Upon failing in his first attempt, he applied the old adage: try, try, try again.... until he hit me! After pounding the steering wheel in frustration and anger, I got off the bus to assess the damage, minimal, and see if the other driver was alright. He asked how I didn't see him!!!! He wanted to know what 'I' was going to do about his car. His tone was threatening, so I got back on the bus. I carry a company-supplied camera, with which I am supposed to photograph accident damage and location. Upon seeing this, the other driver cursed, rounded the cones and sped towards the waiting queue of traffic. Not a bright chap, as I would inevitably join the same queue immediately behind him. I snapped a shot of his licence plate.

Talking of not bright! My trip to the US was great. I loved seeing family and friends, and spending time with my kids was the highlight of my year. The second leg of my road trip was from Detroit to Pittsburgh - about 250 miles. We were in Ohio, about 10 miles from the Pennsylvania border, when a full grown female Deer ran up the embankment to the highway, within yards of our car. Surprising and beautiful. I said, look, kids! The Deer than full on charges our vehicle. I had a split second to react and swerved to the left, grazing the animal, which ran off, with the side of the car. Hair flew. Shit flew! Literally!! It hit the passenger window. Good thing for Sean's allergies! The windows were closed and the AC on, else Hannah would have had a face full!! Seems that Bulls aren't the only animals that attack red! We were told that this was far from an isolated incident. We were all sick to our stomachs. I called Rob, in Pittsburgh, telling him that we would be a little late. He lightened our moods with a few rather sick jokes. The time spent waiting for the Police - I had to get an accident report for insurance purposes - was almost sufficient for us to recover. I always drive past Rob's house, so called him again from close-by, asking him to stand outside it. We'll be in the maroon Honda Stationwagon with the shit on the window!

Seen and believed, but certainly not comprehended: Two Mercedes cars, one a sporty convertible, that have television screens on the dashboard. One of them had music videos on. What I want to know is, what egghead had this pea-brained idea, what corporate melon-head agreed to put them in the cars, what 'safety' commission approved it and how much did that cost in political contributions, and, last but not least, what yuppie moron with more money than sense would buy such a thing? Countries and States are banning mobile phone use for drivers, but it's OK to watch the booty-shaking flesh parade that constitutes so many videos! One thing's for sure: there'd be no shortage of people for me to sue, should I ever be involved in an accident with one of these cars!

As far as I can tell, there are only two things prone to more exaggeration than a man's penis size: Parents' estimation of how advanced their children are, and how long people have waited for a bus. On Sundays, the 125 comes only twice an hour. A man got on my bus complaining that he had waited an hour. I said that was untrue. I had crossed paths with the other bus exactly where I should have done. OK. Maybe 40 minutes. No, it would have been about half an hour ago. Oh! I must have just missed it!

There are many reasons for buses being late. People are constantly ringing the bell for the wrong stop and then just sit there saying nothing when I stop. The new buses on the 125 route have bells on almost every pole. People get on and grab the bars on their way to a seat, accidentally ringing the bell. Anyone can make a mistake, but as a public service request for all my fellow drivers everywhere, please admit to yours, if you make one. It will save a half a minute. The later I am, the more passengers I pick up (and will therefore also have to drop off somewhere) that would otherwise have missed me. This makes me later still. After all, the leading cause of lateness is picking up and dropping of the passengers. If I never had to pick up any, I'd rarely be late at all!

Another major cause is crazy schedules. On the W15, 44 minutes are scheduled for the late, late runs. This is almost impossible. I have made it just once. I was determined, and the roads were unusually clear, as it was Bank Holiday weekend. The allotted time from the Hackney Central Bus Stand to Leytonstone Station is 15 minutes. I drove 35-40mph most of the way, even briefly topping 50 along the Homerton Road. I was 2 minutes late at my first checkpoint! I made this up by the time I reached Terminus.

Along the same lines, the 125 has a round trip of 16 miles. (I originally thought this was 25 ? miles, but the new buses display kilometres.) The late runs are expected to accomplish this in 50 minutes. Supposedly, all times are based upon a top speed of 27mph. I worked it out! If there were no traffic, no traffic lights, no turns to negotiate, no roundabouts and no passengers, it would take me over 35 minutes. At an average 30mph, the time needed would be 32 minutes. But I tend to slow down for road hazards, and go considerably slower still when taking on passengers! Bare in mind, not one of these road has a limit of above 30mph and I would be expected to pay any speeding fines, and the 3 points would be on my licence!! 12 points and I'm out of a job! Not without a fight!! Letters to Mayor Ken, 'The Editor'...

If Swan Lane in Whetstone flooded...

I have to report the sad closure and removal of the 24-hour mobile tea and snack bar on Hackney Marshes, at Homerton Road. Not that I ever ate there. However, I always found it wryly amusing just how often the place was closed when I passed it - certainly more than any other 24-hour joint I've ever seen!

As a final note, I have some hope of returning both to New York and my old profession. Projects are in the works at my old employer, which I hope will result in a call in a few months. Perhaps next year, I'll be writing Diaries of an Englishman in New York.

That's all for now.

Love,

Andy

About the Author

My name is Andy. I am an Englishman who has spent most of his adult life in the United States. In 2001, I moved back to London, thinking I would remain there for the rest of my life. But things didn't go as planned. And instead of finding a job in IT, I became a bus driver. This is my memoire, written from 2003 to 2005.

Now back in Brooklyn, I have a blog I currently enjoy writing: sceneandheardinny.blogspot.com

Chalkboard Prices

There are many types of chalkboards available in the market. The material that is used to build the board dictates the price. There are different types of chalkboards including magnetic and reversible chalkboards that can be used on either side and are mounted on an easel. There are also green mathematical chalkboards, mini-chalkboards and chalkboard framed in wood or metal.

The material that is used in a magnetic chalkboard is porcelain and metal (usually steel). Therefore, the price of a magnetic chalkboard is higher compared to a normal board.

Mini chalkboards are available t for less than $10 and the prices vary according to the size and function. Chalkboards can also be used in kitchens, where recipes and ingredients can be written on them. A kitchen board is usually white and is available for $40 to $50. Cheap chalkboard can be shipped from countries such as china where the cost of chalkboards (or any other commodity for that matter) is considerably low. If the shipping costs are not too great then a chalkboard can be imported for as little as $9.

The size of a chalkboard has a direct impact on the price tag. A magnetic chalkboard used in a classroom can be as much as $400. Chalkboards are also available on the Internet from $99 to$450, depending upon the size, make and the material used in building it.

Chalkboards are also available in furniture stores and variety stores at a reasonable cost. Boards that are specially made are costlier compared to normal chalkboards. The best examples of these are mathematical green chalkboards used in calculating and computing in many schools around the world. These boards are divided into small squares that help accommodate the numbers that are used in calculating.

Chalkboards provides detailed information on Chalkboards, Kitchen Chalkboards, Magnetic Chalkboards, Slate Chalkboards and more. Chalkboards is affiliated with School Backpacks.

Do?s and Don?ts of Investing in UK Land for Sale Market.

Investments in UK Land for Sale market have grown at a breakneck pace in last few years growing at a phenomenal rate of 960% in last two decades.

This has created a great business opportunity for enterprising investors to make money by offering the best combination of above average returns, linked to low volatility, combined with compound growth.

This growth in value of UK land for Sale has been driven by an increasing supply and demand mismatch. To add to this there is very little risk in such investments as incase planning permission is granted by the local councils, land for sale investors could reap returns up to 10 times their original investments but even otherwise with acute shortage of housing in UK, the price of undeveloped land tends to increase anyway over the longer term.

Thus the investment proposition is based on solid fundamentals and there is little chance that it could lead to creation of a bubble.

But on the flip side there have been complaints in recent times about unscrupulous players selling land in UK to unsuspecting populace without adequately informing them of pros and cons of such decisions and willfully withholding certain important information.

Thus it is imperative for any potential investor to do a thorough evaluation of available land investment options also it is better to trust established players with proven track record rather then trying upstart firms.

A customer should be wary of firms guaranteeing planning permission in short time or offering plots of land for investments at ludicrously low prices.

?There are no shortcuts to success? ? Goes a famous saying

It?s very relevant for UK land investment scene as while there is a golden opportunity for common investors to reap hefty gains by investing in UK land for sale market but this potential has to harnessed with great care and one has to be prepared for loads of hard work so as to identify proper land investment options.

Stephen Brewood
Buy Land For Sale in the UK.

Mathematics Were Counting on Help from Parents

Furnished Apartments in Atlanta

Atlanta, comprised of numerous distinct neighborhoods, cities, and counties, has a good choice of furnished apartments - garden-style apartments, lofts, town homes, studios, and many others. Center city apartments and more suburban apartments come with features such as ample parking and swimming pools.

Furnished apartments are ideal for corporate housing and extended-stay rentals. These are available in any size, and equipped with kitchens, fully furnished bedrooms, air conditioning, fireplaces, dining and living rooms with or without bathrooms, hardwood floors, backyards, and parking areas. Some apartments in Atlanta are particularly designed to cater to the needs of short-term contractors or European business personnel. Almost all private apartments are located close to Atlanta's business areas, shopping malls, and restaurants.

Extended stay apartments are available on monthly invoice payments and are perfect for business travelers, those on temporary assignments, consultants, and visiting family and friends. Furnished short-term apartments feature the most comprehensive short-term and temporary housing facilities. These are available in all price ranges and sizes, and on one-month to twelve-month leases. Furnished apartments are popularly marketed to businesses like movie studios and film production companies that frequently employ visiting, temporary workers.

The town home in Atlanta is one of the popular styles of apartment buildings. Town homes are generally built on more than one level with living areas on the first and/or second levels, and bedrooms on the levels above living areas. Town homes are perfect for those who are willing to live on multiple levels and are able to maneuver stairs.

The rapid growth of this metropolitan area and its economic development have both contributed to the increase in the number of new apartments. Although Atlanta is one of the world-famous industrial centers, Atlanta apartments are affordable and the average monthly rent is below the national average. If you are looking for a living space, Atlanta has a number of well-established property management companies offering furnished apartments. They assist you with computerized apartment searching and apartment rental services to search for a fully furnished apartment, whether it is traditional or modern, according to your taste.

Atlanta Apartments provides detailed information on Atlanta Apartments, Loft Atlanta Apartments, Atlanta Apartment Rentals, Cheap Atlanta Apartments and more. Atlanta Apartments is affiliated with Apartments for Rent in Chicago.

Help I Have to Evict My Nephew!

The eviction of a friend or relative is not easy to do. It has to be one of the most difficult lawsuits, if not the most emotionally draining, of all types of evictions. You may be one of the lucky ones who can rent to a friend or relative with no side effects. Still one day, there may come a time when you have to look your friend or family member in the eyes, and ask him or her to leave your apartment.

In the eviction of a relative stranger, even a long-term tenant, the process isn?t personal, just business. The tenant can?t pay the rent, so he has to leave. It?s the end of an association with more or less minimal emotional ties between the tenant and the landlord.

Evicting a friend or relative is one in which sides may be chosen, and lines drawn in the sand. Once the eviction notice has been delivered, do not expect many friends or allies to come to your aid. Depending upon the circumstances of the eviction, you can expect to have your life made miserable by anyone impacted by your decision.

This is because the expectations of a friend or relation are much higher than that of a stranger. If there is a tenancy problem, the expectation is that you will treat the tenant more as a friend or relative than as a financial investment problem. You will be asked to accept less than you normally would for rent arrears, to wait longer for your rent, and to accept behaviors that you would not normally tolerate.

For example, let?s say you need to raise the rent. A rent increase could be perceived as a betrayal of your friendship. Your aunt could think you are taking advantage of her. It doesn?t make sense, but when money is concerned, all bets are off. As far as a friend or relative is concerned, you are in his or her pocket. A belief that you are soaking your tenant for more money that you ?don?t really need? could cause your family member to not pay the increase.

Be clear and resolved about why the eviction must take place. Have all of your written documentation in place. Check all of your paperwork, rent cards, letters of warning etc. before you send your notice to quit. Make sure you have a leg to stand on before starting the eviction case. Conduct a due diligence of your property and the legal case.

Hard feelings will sometimes come with the rental and eviction territory. Do not expect to be able to discuss the case calmly with the offended tenant. Do not expect a cool head to prevail over your eviction action. If you evict your nephew, expect your sister or brother to be totally ticked off at you. Your friend may think you are a jerk for evicting her because she parties loudly every weekend, disturbing your other tenants. Your aunt may not come to your aid when your niece does not pay the rent.

When blood is evicting blood, much more blood could be shed before the battle is over. Few people want to be in the middle of a turf war. You may find yourself isolated and alone during the eviction process until the dust has settled. This is the reason why most landlords refuse to rent to a friend or family member. It is preferred to have only one relationship, than to confuse the personal relationship by adding a legal one.

How can you ease the pain of evicting a friend, relative, or even the relative of a friend? It could depend on how the person was moved in. Were you doing your friend ?a favor? by renting your apartment to him or her? Did your cousin have to complete a rental application like everyone else? Did you verify all references, employment information, credit check, former landlord information, etc.? Does the tenant have a lease?

Why is this important? Having everyone go through an application process regardless of their status with you establishes the ground rules from Day One. Without it, the tenant could feel that he or she was taken in as a friend, and then treated otherwise when things got tough. It helps to set up the lines of separation between the friendship and the tenancy.

So, what is the best way to evict a friend or relative? Here are some tips:

?First, do not take shortcuts during the legal process. In fact, do everything strictly by the book. A wounded friend or relative who knows your personal business becomes a worthy adversary in a legal case. He or she will use whatever information is available to fight you tooth and nail.

?The jury is still out as to whether or not you should serve the initial notice of lease termination personally, or use a constable. The friend or your sister will feel the sting of you starting legal action just as shocking no matter how the news is given.

?Exercise the same professional manner in dealing with the loved one as you would with a stranger. Try to keep your emotions out of the situation. Avoid discussing the case at length with your now adversarial tenant. The less said, the less information that can be used against you in court.

?Put any rent arrears payment plans in writing. Continue the eviction case, and present the payment plan to the judge. Have the judge enter the payment plan in the court decision. Then, if the plan is broken, it is broken with the court, not you. Your friend or cousin will be less likely to violate a court agreement.

?Some landlords hire an attorney to process their eviction cases specifically against a friend or relative. When your best friend or nephew calls you about the eviction notice, refer all comments and questions to the attorney. Resist the temptation to explain why you started the action. With an attorney, you are taken out of the middle position. Let the lawyer earn the fee by listening to the anger, frustration and feelings of betrayal by the friend or relative.

?If you need to take legal action against a friend or relative who is your tenant, do it. Do not be intimidated by their personal association with you. Your real estate is a business investment. If you remember this during the process, you will be able to separate the two relationships, that of friend or family member who is also your tenant.

No one wants to be evicted, especially by a person who is considered a pal and confidant. The bitter taste of humiliation, feeling of betrayal, and anger will remain long after the actual legal action. Before renting your vacant apartment out again, remember the experience. Decide whether or not the rent is worth the possible loss of friendship or family discord.

Traveling With Your Baby? Create A Home Away From Home!

Your travel life needn't grind to a halt just because you've become a parent. The key to help baby keep calm and soothed while traveling is to create a home away from home for them.

Baby Blankets and Snuggly Baby Toys

To help your baby feel safe and secure, bring along comforting items baby is familiar with. Their favorite stuffed animal, special burp cloth, or blanket can really help baby feel more at ease about being in a new and unfamiliar place. While keeping track of yet another item may seem like an extra hassle for you, your child will be happier, and thus more pleasant to travel with, clutching something soft and familiar. Keep a replacement blanket or snuggly toy on hand in case the original gets lost.

Bring Baby's Favorite Foods and Seats
Small children are notoriously picky eaters, and it's hard enough finding foods they like at home, let alone while you're traveling. You may be looking forward to sampling the local cuisine at your destination, but your child may be less excited about conch fritters and sauteed snails. If you're going out to a restaurant, bring a supply of your child's favorite foods to keep them satisfied and entertained while you enjoy your own meal.

Bring along your baby's bumbo baby seat to keep them snug and cozy while you feed them. (The Bumbo Baby Seat is a revolutionary infant chair that is uniquely designed according to the baby's posture. The Bumbo enables babies to sit upright all by themselves! Bumbo Baby Seats are suitable for babies from as young as six weeks, or as soon as they can support their own heads unaided, to an age of approximately fourteen months.)

Start Your Day Early, End Your Day Early
Traveling with a baby is not about sleeping in or staying out late. Young children are at their best earlier in the day, so plan to travel, sightsee, or explore in the morning. Afternoons and evenings are a good time for playing outdoors or relaxing back at your hotel. Respecting your baby's inner clock will make him less likely to throw a tantrum in the car, the street, or a crowded museum.

Bring Baby's Familiar Bed and Bedding

There are a number of portable baby cribs available on the market today. This is the most comforting, and likely the safest option for your baby while traveling. Many hotels offer baby cribs, however, many hotels still have older cribs that are not up to code with the most recent safety standards. Also, bring your own baby crib bedding. If you rely on your hotel for bedding, you may receive large sheets, which may be a hazard to your baby. If you can, bring a bed and bedding baby is used to. A familiar baby sleep sack may also help baby sleep well and will help keep them safe.

Keep Close To Your Home Away From Home
Baby's mood may be more unpredictable than usual when you're traveling, so it makes sense to establish a home base you can return to quickly and easily. Short jaunts away from your accommodations are less likely to tax your child's patience. And if the weather turns foul, someone gets sick, or your baby just wants to nap, you can quickly head back to the room.

Get A Routine - Then Stick With It!
Your baby has gotten used to their outine at home. Be sure that, when you travel, you also establish and stick with a ravel routine. Try to keep baby's eating and sleeping routine during travel as close to their regular home routine as possible. This will make baby more tolerant of other on-home-routine activities that will occur while traveling. Eating meals and taking naps at the same time each day may be all the routine your baby needs to feel comfortable in their new environment.
Children get jet lag, though not quite the same way as adults do. Changing time zones can complicate the adjustment process. Be sure to have your entire family (you included) rest up before travel that includes a significant time change. Well-rested children and parents cope better than tired ones with time changes. To minimize the effects of jet lag, plan to arrive at your destination in the evening and stick to your usual end-of-day routine: Give your baby a bath, read a book, and put baby to sleep at the usual bedtime in the new time zone. For example, if you are in London and it's 7 p.m. there, put baby down to sleep even if it's eight hours ahead of their normal bedtime. It will take a few days to adjust.

You can expect your baby's adjusting to travel to take several days. So, be patient and stick to a familiar routine, feed baby familiar foods and give baby familiar toys. <em>Be sure you stay nearby - you are the most familiar thing to your baby. </em>

Article By Michelle O'Connor

By Michelle O'Connor, Infant Car Seats

About the Author

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