REGARDING the front-page story last week about the bus doing an emergency stop (Bus Ride Horror, News Shopper, March 15).

For the past 20 years or so I hardly used the buses.

The nature of my job meant I was car-bound.

Recently I have been using buses again and I have noticed several things which are different from years ago.

Buses now seem to accelerate and brake much more quickly and I assumed this is probably due to technological improvements in engine and brake designs.

Buses no longer travel in a straight line.

They have to weave in and out of parked cars along their route, which gives rise to the passengers being thrown from side to side.

The problems really come when the bus slows down to stop or pulls away from a stop.

These manoeuvres always seem to be carried out too quickly.

The passengers on board who want to get off are probably standing at this time and then the bus lurches round a parked car and comes to a sudden stop.

You have to hold on to something with both hands to avoid falling over, which is not easy when carrying shopping.

Similarly, when the bus pulls away, again very quickly, the last passengers to get on are probably making their way to a seat when they are almost pushed backwards by the acceleration I nearly wrote take-off.

Surely the bus drivers could be told about this and they could be asked to drive more considerately?

However, I realise when an emergency stop is required there is very little anyone can do except hope.

MIKE MILFORD
Bexley Road
Erith