Coach Crash Near Heathrow
#1
Coach Crash Near Heathrow
As soon as i saw it on the news this morning i knew it would be a National Express coach.
I have to drive past Gatwick Airport every day, and have to put up with these coaches sitting 2 inches off my bumper, sitting in the outside lane refusing to move over, and cutting up cars all the time.
The driving of some of their drivers is nothing short of shocking, and in my opinion it was only a matter of time untill something like this happened.
(I know it hasn't been proven the driver was at fault, although he has been arrested)
Rant over
I have to drive past Gatwick Airport every day, and have to put up with these coaches sitting 2 inches off my bumper, sitting in the outside lane refusing to move over, and cutting up cars all the time.
The driving of some of their drivers is nothing short of shocking, and in my opinion it was only a matter of time untill something like this happened.
(I know it hasn't been proven the driver was at fault, although he has been arrested)
Rant over
#2
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Agree. Terrible tragedy for those families involved, but the amount of National Express coaches I see on my travels between LHR and LGW, being driven in a dangerous manner, shocks me. Not suprised this happened, it was just a matter of time. Hope it was mechanical failure of some sort, but I doubt it.
#3
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Just been chatting about this at work and my only memory of coach travel (from Edinburgh to London...around 20yrs ago) was waking up around 3am to see the driver racing another national express coach at speeds that must of been (or seriously felt to be) around 100mph.....
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Originally Posted by Moley_WRX
I have to drive past Gatwick Airport every day, and have to put up with these coaches sitting 2 inches off my bumper
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Originally Posted by GrahamG
All i know is that it was bloody windy, if there were no others involved he must of been speeding....
coaches are limited to 62mph so 100mph even 20 years ago would have been a slight oversite, 80mph poss it it was that long ago as limiters wernt law untill iirc 86/87
i have to aggree with you all though, some drivers realy do give proper coach drivers a bad name...
national express / megabus / airlink / citylink coaches are glorifyed bus routes driven by jumped up bus drivers that dont know courtesy or road manors.
i without going into it to much would say he was traveling around a sharp bend to fast in a double decker coach that was prob top heavy ( most people who get on a double decker coach tend to go up staires )
and he prob lost control when a gust of wind hit it and had no way of compensating on the bend
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Originally Posted by powerman1
driver has been arrested, so not mechanical failure
VOSA will now impound the coach and it will be gone over with a fine tooth comb and they will find out if there was anything wrong with the coach that would have contributed to the accident, and if there is the operator will be on the same charges as the driver along with a list of many more too.
the coach may only be 1 or 2 year old but if it hasnt been in for an inspection every 6 weeks the operator will get charged for bad mantenence
even if there is nothing actualy wrong with the coach.
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Originally Posted by powerman1
driver has been arrested, so not mechanical failure
Can't just have a "**** happens" accident any more. Someone has to be to blame.
SB
PS Not saying that's the case here, just pointing out that an arrest doesn't automatically mean it was actually the driver's fault...
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Horrible incident by the sound of it - apparently passengers lost limbs at the scene, in addition to the two that died.
Going round a bend and overturned - yes high winds may have been an issue, but one can't help think that it's likely that excessive speed would have too.
Going round a bend and overturned - yes high winds may have been an issue, but one can't help think that it's likely that excessive speed would have too.
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accrding to the news (LBC), one witness is reported as saying the coach hit a kerb before flipping.
whatever the circumstances, it's a terrible start to 2007 for at least 1/2 dozen famalies
whatever the circumstances, it's a terrible start to 2007 for at least 1/2 dozen famalies
#13
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In cases like this it is quite normal for driver to be arrested on suspicion.....just in case.
Knowing that junction he's probably gone round the corner a bit quick, clipped the kerb, over compensated an already top-heavy coach and fallen over.
Am I right in thinking those Neoplans are the ones with about 6 seats on the bottom?
Knowing that junction he's probably gone round the corner a bit quick, clipped the kerb, over compensated an already top-heavy coach and fallen over.
Am I right in thinking those Neoplans are the ones with about 6 seats on the bottom?
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Originally Posted by Scooby Soon!
I have seen National express coaches going 70mph on the M4 so they cant all be limited to 62mph
#16
I dont drive a car, I drive a van and the speedo is over by 4mph, My road angel and my tomtom both said it was 70mph my speedo said 74mph .
I have seen this on a number of occasions, im not saying its a bad thing just that they obviously have workarounds.
I have seen this on a number of occasions, im not saying its a bad thing just that they obviously have workarounds.
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Listening to semi high brow radio on the way into work today and a coach driver had called in to say it was common knowledge within the industry that National Express drivers race each other on the route in question. Spokesperson for National Express said that they would be happy to investigate tacho's and reprimand drivers if proven...
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Originally Posted by Scooby Soon!
I have seen National express coaches going 70mph on the M4 so they cant all be limited to 62mph
National Express will (like everyone else in the industry) have their tachos analysed, either in-house, or by someone like Tachodisc. This analysis would highlight any drivers who are breaking speed limits, hours rules or anything else.
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Originally Posted by Varboy
remember that your car speedo overreads and he may have been going downhill, speed limiters don't apply brakes
the fastest any coach under 15 year old would be cabable of is 65mph unless it is a shoddy operator who would allow there drivers to get away with "poping" the speed limiter. ( which with the high cost of fines/loss of operating licence etc i cant see there being many)
also national express dont own the coach that was involved (NE only own about 25/30 coaches) most NE coaches are sub-contracted and they will probably only investigate the companys that run that route,
this will all boil down to how good a company the sub-contractor is,
NE will lose face over this but will not get any fines/court hearings etc
it will all fall onto the sub-contractor.
the only reason that NE said they have pulled all "there"(meaning all sub-contracted) double deckers for safety checks is to try and restore public feeling for the company.
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Originally Posted by Sbradley
AFAIK the driver is almost always arrested and cautioned in the event of a fatal incident - there will almost always be a prosecution of somebody, somewhere so they need to get the process right from the beginning...
Can't just have a "**** happens" accident any more. Someone has to be to blame.
SB
PS Not saying that's the case here, just pointing out that an arrest doesn't automatically mean it was actually the driver's fault...
Can't just have a "**** happens" accident any more. Someone has to be to blame.
SB
PS Not saying that's the case here, just pointing out that an arrest doesn't automatically mean it was actually the driver's fault...
#22
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Originally Posted by Leslie
It was reported that the driver was arrested and held for questioning under suspicion of dangerous driving.
Les
Les
Buy hey, let's not let rumours get in the way of any facts that may come out .... more fun guessing!
Dave
#27
A passenger on Sky News described him losing the back-end, hitting the guardrail, the back bouncing back, then the whole coach sliding sideways until it eventually rolled on its side.
#28
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coaches are limited to 62mph so 100mph even 20 years ago would have been a slight oversite,
No limiters on these coaches...no way
This was in 1987/88...any ideas?
#29
Originally Posted by TopBanana
A passenger on Sky News described him losing the back-end, hitting the guardrail, the back bouncing back, then the whole coach sliding sideways until it eventually rolled on its side.
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The driver has ben released!
We shouldn't jump to conclusions, it's been very windy in the SE recently and there may well have been mechanical factors or a spillage on the road.
ns04
We shouldn't jump to conclusions, it's been very windy in the SE recently and there may well have been mechanical factors or a spillage on the road.
ns04