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Road-hog123

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If I remember correctly, it was a trial into improving the visibility of the buses, because apparently people can't see a giant red bus driving towards them when they try to cross a road.
Not sure it was a success, it doesn't matter what lights and tape you put on the front of a bus if people don't ever look at the bus because they're too busy staring at their smartphone...
 

Jem

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Googled the reg and got this photo.


It has the reason in the description.


Mind you, I was only speculating the reason based on the response from enthusiast Facebook groups and general chit chat.

On the day I took that photo, I asked my friend who consulted someone he knew who worked for Metroline and even he had no idea what they were for.

I also assumed that since the bus also had the light cluster for the Oxford Street Warning System (OSWS), it would be for that.
 

Castlemilk37

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Mind you, I was only speculating the reason based on the response from enthusiast Facebook groups and general chit chat.

On the day I took that photo, I asked my friend who consulted someone he knew who worked for Metroline and even he had no idea what they were for.

I also assumed that since the bus also had the light cluster for the Oxford Street Warning System (OSWS), it would be for that.
Assumptions are the best kind of knowledge, also nice pic.
 

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Another part of the trial is seen here on route 98.



It's odd that they would need visibility improvements seeing as red is one of the most visible colours to the human eye, which is why most notifications icons are in red, it grabs your attention.

The noise pollution from those damn beeping must be unbearable. To be fair though, YouTuber DoubleDeckerAnton said in his most recent video people keep stepping out in front of the electric buses because they can't hear them. Frankly, to me if you can't take the time to check left and right at a road before stepping out, it's not the responsibility of others to save your stupid life :rolleyes:

I do understand that with the targets of all buses being CO2 neutral, something will have to be done with the increase in Hybrids and Electrics, no noise to warn pedestrians but that obnoxious beeping isn't the solution. Maybe install speakers that mimic the sound of an engine... Or paint the front of buses bright yellow and have day bright LED running lights. So they'll be like trains
 
If you watch the video though it does not noise pollute as much as you think, i quite agree with it in ways but the silly tape looks horrendous were as i think the little flashing lights do not but it could be confused for hazard lights in a way, the Facelifted Gemini in second part of the clip seems to have a better light set up, not a bad idea if its saves lives but i do agree it does not take a huge amount of time to safely check left and right...
 
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Surprised there isnt an app or alert that’s in phones that somehow has a sense in the rear camera that locks the phone or warns you when our about to step out the road then once your safely across the alert turns off and you can carry on using your phone
 

Hullian111

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... well, where do you think?!
To be fair though, YouTuber DoubleDeckerAnton said in his most recent video people keep stepping out in front of the electric buses because they can't hear them.

...Maybe install speakers that mimic the sound of an engine... Or paint the front of buses bright yellow and have day bright LED running lights. So they'll be like trains
Paris seems to already have this sorted out, courtesy of a Jalopnik link:

From an opinion piece in the article:
The noise isn’t distracting or obnoxious, but is still enough to get your attention and warn that there’s a big bus on the way and to watch out. It a unique noise that’s enough to stand out, and the choice of a bell ring seems more natural and comforting than an annoying electronic beep or something similar. It’s also significantly different from just a regular honk from a car horn, and a lot less aggressive, too.

What’s also good about the bus bell is its seemingly selective nature. It’s not a constant alert, which would easily get annoying with a fleet of buses constantly ringing. The only thing I would change for EV application is driver control. Instead I would just have a timed chime that plays on a loop of a few seconds, perhaps with a rate increase that goes up as the car drives faster.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that eventually most of these vehicles will presumably come to have some sort of sensor package to detect pedestrians and map out road lanes, perhaps synching the chime to only play when the car is in a pedestrian-heavy area based on the sensor data could be a smart solution to avoid annoyance. The buses also still have a traditional horn, which the cars shouldn’t lose to make sure the driver still has their own way of alerting people.

Not sure if bells will suit London buses, but some sensible auditory warning that doesn't sound like a fire alarm would be very good.
 

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Road-hog123

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Bells have been in use on US trains for a long time to provide warning of a train moving slowly, because slow moving trains can be very quiet just like EVs...

Equally, trams often have a bell in place of a horn. Doesn't seem to be as effective though, and it doesn't stop people from deciding to not check their surroundings for dangers...

The only real solution I see is to find a way to make people pay attention to their surroundings... not sure if that's feasible.
 
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With regards to the warning lights and sirens, I was walking down Oxford Street yesterday, and did indeed pass 2 of them buses on route 98. They are a lot quieter than you may think, I could only hear them when they were within about 10/5m of me (both buses were on the opposite side of the road), and even then it was quite quiet. Enough to draw attention, but not too loud as to cause a nuisance. The orange lights on the front baffled me a bit, because seeing how well lit up Oxford Street is, for you to be able to see the orange lights, you have to be looking right at the bus anyway.

It did seem quite a sensible idea when I was walking down there today until I thought how loud it might get, if every bus had these sirens...
 
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P674 MLE

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people just need to stop staring at their £1000 smartphones and use some actual sense look left and right before crossing the road it's what you learn in primary school and you will be told by people with sense the same thing " always look left and right before crossing the road " it really is simple there shoulndt be any of this white lines and old dennis dart marshall door beepers ( or at least they sound like that in this video ) to alert you just use your eyes it is so simple and you will be told to look left and right since being a kid .
sorry if sounds like i'm ranting i'm not i'm just saying it how it is . stop using your phones whilst crossing the road and always look and listen
 

0118999

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I can see several issues with this, it seems ill thought out and a waste of money:
1) Having flashing amber warning lights on the front all the time just makes it look like a stationary work's vehicle. It also masks the indicators that would signal the bus is about to start moving!
2) People will quickly "tune out" the beeping as it seems to sound continuously, it's very annoying. Perhaps if it only beeped when it was about to move or just set off that would be more useful. It also sound obnoxious, if you have multiple buses in an area at once the noise pollution will be horrendous.

To my mind the issue isn't people not noticing the bus (because if they can't see a huge red bus what hope do they have with cars) it's people not being aware the bus is about to begin moving.

It would be much better to have the beeping and flashing lights triggered for a few second when the handbrake is released or the right indicator is activated.
 
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