Meanwhile, in the London Buses Health and Safety Cubbyhole...
Earnest: It would be an excellent thing if we were to take action to reduce the number of people falling over on buses. Jobsworth: Yes, we must introduce a new announcement every time the bus departs a bus stop. Voiceover lady:"Please hold on, the bus is about to move" Jobsworth: We will introduce this announcement on every London bus on the second Friday in January. Earnest: But won't that really annoy people? Jobsworth: It will be a foolproof method to prevent accidents on buses. Voiceover lady:"Please hold on, the bus is about to move" Earnest: But how will the automated system know the bus is about to start moving? Jobsworth: It won't, we'll set this up as a kind of pre-programmed guess. Earnest: But we already announce the number of the bus and its destination when a bus is ready to leave a bus stop. Jobsworth: Excellent, we'll play the new announcement five seconds afterwards. Earnest: But the bus will probably already have started moving by that point. Jobsworth: That doesn't matter, what's important is that we play the message. Voiceover lady:"Please hold on, the bus is about to move" Earnest: Don't you think it's a bit stupid to warn passengers the bus is about to start moving after it's started moving? Jobsworth: This automated message will make a positive contribution to bus safety. Earnest: On every bus in London? After departing every bus stop? Jobsworth: We must be seen to do something, even if it's plainly stupid. Passengers:Andinsanelyannoying. Voiceover lady:"Please hold on, the bus is about to move" Jobsworth: Safety is our number one priority. The PA announcement is a trial to improve customer safety on the bus network. Thank you for your comments, we'll take them on board.
