Selfsufficientish.com

Important note: This is not an attempt to wind anyone up to the heights of emotion ...

... but I watched an item on the news yesterday which made me throw my hands in the air in despair. Bus services on the Isle of Wight was the subject. The council can no longer afford to keep up certain routes (why that should be is a separate argument). So a number of volunteers have stepped forward, all with the requisite PSV licence, and the local bus company, realising that they were going to have under-utilisation of their vehicles, stepped forward, and the result is a volunteer service which, at least, continues to provide a needed service for members of the community who live in out-of-the-way spots.

This admirable solution - one which appears to be particularly in line with Ishiness - has been opposed on the grounds of "well, where does it stop? Are we going to have volunteer airline pilots? This is merely an attempt by the government ...", well, you can imagine where it went from there on.

The users of the service are happy. The volunteers are happy. The bus company is happy. The council is happy (well, the majority of the councillors are). How can anyone in their right mind condemn a volunteer service which is in the public interest?

Mike

EDIT: I apologise. The phrase "in their right mind" is prejudicial and begs the question. I shouldn't have said that.

The question implies that the world hasn't always been completely mad, so I reject it on that basis... ;)

One question though: who is actually doing the complaining? Random punters in the street filmed for a "Speak your brains" segment? They go looking for people to complain for those... And there's always one, no matter what.

gregorach wrote:The question implies that the world hasn't always been completely mad, so I reject it on that basis... ;)

You have a point there, Dunc.

gregorach wrote:One question though: who is actually doing the complaining? Random punters in the street filmed for a "Speak your brains" segment? They go looking for people to complain for those... And there's always one, no matter what.

I believe (although by the time his identity got flashed up on the screen I was already throwing said hands in the air) that it was a local politician.

Mike

Ah, I believe one of the criteria for becoming an MP is insanity; perhaps this just proves it!

MKG wrote:I believe (although by the time his identity got flashed up on the screen I was already throwing said hands in the air) that it was a local politician.

Ah, that explains it... They will say or do just about anything to get some free publicity.

Depressing as it is, there are people out there who look upon volunteers trying to do something for nothing as being an attack on the working man or woman. The "logic" runs that if there is a job to be done, then volunteering puts someone out of work so it shouldn't be permitted. The fact that the work wouldn't be done otherwise is imaterial.

The problem with this sort of thing is that it encourages companies to exploit for profit the good nature of the volunteers.

The government pay the volunteers huge amounts of benefits for doing nothing, and the private company rakes in loads of cash from the tickets.

Why should our goverment, and our taxes be used to subsidise travel in one area, and be used to make a fat cat boss even fatter.

With the "volunteers" already taking over retail sales at Markets of Jam and sponges and the like, playing little hitlers at the local library, and now looking to groom school children on buses I wonder where it will all end.

this is a joke by the way, I in no way agree with any of the above

boboff wrote:this is a joke by the way, I in no way agree with any of the above

Glad you explained that - I was about to give a response!

[quote="boboff")

this is a joke by the way, I in no way agree with any of the above[/quote]

As they say .........Always check the small print

What if said volunteers decide to get hold of a bus and start to compete on the profitable routes? Will the bus companies still play nice?

Well they could but then they would be a business and not a volunteer.
Companies tender for bus routes generally, over half of most fares are "free" at the point of use ( the company has to reclaim these concessions back from the council){statement made from doing accounts for some bus operators}
Less routes means less concessions paid back, hence the political will to try and stop it happening.

Green Aura wrote:What if said volunteers decide to get hold of a bus and start to compete on the profitable routes? Will the bus companies still play nice?

You little stirrer!!!!!!!



Mike

Does that mean that the bus company will now get 'free' drivers but will still collect the same fares and the 'concessions' from the council ?

I would assume so, Graham - although I don't know about concessions. But, fair enough, there's little justification a commercial company could come up with unless they were at least breaking even. The passengers don't mind the fare, obviously, because they're using the service and want it to stay where it is.

It's a straightforward choice, it appears to me - a volunteer service or no service at all.

Mike

Are all these volunteer PSV owners that are available redundant bus drivers?