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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2008Bust buses
From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site bus services: "The bus industry terminology for a bus that has no more room on it is that the bus went "bust"." Although I can appreciate the alliterative qualities of this expression, which could give rise to some interesting tongue-twisters, I would have expected a "bust" bus to be one which had broken down. I wonder why the bus industry needs an alternative to "was full".  SignatureLaura (emulate St. George for email) > From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site bus > services: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > had broken down. I wonder why the bus industry needs an alternative > to "was full". My only experience of the inside of the bus industry is working as a conductor on a vacation job some forty years ago but 'full up' was the term of art at that time. I rather suspect someone is funning with your correspondent. But when a bus has gone bust, who can then be bussed? Bosoms and kisses notwithstanding [1] [1] Only five standing allowed [2], one of you will have to get off. That was my catchphrase [2] And those who thought I said 'Only five standing aloud' and shut up to avoid detection received short shrift [3] [3] And those who thought it had something to do with shirts were given even shorter shrift SignatureJohn 'feverish' Dean Oxford >[1] Only five standing allowed [2], one of you will have to get off. That >was my catchphrase I remember a TGWU meeting where the 5 standing passengers thing was debated at length. Management wanted to increase the number as a "productivity" measure linked to a wage increase, in accordance with the prices and incomes policy. The union wasn't having it -- more standing passengers meant fewer buses and thus fewer (or should I say "less"?) jobs. There were gasps of horror when I said that in Johannesburg there were buses with 25 standing passengers. But in Johannesburg a conductor was simply a fare collector, and was not required (by law) to be on the platform at every compulsory stop. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk [snip] > "The bus industry terminology for a bus that has no more room on it is > that the bus went "bust"." [snip] Another sense of "bust bus" from Google-Books: Fraud Exposed: What You Don't Know Could Cost Your Company Millions by Joseph W. Koletar - Law - 2003 - p.145 ....One of the tactics Bratton installed was a "Bust Bus," a specially refitted city bus that was essentially a courtroom and holding pen on wheels. Parked in front of subway shops, handcuffed prisoners were led there to be processed, fingerprinted, and booked.... -- Aloha ~~~ Ozzie Maland ~~~ San Diego >[snip] > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >Parked in front of subway shops, handcuffed prisoners were led there >to be processed, fingerprinted, and booked.... Computers are known to have bust busses at times. > From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site bus > services: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > expected a "bust" bus to be one which had broken down. I wonder why the > bus industry needs an alternative to "was full". There's a mobile mammogram clinic in Warrington at the moment. Is that a "bust bus"? SignatureDavid >> From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site >> bus services: [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > There's a mobile mammogram clinic in Warrington at the moment. Is > that a "bust bus"? And if it heads south to visit Langham Place and experiences engine failure, we'd have a halted bust BH bust bus, nicht wahr? SignatureMike. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com >>> From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site >>> bus services: [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >And if it heads south to visit Langham Place and experiences engine >failure, we'd have a halted bust BH bust bus, nicht wahr? Bustenhalter? SignatureRichard Bollard Canberra Australia To email, I'm at AMT not spAMT. >>>> From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site >>>> bus services: [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Bustenhalter? Yes, but also Eric Gill's Broadcasting House, whose address is Langham Place. I was a little optimistic to think the idea was all that funny. (I remember being rather shocked the day I heard some young thing on BBC radio say Eric Gill was famous for his saucy seaside postcards.) SignatureMike. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com On 31 Jan 2008, Mike Lyle wrote >>>>> From an email regarding problems with the university's >>>>> inter-site bus services: [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Yes, but also Eric Gill's Broadcasting House, Hmmm....."Eric Gill's BH"? Gill did the famous sculptures, of course -- but he was neither the architect nor the interior designer, so attributing it as "Gill's" building strikes me as very odd. SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed > On 31 Jan 2008, Mike Lyle wrote > [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > architect nor the interior designer, so attributing it as "Gill's" > building strikes me as very odd. Really? I didn't know that: I've always thought of it as "the Gill building" as distinct from all those other BBC buildings around it. But I gladly bow to your specialist knowledge. SignatureMike. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com On 31 Jan 2008, Mike Lyle wrote >> On 31 Jan 2008, Mike Lyle wrote >>> Yes, but also Eric Gill's Broadcasting House, >> [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Gill building" as distinct from all those other BBC buildings > around it. But I gladly bow to your specialist knowledge. I knew Gill was just the sculptor on it, but I did have to look up the architect. (G. Val Myers, apparently, who AFAIK isn't known for anything else.) If pushed, I'd have guessed Wells Coates or Serge Chermayeff, but they -- I've cheated and checked this out, of course -- turn out to have done a couple of the interesting interiors. SignatureCheers, Harvey CanEng and BrEng, indiscriminately mixed >From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site bus >services: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >I would have expected a "bust" bus to be one which had broken down. I >wonder why the bus industry needs an alternative to "was full". Was the route the 36D? SignaturePaul In bocca al Lupo! > From an email regarding problems with the university's inter-site bus >services: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >expected a "bust" bus to be one which had broken down. I wonder why the >bus industry needs an alternative to "was full". I worked in the bus industry for a while, and we always used "full" for full and "bust" indicated that the bus was in need of repair. SignatureSteve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm Blog: http://methodius.blogspot.com E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk |
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