| Author | Message | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 574 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 175.45.57.190 Rating: N/A |
When we arrived here a couple of weeks ago, we were jetlagged and could not sleep. About 5 in the morning we decided to go for a walk and ended up taking a rest on a transit bench.(last time I checked this was still a bus board) Well the transits came and went all of them that Isaw and heard, yes there was one that went crunch into first gear crunch into second gear and crunch into third gear before he had gone a half block, and I wondered wether he made it back to the garage that day. All the busses that I saw in this city were stick transmissions, with most of the equipment a bit older. Traffic here is the absolute worst I have ever experienced. They nose in and sqeeze through places that I would never attempt. Pedestrians, b icycles and scooters galore in addition to cars. This is a city of 25 million people. busses here were typically short wheel base single axle. Lots of taxis, allmost all Volkswagen,with this brand well liked by the locals. The folks with the money are allways driving black carswith the favourites being Mercedes,Audi, Bmw and vw Passat some jap brands and northamerican conspicously absent exept for Buick. Beijing has lots of articulated transits and tour busses. I saw some Cummens stickers on some of them, local brands like Higer Longking and a smattering of others but again the Europians dominate some with joint venture. Oh allmost forgot there are some Neoplans there as well for Shauns spare parts supply. Traffic not quite as bad as Shanghai. This City has 70 thousand taxis and 100 thousand taxi drivers and 3 million scooters. A lot of the scooters and bicycles are electric. It is somewhat disconcerting to see the electrics driving without lights after dark in order to conserve battery. Had a great time and experience,so back home inanother day or so. Well ofcourse I climbed and walked the great Wall. Joe. | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1609 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 70.218.139.127  Rating: N/A |
Great post Joe...best wishes and thanx for the interesting perspective...glad I don't live among 25 million!  RCB | ||
| Jack Fids (Jack_fids)
Registered Member Username: Jack_fids Post Number: 985 Registered: 1-2009 Posted From: 72.211.145.15  Rating: N/A |
Bring us ALL back a pair of Chopstix, the ones made in Texas that we can't buy stateside ! | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 1614 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 76.195.75.94  Rating: N/A |
Most of the Euro tour coaches are also stick shift. FF | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1856 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.124.20  Rating: N/A |
The vast majority of buses most commonly used for conversions over the last 40 years were originally stick shifts. That's because back when these vehicles were in revenue service, driver's were professionals. Not like today's "stab 'n steer" jockeys who have no clue - they just want to collect a paycheck. Glad Joe's been enjoying his trip. FWIW & HTH. . . |