Went to the uplift at Inners on Sunday and felt a bit pissed of the bus only went as far as the quarry.I know the snow was bad in the morning but it turnd to rain later on and the road looked ok from the drop off point.Felt we should have been told what was happn when we signd on.

Apparently it broke down the day before – not a good weekend for getting driven to the top of the trails it seems!

Shame cos it was excellent a few weeks back when we went for thew uplift service.

Apart from my mates new bike falling over in the cattle lorry and getting a big scratch on the crossbar by all the others on top of it.

From what I could see, the snow was pretty bad up top and once the bus gets past the quarry, there’s no where for it to turn around easily if it gets stuck.

There’s not much they can do about the weather. Tally has to pay for the coach and truck no matter what once they’re booked. There was no snow forecast for Sunday, so no one saw that coming in time to cancel it.

Tis a shame though, but at least you got some riding in.

I was surprised to see the uplift still running with the snow on Sunday. I guess the choice for Tally and the drivers was go as far as we can safely or no uplift at all. If the get stuck up there who is going to get them out of the ditch and get them back down?

…and yet, during the 6hours or so the uplift runs, you didn’t manage to muster up the confidence to actually bring it up with anyone in charge?.. oh, well 🙄

Actually smartarse I asked the guy who was loading the bikes and he said they were hoping to go to the top later in the day.This was after the second run.I take it you were there as well.

I’m sure they’d have gone to the top if it was safe to do so….

Imagine if they chanced it on the 3rd run, the bus got stuck, and the whole day was cancelled.

Yeah guess they play it safe – the bus has ended up in a ditch before now 😯

That’s because the bus drivers are amongst the worst i’ve seen anywhere.

Mmm. Not blaming them but I’d expect a refund myself, or a credit note at least. I had a brilliant day with Uplift Scotland and I’ll definately do it again (though probably not til spring) but they didn’t give you what you’d paid for and that’s a fact. Seems like you got half an uplift.

Ive now been to loads at Inners and 1 at AE and this is the only one there has been any issues with.Overall I think its a great service and will use it again and Ive entered the Alpine Winter Series for the first time so hope the road is ok for that.

“That’s because the bus drivers are amongst the worst i’ve seen anywhere.”

Eh? They fire large busses up and down forestry roads all weekend and hardly ever crash 😀

“…and yet, during the 6hours or so the uplift runs, you didn’t manage to muster up the confidence to actually bring it up with anyone in charge?.. oh well

You’re so cool GW! Does this friendly, positive approach to all things downhill ever get boring?

Hardly ever crashing and firing buses up and down forestry roads does not a good driver make.

That sucks Gordi. Not much that Tally can do about the weather but communication doesn’t seem to be a strong suit…

The real issue of the weekend just passed was the broken down coach on Saturday. First run and the coach breaks down, paying consumers told in no uncertain terms that they will simply have to wait for a replacement to arrive and that ‘could be up to 2.5 hours or so’. No alternative. No refund. No credit or transfer to another day’s uplift. Apparently it’s in the smallprint/T&C’s but just how enforcable are these T&C’s? Hours of travel + £££££ wasted for those who don’t want to have to sit around (for hours) and wait for replacement coach.

I’m stoking a fire here, playing devil’s advocate and all that but I genuinely fear for the future of the uplift. Paying consumers have rights but an incident like Saturday’s appears to have the potential to put the whole operation out of business if refunds or transfers/credits are to be considered because there is no contingency, at least according to the proprietors of Uplift Scotland.

Been on it a lot have you SBZ?

Brycey – why would that matter? I’ve passed comment on their piss poor driving skills and attitude before, direct to Tally.

SBZ – what exactly is wrong with their driving, not that it matters in the context of the OP? And their attitudes? Ive always found them pretty jovial sorts given what must be a pretty mind numbing day for them and i’ve never had an issue with their driving apart from the time the one that looks like a monk stalled on the hill just after the passing point. That doesnt make him a bad driver does it?

Because it’s not the case. Generally.

People very rarely notice bad driving from inside the vehicle that is being driven badly. This is especially the case when they are in a hurry to get to the top of a hill to ride their bike down and are full of adrenaline.

Basically, they drive to fast for the conditions and don’t take other road users into account. Uplift needs banned for safety reasons.

Ah, the penny drops! SBZ is one of the mincers that stands at the side of the forest road tutting as the uplift bus goes by. Why don’t you go and ride one of the thousands of other forestry roads in Scotland that doesn’t at that particular time have uplift busses/cattle lorries/wood lorries/etc driving on it.

PS Inside an uplift coach is pretty chilled place rather than this den of adrenaline fuelled anarchy you describe. In fact the only time there’s any excitement is when everyone gets an opportunity to point and laugh at the odd mountain biking finger wagger (most non-DH bikers give a friendly wave by the way).

How wrong could you be. See if the bus drivers were to drive like the folk in the cattle trucks drive then there wouldnt be a problem.

There isn’t currently a problem.

hilarious!

if it broke down could you off not just biked to the top? its good for fitness and it may just catch on

I was there on Sunday, actually, quite a busy day down at Inners for both XC and DH. Great atmosphere on and off the bus even though we were stopping early.

Can’t do much about the weather and would rather have had some runs (even if they were short) than none at all. Don’t have a problem with the drivers or the uplift in general.

I do however think that with £x million being spent at a visitor centre at GT at least they could have but some toilets or facilities at inners??

I was not involved in the DH side as I pedalled up on Sunday. Mind you I would have though that if they were not going up as far it would mean that they could get more runs in. Is this not the case.

Re Saturday I think it might be something like force majure or similar. Being beyond the control of both Tally and the bus company so that they are not liable for any refunds. If I was a rider that had paid I would be miffed don’t get me wrong but it is kind of the risk you take.

The real issue of the weekend just passed was the broken down coach on Saturday. First run and the coach breaks down, paying consumers told in no uncertain terms that they will simply have to wait for a replacement to arrive and that ‘could be up to 2.5 hours or so’. No alternative. No refund. No credit or transfer to another day’s uplift. Apparently it’s in the smallprint/T&C’s but just how enforcable are these T&C’s? Hours of travel + £££££ wasted for those who don’t want to have to sit around (for hours) and wait for replacement coach.

I’m stoking a fire here, playing devil’s advocate and all that but I genuinely fear for the future of the uplift. Paying consumers have rights but an incident like Saturday’s appears to have the potential to put the whole operation out of business if refunds or transfers/credits are to be considered because there is no contingency, at least according to the proprietors of Uplift Scotland.

Tally has offered a 50% reduction for my next uplift, due to the bus breaking down on the Saturday.

We walked up the hill twice before replacement bus arrived, yes it was a PITA but there was nothing Tally could have done to have foreseen the breaking down of the bus, apart from having a bus and truck on standby just in case.

We just made the most of the day.

The coach drivers have not driven badly or too fast when ever i have been on the bus

Never had any complaint of the drivers myself, either in the back of the bus or on the side of the trails.

“Tally has offered a 50% reduction for my next uplift, due to the bus breaking down on the Saturday.”

Ah, that’s good to hear. Was beginning to wonder what the hell they thought they were up to.

radoggair – Member

“if it broke down could you off not just biked to the top? its good for fitness and it may just catch on”

Yup, but I think it’s possible to do that without paying £35 for the bus you’re not in 😉

I believe the only real incident they’ve had in recent times is when a rider coming the other way refused to move to the side of the road and the bus went in to the ditch as the driver avoided him. I’m assuming it was Surrounded By Zulus, although rather than a bike, it was perhaps a tall horse he was on.

Brycey, that wasnt me, but i’m glad they held their ground like they’re entitled to do. You seriously telling me that you dont see that as being bad driving? Why couldnt they stop on the road instead of the ditch?

I’d imagine the driver thought the road was empty and that any bikes would probably move in to the side rather than send a 20 tonne bus and 40 passengers slithering in to the ditch (it wasn’t a high speed incident).

The last thing he was probably expecting was a 40 year old IT consultant on a Stumpjumper dressed head to toe in Lycra with a set of Audi keys dangling off his belt to be standing triumphantly in his path. I would have changed down and gunned it*

*Brycey in no way advocates the deliberate murder of another human being using a Public Service Vehicle, before Sir Surrounded comes galloping in.

On a serious note, Tally runs a cracking service that really makes you question the need for a chairlift. The odd day of poor weather, and broken down bus aside, uplifts and races generally run like clockwork. I really can’t see why you’d want to ban them Zulu?

I would argue that using their eyes and assuming that the road wouldn’t be empty would be far better than using imagination.
If they used bus drivers that could drive well then i wouldn’t have problem with it.

We were out for a big old xc ride on Saturday and finished off by climbing up the fireroad that the truck and coach uses so we could do Caddon Bank. We heard them coming and got out the way as they were nipping on. Wouldn’t like to have been bombing downhill toward the truck.

“i’m glad they held their ground like they’re entitled to do.Why couldnt they stop on the road instead of the ditch”

It’s unusual for both sides of an argument to be wrong isn’t it? Riders obviously wrong not to make space for bus, bus driver obviously wrong for not allowing space to pass or stop.

My main problem with the coaches is that they don’t pick up south of the border on their way there.

Brycey/Glupton – were either of you there on IT consultant stand off day?

No. I’m freestyling with virtually all my posts on this thread (except the ones about Uplift Scotland being a good service, and you miserable and negative – they’re beyond doubt).

there was me thinking you might have had a sense of humour 🙄

and Glupton?…