A BENDY bus!?

Question

I usually complain about USA polluting the English language, but a bendy bus! The German term is 'Gelenk' which can be translated into 'jointed'. Watch out folks - Andy Pandy's coming!
By the way, they aren't considered to be dangerous here. People just have to get used to them - like articulated lorries. They do carry a 'goverment warning' that they 'swing out' - my translation.

Answer 1

Bendy bus is user friendly. We all understand it. The term "Gelenk" is already spoken for in English -- some people frequent low joints, others get into trouble for smoking joints. Articulated sounds too complicated. My children once had a cheerful little toy called the "clatterpillar", which one pulled on a string and which moved a little bit like a bendy bus -- would you prefer that?

Answer 2

I like the answer that compared the bendy bus to a knee joint bending - good analogy!



I lived in Canada about 20 years ago and there were articulated/jointed/bendy buses there, and had been so for years. There weren't any problems associated with them as far as I know. They seem to have created an unusual response here in the UK. I think it's more to do with people's attitudes towards the transport systems in general which are being aimed at the bendy buses as a scapegoat.

Answer 3

Bendy bus is just a nickname. I called them bendy buses when I visited Switzerland before anyone in the US or UK had seen them. And I am sure I wasn't the person who invented the term! Quite sure!



You might want to consider the standard of your question asking skills before considering others' use of English.

Answer 4

It is not the buses that are inherently dangerous but the stupid drivers that fail to anticipate the road ahead when a "bendy" bus is around. The car that crashed into one and killed 3 young people was on it's lawful course but the car, driven by an inexperienced driver hit it head on.

Answer 5

We've had them in the UK for at least 15 years i think. A bit silly in my opinion, as our streets are nowhere near capable of accommodating them. Mind you, they're not exactly common, just on certain routes.



I'm not sure if "bendy bus" is what they're offically called, probably just what people call them.

Answer 6

Interesting comment, but did you actually have a question? Putting a question mark at the end of a phrase doesn't create a question.



Anyway, they've been around many places for years and aren't considered dangerous in those places either.

Answer 7

Yes, BENDY, because it bends in the middle, a bit like your elbow or knee, which are also bendy as they are articulated.

Answer 8

We call them Bendy Buses in the UK because we like the alliteration. I'm amazed that that didn't occur to you.

Answer 9

We have them here (USA). They're called articulated buses.

Answer 10

In Australia we call them banana busses. They really are quite safe.

Answer 11

What's the question?

Answer 12

What's the question?

Answer 13

aggggghhhhhhhhhh i dont understand what you chatting about

Answer 14

i have no clue what you just said

Answer 15

loser