Pensioners play 'bus roulette' in search of booze

[rpadam]

Just rediscovered a story I spotted in the 10 June 2010 edition of the Metro 'newspaper':

"Seven boozy pensioner friends are playing ‘bus roulette’ to spice up their social lives.

Invented because they were getting bored of the pub quiz at their regular boozer, the game involves jumping on whichever is the first bus to come along, and staying on it for a number of stops pre-determined by a game involving coins - then spending the evening in whatever the nearest pub is.

‘It's better than real roulette. You can never lose playing bus roulette because you always fall into a pub,’ said Peter Biggs, 65, from Oxford.

The group never quite make it to last orders, however - they have to be back on the buses by 11, because that's when the free travel scheme for pensioners runs out."

[oldboots]

‘It's better than real roulette. You can never lose playing bus roulette because you always fall into a pub,’ said Peter Biggs, 65, from Oxford.


He really should know better at his age, not all pubs are wonderful, Blackbird Leys (http://www.chavtowns.co.uk/2005/01/blackbird-leys/) anyone?

Here's (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/10590725.stm) another good news story, I'm not commenting just chuckling.

[Kake]

Invented because they were getting bored of the pub quiz at their regular boozer, the game involves jumping on whichever is the first bus to come along, and staying on it for a number of stops pre-determined by a game involving coins - then spending the evening in whatever the nearest pub is.

I think this game sounds awesome — anyone up for a go of it in London some time? :)

[RogerB]

Many years ago 4 of us decided to drive to a random pub starting at my brother-in-laws house by taking a right turn followed by a left turn until we found a pub. We somehow ended up on the A3 and drove miles before we could exit in the appropriate direction and the first pub we found was a godawful Irish pub called the Foresters in Tooting. I thought it had shut years ago but a bit of googling has revealed that it has recently reopened as the Antelope and sounds like it is now a pretty decent place.

[arwkrite]

It sounds a good game to me but as OB says you must know your area. Any of the cities you could find yourself in a dodgey area. I have had to seek refuge in some strange areas in Oxford, Bristol , Gtr Manchester when the mrs required an urgent comfort stop. We were often pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the people. At the same time we have also saw drug dealing, violence and Sunday Lunch Time Bingo with joints of meat for prizes. This was during daytime and we did not have to wait for buses. I also parked the car where I could see it through a window. Mind you the beer was normaly crap in these places.

[Farway]

I sometimes play a version of it, just catch first bus that comes along. However I chickened out when I caught one to Fareham from Portsmouth. It went right out into the country side before swinging back down via Wickham, but I did not fancy being stranded at the Traveller's Rest on the off chance there would be a return bus that day

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/13465/