Hi guys, just a quick invention of a possible challenge people could partake in.
The main objective is to get as many miles and/or different services etc. in one period of, say, 8 hours, than the others.

It would have to be formed in teams. Everyone would meet up at a certain point and then when the clock hits the hour mark, the teams all go off in different directions.
Just throwing this idea out; how many people would be interested? Similar competitions/challenges could be done for Arriva and Stagecoach but I thought of GNE as the largest operator in the North East.

The winner(s) don't win anything but the pride of having completed the challenge better than everyone else.

What are people's thoughts/comments/opinions/ideas? I, for one, would be more than happy to have a go one day should there be a demand.


Sean

I'd probably be up for it subject to work commitments, but I'd suggest you look at doing it as a long day (12 hours) during the summer. It might be better suggesting everyone gets an explorer ticket for the day too, rather than restricting it to one operator.

Sounds good, but like aureolin, I'd wait until summer.

During the summer I had plenty of days out from 5am to about 9pm within the North East (sticking to GNE only at that too!) It can be a great deal of fun if you're kept occupied and if there was a competition element to it, I guess it would be a lot better too!

how would you prove which buses you had been on , where you had been and ultimately, how many you had been on?

Would it by photo or something else?

Of course, yeah - the summer seems like a brilliant option!
I like the idea of long days too; but maybe not that long Unfortunately the earliest I can be in Newcastle for is 8am.

Andreos1 - very good point. I too was thinking photos - one when you get on, one when you get off, however I know for a fact that if it was down to me, I'd forget.
The only trouble then is where exactly you got off. But, if the objective to get on as many different services as possible (not the highest mileage), this would not be an issue.

(12 Jan 2014, 10:35 am)northern156 wrote Of course, yeah - the summer seems like a brilliant option!
I like the idea of long days too; but maybe not that long Unfortunately the earliest I can be in Newcastle for is 8am.

Andreos1 - very good point. I too was thinking photos - one when you get on, one when you get off, however I know for a fact that if it was down to me, I'd forget.
The only trouble then is where exactly you got off. But, if the objective to get on as many different services as possible (not the highest mileage), this would not be an issue.

I was wondering about using gps/sat nav to track.
They are on most phones and it would be difficult to doubt the results of them.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:01 am)andreos1 wrote I was wondering about using gps/sat nav to track.
They are on most phones and it would be difficult to doubt the results of them.

Does anyone know a free app which can actually do this? I've wanted one for ages but the few I've downloaded can't actually track the amount of mileage you've done by tracking the GPS location of your phone continuously.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:11 am)Dan wrote Does anyone know a free app which can actually do this? I've wanted one for ages but the few I've downloaded can't actually track the amount of mileage you've done by tracking the GPS location of your phone continuously.

My old e5 had a stack of stuff already installed on it and I am still playing about with this one to see what it can and can't do.

The app on the old phone was able to give coordinates and speed, with a little bit of room for error (got upto 126mph on an East Coast Train apparently!).

(12 Jan 2014, 11:17 am)andreos1 wrote My old e5 had a stack of stuff already installed on it and I am still playing about with this one to see what it can and can't do.

The app on the old phone was able to give coordinates and speed, with a little bit of room for error (got upto 126mph on an East Coast Train apparently!).

I've got an app ("SpeedView" if memory serves) for monitoring speed, but I've not really found anything on the Play Store for the whole tracking thing. I do think it would be a relatively good app, and I'd be surprised if it wasn't on the market somewhere.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:24 am)Dan wrote I've got an app ("SpeedView" if memory serves) for monitoring speed, but I've not really found anything on the Play Store for the whole tracking thing. I do think it would be a relatively good app, and I'd be surprised if it wasn't on the market somewhere.

If the satnav on your phone can't track mileage, try one of the fitness apps that athletes and cyclists use.
Used a couple myself and they are forever appearing on my fb feed too.

A challenge to get as many photos in a smaller amount of time would be more fun - Defiantly wait until August/September though ;-)

Using an app that just counts mileage won't work as someone could hop on a train to London and back, saying they did nigh on 600 miles.
There are various sports/fitness type trackers like Endomondo but I don't thuink they would really work well for the likes of a Bus Challenge.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:39 am)northern156 wrote Using an app that just counts mileage won't work as someone could hop on a train to London and back, saying they did nigh on 600 miles.
There are various sports/fitness type trackers like Endomondo but I don't thuink they would really work well for the likes of a Bus Challenge.

Exactly, which is why it would be good if it could be plotted on a map (roughly) too.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:43 am)Dan wrote Exactly, which is why it would be good if it could be plotted on a map (roughly) too.

Some of those fitness ones do just that!

(12 Jan 2014, 11:51 am)andreos1 wrote Some of those fitness ones do just that!

Oooh... I'll have to get downloading then :p

Here Maps+ seems pretty decent too.

Gives directions of where you want to go, but also tracks duration and where you have actually been in non satnav mode.
Just tried it out when I popped to the shop.

(12 Jan 2014, 11:11 am)Dan wrote Does anyone know a free app which can actually do this? I've wanted one for ages but the few I've downloaded can't actually track the amount of mileage you've done by tracking the GPS location of your phone continuously.

MyMyWalk would do it I think.

Best way to prove where people have been, although you'd like to think you could rely on honesty, would be to make use of those camera things everyone carries around.

Everyone would have to upload a selection of their photos from the day into a new set on flickr, but it's invalid if it doesn't include full EXIF data for public view. A lot of cameras actually record GPS coords of where photos were taken too. Make a point of taking a shot of something from where you are. This could be anything, e.g. a bridge, a pub, a monument, etc. Just a suggestion like.

(12 Jan 2014, 12:15 pm)aureolin wrote Best way to prove where people have been, although you'd like to think you could rely on honesty, would be to make use of those camera things everyone carries around.

Everyone would have to upload a selection of their photos from the day into a new set on flickr, but it's invalid if it doesn't include full EXIF data for public view. A lot of cameras actually record GPS coords of where photos were taken too. Make a point of taking a shot of something from where you are. This could be anything, e.g. a bridge, a pub, a monument, etc. Just a suggestion like.

Yeah, sounds good. I think that would be a easy way.

(12 Jan 2014, 12:15 pm)aureolin wrote Best way to prove where people have been, although you'd like to think you could rely on honesty, would be to make use of those camera things everyone carries around.

Everyone would have to upload a selection of their photos from the day into a new set on flickr, but it's invalid if it doesn't include full EXIF data for public view. A lot of cameras actually record GPS coords of where photos were taken too. Make a point of taking a shot of something from where you are. This could be anything, e.g. a bridge, a pub, a monument, etc. Just a suggestion like.

What if people don't have Flickr?
A simple attachment of a screen shot on here from one of those apps would be more than enough.

Just been looking at some of the fitness apps and they look as though they would work great.

(12 Jan 2014, 1:40 pm)andreos1 wrote What if people don't have Flickr?
A simple attachment of a screen shot on here from one of those apps would be more than enough.

Just been looking at some of the fitness apps and they look as though they would work great.

It's a free service, so there's nothing preventing anyone getting one really. The reason I suggested flickr is because of the way you can tag the photos in that set, and have a running feed of that tag - similar to the #NEBuses one used already.

(12 Jan 2014, 2:06 pm)aureolin wrote It's a free service, so there's nothing preventing anyone getting one really. The reason I suggested flickr is because of the way you can tag the photos in that set, and have a running feed of that tag - similar to the #NEBuses one used already.

Ah, thought it was a paid service.
Didn't realise it was free.

That was one of the reasons I suggested the apps idea obviously with it being free and easily evidenced - with not having to faff on taking, uploading photo's etc on a system that cost.

(12 Jan 2014, 2:06 pm)aureolin wrote It's a free service, so there's nothing preventing anyone getting one really. The reason I suggested flickr is because of the way you can tag the photos in that set, and have a running feed of that tag - similar to the #NEBuses one used already.

I sense a new contender to the 'Special Event Stream' coming!

#NEBChallengeNE

(12 Jan 2014, 2:14 pm)Dan wrote I sense a new contender to the 'Special Event Stream' coming!

#NEBChallengeNE

Maybe if enough people are interested in taking part in Northern156's idea, then I reckon we could easily have a couple hundred good quality photos at the end of the day.

I'd be up for it

Me being a moody person and most of the time preferring my own company, count me out of it. I'm gonna stay well clear of this to the extent I don't even want to be at work. More likely I be somewhere else in the country photoing and riding about on buses.

(12 Jan 2014, 10:26 pm)GMitchelhill wrote Me being a moody person and most of the time preferring my own company, count me out of it. I'm gonna stay well clear of this to the extent I don't even want to be at work. More likely I be somewhere else in the country photoing and riding about on buses.

Just do it by yourself.
Not sure it needs to be done in a team. Chances are if it was done at least one team will have had a falling out by the end of the day over which route, bus or direction to take.

(12 Jan 2014, 10:46 pm)andreos1 wrote Just do it by yourself.
Not sure it needs to be done in a team. Chances are if it was done at least one team will have had a falling out by the end of the day over which route, bus or direction to take.

Indeed if this was going to be an issue (people not wanting to meet up etc), could everyone do it by themselves on a day they wish? We could run it over a week or two so those who have work commitments could do it whenever they wanted.
Let's say the start time was 0830am at Newcastle - your first photo's EXIF info would show this, and you'd continue taking photos of the journeys you had taken until tte agreed finish point. The clock in Haymarket Bus Station is perhaps an idea as a starting point, in fact.

(13 Jan 2014, 6:48 am)Dan wrote Indeed if this was going to be an issue (people not wanting to meet up etc), could everyone do it by themselves on a day they wish? We could run it over a week or two so those who have work commitments could do it whenever they wanted.
Let's say the start time was 0830am at Newcastle - your first photo's EXIF info would show this, and you'd continue taking photos of the journeys you had taken until tte agreed finish point. The clock in Haymarket Bus Station is perhaps an idea as a starting point, in fact.

I'd be up for it either way

(13 Jan 2014, 6:48 am)Dan wrote Indeed if this was going to be an issue (people not wanting to meet up etc), could everyone do it by themselves on a day they wish? We could run it over a week or two so those who have work commitments could do it whenever they wanted.
Let's say the start time was 0830am at Newcastle - your first photo's EXIF info would show this, and you'd continue taking photos of the journeys you had taken until tte agreed finish point. The clock in Haymarket Bus Station is perhaps an idea as a starting point, in fact.

I think people doing it by themselves if they so wish to would be completely fine, but it'd probs work better done on the same day? Waiting a week or two for a conclusion may take the fun from it somewhat. Work commitments can be a pain but I think if it's organised a good few month in advance it should be ok for people needing time off or what have you.