Drivers - Bus Reviews & Opinions

[MW]

What was your abuse?

Someone pressed bell to get off between Villa Ground and The cemetery where the 7 crosses the 11. I came to the bus stop rolling coming almost to a stop, nobody stood up, nobody at the stop, nobody upstairs, then I carried on driving when a big Jamaican woman came towards me swearing every swear in the bleeding book, slamming the assault screen etc. Usually it's the occasional swear or WHY ARE YOU F------ LATE etc but this was on another level lol. Anyway I just smiled and said bye as she got off which pissed her off even more lmao.

Personally I feel that I was in the right here. Bear in mind the 11, the bell is always going off with nobody even getting off!

[BU07 LGO]

Someone pressed bell to get off between Villa Ground and The cemetery where the 7 crosses the 11. I came to the bus stop rolling coming almost to a stop, nobody stood up, nobody at the stop, nobody upstairs, then I carried on driving when a big Jamaican woman came towards me swearing every swear in the bleeding book, slamming the assault screen etc. Usually it's the occasional swear or WHY ARE YOU F------ LATE etc but this was on another level lol. Anyway I just smiled and said bye as she got off which pissed her off even more lmao.

Personally I feel that I was in the right here. Bear in mind the 11, the bell is always going off with nobody even getting off!

I've only been abused once and it was by an old lady. She pressed the bell as I right upon the stop so I carried onto the next one and she was shouting "are you ****** deaf you stupid ****!" and banging her walking stick on the cab door!

[MW]

I've only been abused once and it was by an old lady. She pressed the bell as I right upon the stop so I carried onto the next one and she was shouting "are you ****** deaf you stupid ****!" and banging her walking stick on the cab door!

Yeah, old people are the worst in my opinion, the kids don't seem as bad. They take six years to get on the platform, another six to scan the pass, and even more to sit down.

The ones who try to hustle the 9.30 rule, when it's around 9 make me laugh. They say, "oh driver don't worry, I'll scan it once it gets to 9.30."

[BU07 LGO]

Yeah, old people are the worst in my opinion, the kids don't seem as bad. They take six years to get on the platform, another six to scan the pass, and even more to sit down.

The ones who try to hustle the 9.30 rule, when it's around 9 make me laugh. They say, "oh driver don't worry, I'll scan it once it gets to 9.30."

I had one try to get on at 6:50! He held it up like it was a normal pass, I said you need to scan that pass mate and he just turned back and got off without trying it!

[Tara4352]

Yeah, old people are the worst in my opinion, the kids don't seem as bad. They take six years to get on the platform, another six to scan the pass, and even more to sit down.

The ones who try to hustle the 9.30 rule, when it's around 9 make me laugh. They say, "oh driver don't worry, I'll scan it once it gets to 9.30."

What is the 930 rule

[Trident 4609]

What is the 930 rule

Senior Citizen passes are not valid before 09:30 therefore do not scan.

[Stuharris 6360]

Yeah, old people are the worst in my opinion, the kids don't seem as bad. They take six years to get on the platform, another six to scan the pass, and even more to sit down.

The ones who try to hustle the 9.30 rule, when it's around 9 make me laugh. They say, "oh driver don't worry, I'll scan it once it gets to 9.30."

That's not very customer focused!!

[BU07 LGO]

That's not very customer focused!!

It does get frustrating when they wave the pass around and wonder why it wont scan! and your waiting for them to sit down and they mess about getting free newspapers and then decide to go upstairs! But suppose they pay the wages!  :)

[Stuharris 6360]

It does get frustrating when they wave the pass around and wonder why it wont scan! and your waiting for them to sit down and they mess about getting free newspapers and then decide to go upstairs! But suppose they pay the wages!  :)

True, i think a lot of the problem with OAP passes have come from drivers themselves letting them break the rules and scan the pass when they get off after 09:30. As for OAPs being slow and holding the bus up, while they find a seat, get a free newspaper etc, as Esther Rantzen used to say "That's Life"

[don]

I have to express some disappointment at the slightly ageist slant of some of these posts by drivers. Sounds like some drivers need to go back to customer focus school!! And I agree that you shouldn't have to put up with school kids hanging out the emergency exit - pity they don't hang the weed smokers out there!!

As a not as young as I used to be person I never cease to be amazed at the rudeness of one or two bus drivers (not all). I recently travelled on a full to standing London something or other E400 in the outer London suburbs. I got up to get off and made the cardinal sin of trying to get off by the front door - my confusion was possibly caused by three factors - firstly the occasional London buses I use have one door usually and secondly, the Middle door was largely invisible owing to the volume of standing passengers (I'd sat near the front of the lower deck), and thirdly my brain doesn't compute double door double deckers since they were run off the streets almost everywhere as downright dangerous and slower to load by 1969 - except London (though to be fair they only really started dabbling with rear engine double deckers in a big way as late as 1971 so could be excused for attempting to reinvent the rear engined double decker). After pressing the bell and standing waiting some time for the door to open after the bus stopped and the driver making absolutely no attempt to communicate whatsoever, a friendly passenger had to point out the error of my ways and I got off at the centre door. I have to say I felt rather pleased in some cantankerous way Id made that driver more late than she already was.

And guys, if an elderly person presses the bell slightly too late for you to stop exactly in the bus stop box and decide to run on to the next stop, you should feel thoroughly ashamed you've caused an elderly customer to either have to catch a bus back in the other direction or worse still have to walk ..........

[the trainbasher]

I have to express some disappointment at the slightly ageist slant of some of these posts by drivers. Sounds like some drivers need to go back to customer focus school!! And I agree that you shouldn't have to put up with school kids hanging out the emergency exit - pity they don't hang the weed smokers out there!!

As a not as young as I used to be person I never cease to be amazed at the rudeness of one or two bus drivers (not all). I recently travelled on a full to standing London something or other E400 in the outer London suburbs. I got up to get off and made the cardinal sin of trying to get off by the front door - my confusion was possibly caused by three factors - firstly the occasional London buses I use have one door usually and secondly, the Middle door was largely invisible owing to the volume of standing passengers (I'd sat near the front of the lower deck), and thirdly my brain doesn't compute double door double deckers since they were run off the streets almost everywhere as downright dangerous and slower to load by 1969 - except London (though to be fair they only really started dabbling with rear engine double deckers in a big way as late as 1971 so could be excused for attempting to reinvent the rear engined double decker). After pressing the bell and standing waiting some time for the door to open after the bus stopped and the driver making absolutely no attempt to communicate whatsoever, a friendly passenger had to point out the error of my ways and I got off at the centre door. I have to say I felt rather pleased in some cantankerous way Id made that driver more late than she already was.

And guys, if an elderly person presses the bell slightly too late for you to stop exactly in the bus stop box and decide to run on to the next stop, you should feel thoroughly ashamed you've caused an elderly customer to either have to catch a bus back in the other direction or worse still have to walk ..........

But on the other hand, once you've passed a bus stop, legally you cannot load/unload until you are at the registered next stop (unless it's a hail and ride section).

Plus exercise could help some of these OAPs...like they can wait til 0930 (or whatever the local council specifies for them - bring back OAP passes only allowed in the issuing county!)

[BU07 LGO]

And guys, if an elderly person presses the bell slightly too late for you to stop exactly in the bus stop box and decide to run on to the next stop, you should feel thoroughly ashamed you've caused an elderly customer to either have to catch a bus back in the other direction or worse still have to walk ..........

I have nothing against elderly passengers, I have a few regulars and we always say hello to each other and goodbye. i would have apologised had she not verbally abused me.

[2900]

Pensioners: like Bertie bassetts you get ALL SORTS some are jolly nice people while others are down rite evil, forunatly for me most days I see the same pensioners going for there evening drinks and back again dwindling bunch nowadays, 20 years ago they would fill the last bus home from blackheath songs would break out some really can sing, the banter all to funny, sadly only handful left, one regular pensioner was run over in bearwood and left for dead about 18 months ago, every evening he boarded from abbey rd to blackheath town centre without fail when he went missing for a week I thought may he had become ill then I was told by his mates he'd been run down , it knocked me for six.

[B.C Driver]

And guys, if an elderly person presses the bell slightly too late for you to stop exactly in the bus stop box and decide to run on to the next stop, you should feel thoroughly ashamed you've caused an elderly customer to either have to catch a bus back in the other direction or worse still have to walk ..........
[/quote]

I can fully understand if somebody is new to the area, but even then they can't expect you to stop at the bus stop if they have pressed the bell when you're almost on top of the stop. You either have to brake hard or travel further past the stop - stopping where there is no kerb for example and then of course if the person falls over getting off the bus you then have to explain why you didnt stop at the bus stop.
A lot of cases people arnt paying attention, or expect other people to be getting off at their stop. There are numerous bell buttons around the bus, most seats are within easy reach of the bell.
If you take them to the next stop they may think of pressing the bell in good time in future.
I've had many arguements over this, I simply say "You should have pressed the bell earlier" and try not to get in an arguement with them, in fact say nothing more and just get to the next stop, open the doors and wait for them to get off.

[don]

But on the other hand, once you've passed a bus stop, legally you cannot load/unload until you are at the registered next stop (unless it's a hail and ride section).

True - but then again shouldn't the driver be monitoring his internal mirrors to predict requirement to stop - in a similar way to defensive driving - predicting pedestrians walking off the kerb etc etc? Would he pass a test if he didn't? And I do know some old people are cantankerous. I had one run backwards (on foot) into me yesterday and shouted at me 'you should watch where you're going'!!!!

Plus exercise could help some of these OAPs...like they can wait til 0930 (or whatever the local council specifies for them - bring back OAP passes only allowed in the issuing county!)

You're avin a larf aren't you - you'd lose half of your customers!! I've seen bus drivers who could do with a bit of exercise - indeed the lady driver of the London bus I referred to barely fitted in the cab - I'm sure there are others!! Seriously, people in public service should have a little more respect for fellow human beans even if they're old, disabled or fall into any other popular stereotype of the day.

The 1000 am train rule in London is quite an eye opener if you want to see overloaded trains - the first arrival on each route after 1000 am is usually full to the rafters of people using cheap day returns (often students and the less well off), cheap travelcards or OAP passes - and guess what - if you're on South Eastern it's four coaches rather than 8 or 12 earlier as it's classed as off peak and the train sets are split to allow greater frequencies. As I don't fit into any of these categories I rarely see this problem!