Well the Olympics seem an age ago. As does the Paralympics. Back to work, things soon got back to normal with the utter bollocks some people say and do.
Take today. Two examples for people just being wankers.
Firstly, someone who looked older than 65 flagged me down to stop for them. This I did as I had a number of people getting off at the same stop. Some of them were fat so he was unable to get on as they waddled off. He tried to shout his destination to me in a ridiculous football chant fashion, which similar to football in general, I ignored, choosing to say "Thanks!" to those leaving the bus.
For some reason the old git assumed his bellows had been all received and understood and that as I'd not issued him a ticket or asked him to tender any money in a similar shout-as-loud-as-you-fucking-can manner back, he smiled, nodded and walked straight past me.
What the fuck?
Naturally, he was called back and made to state his destination in a calm manner and then tender some money. It was a very bizarre situation.
Second was a mother and child who tried to bring two boxes of take-away noodles on my bus. We do not allow food to be brought onto the bus, but I often let sandwiches etc go, and tow the party line when it comes to hot food, such as burgers, KFC, noodles...
As it was 1 minute until I was due to leave and the next bus wasn't for 30 mins, I told the mother than we don't allow hot food on the bus but as I was ready to leave I'd let it go on this occasion.
"Oh!" she said, somewhat puzzled. "We're not going to eat them."
So you've bought stone cold noodles then?
I explained that the act of her eating wasn't what was outlawed and that it was the smell associated with this type of food that makes people feel ill as there's no escaping it in such a confined space.
The dozy fucking cow then leaned towards one of the boxes, sniffed it and said "It smells nice to me!" Oh no you fucking don't sunshine.
Just for that I chose not to give her the benefit of the doubt and had a very illustrated discussion at the front of the bus about how she either threw the noodles away or waited another 30 minutes to catch the next bus as she and her daughter ate them.
For god's sake I was initially letting her off, just pointing out the rules. We have stickers just behind the driver that clearly shows no food, alcohol or music. Well her cockiness meant that she had a choice and she chose not to travel and to wait for the next bus.
That was the first thing she'd got right so far!
Common Sense Solution: It boils down to having to tow the party line in the case of the latter. Often the guys I work with will let things go and the passenger then thinks this is the norm. Sometimes you need to be Mr. Unpopular in order for a bit of peace in the long-term. In the case of the former, in order to accommodate him you have to be less polite by ignoring passengers who are saying 'thanks' and 'bye' as they leave your bus and I'm not prepared to do that. I might be a cunt, but I'm a polite cunt to anyone who's polite to me. Will this old guy learn? Possibly not, because he is old.
Showing posts with label Passenger Knows Best. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Passenger Knows Best. Show all posts
Monday, 1 October 2012
Thursday, 19 April 2012
The Lying Bitch
Passengers lie. That's life. Not all of them, but more than your boss will publicly admit. And your boss is in a good position to see this, having fielded all the complaints that, through utilising the CCTV footage, can be proven as bullshit.
A woman who looks like mutton dressed as lamb gets on in a village in an area where her bus pass cannot be used before 9.30am on a weekday. Now she's always paid cash but recently must have turned 60. Equipped with this precious piece of card, she's tries to board at 8am with her pass. The first time she did this, she had a massive row with the relatively new driver, who became very concerned that he was in the wrong, despite knowing otherwise. All went quiet for a number of months but she's started again.
What she doesn't know is that we drivers communicate to each other through a series of grunts. 7 grunts and a squeal means: "That nasty posh tart who's recently turned 60 who gets on at X will try and take the piss with a bus pass and under no circumstances accept it for travel on a weekday."
She's clearly cottoned onto this non-acceptance now, so matters have changed. Her single fare was £2 though with the fares rise last week it is now £2.10 (it's not, but I'm using this to illustrate the actual scenario where her single to town has risen by 10p recently).
She boarded my bus today and put down just £2 and briskly walked off. This despite me telling her the fare was £2.10. I called her back rather loudly as on the first occasion she didn't hear. Back she came and then argued the toss about how I was wrong. I suggested she'd not travelled on the bus since the fares rise but she's on the bus every day and has never been charged £2.10 yet. "All the other drivers can't be wrong, surely?"
"Yes they are. It's £2.10 please," said I, stony faced.
With much head shaking, she paid up and sat down. She must think we're all thick. We cannot override the ticket machine. Where she gets on to where she is going has the fare pre-programmed into the ticket machine as £2.10. There's no way we can offer another fare unless her journey is different.
Common Sense Solution: hold these arse holes in the same contempt that they hold you. You'll always win provided you don't swear or do something that will cause the passenger to contact your depot to complain about your attitude. Smiling is especially good in these circumstances as you're doing it to be a cocky git, while they cannot complain as outwardly it appears polite. Just remember, in virtually all cases like this, the passenger is lying or, at best, mistaken. Uphold the party line.
A woman who looks like mutton dressed as lamb gets on in a village in an area where her bus pass cannot be used before 9.30am on a weekday. Now she's always paid cash but recently must have turned 60. Equipped with this precious piece of card, she's tries to board at 8am with her pass. The first time she did this, she had a massive row with the relatively new driver, who became very concerned that he was in the wrong, despite knowing otherwise. All went quiet for a number of months but she's started again.
What she doesn't know is that we drivers communicate to each other through a series of grunts. 7 grunts and a squeal means: "That nasty posh tart who's recently turned 60 who gets on at X will try and take the piss with a bus pass and under no circumstances accept it for travel on a weekday."
She's clearly cottoned onto this non-acceptance now, so matters have changed. Her single fare was £2 though with the fares rise last week it is now £2.10 (it's not, but I'm using this to illustrate the actual scenario where her single to town has risen by 10p recently).
She boarded my bus today and put down just £2 and briskly walked off. This despite me telling her the fare was £2.10. I called her back rather loudly as on the first occasion she didn't hear. Back she came and then argued the toss about how I was wrong. I suggested she'd not travelled on the bus since the fares rise but she's on the bus every day and has never been charged £2.10 yet. "All the other drivers can't be wrong, surely?"
"Yes they are. It's £2.10 please," said I, stony faced.
With much head shaking, she paid up and sat down. She must think we're all thick. We cannot override the ticket machine. Where she gets on to where she is going has the fare pre-programmed into the ticket machine as £2.10. There's no way we can offer another fare unless her journey is different.
Common Sense Solution: hold these arse holes in the same contempt that they hold you. You'll always win provided you don't swear or do something that will cause the passenger to contact your depot to complain about your attitude. Smiling is especially good in these circumstances as you're doing it to be a cocky git, while they cannot complain as outwardly it appears polite. Just remember, in virtually all cases like this, the passenger is lying or, at best, mistaken. Uphold the party line.
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Missed Stop
Sometimes passengers are in worlds of their own and through their daydreaming they miss their stop. Usually, the bell is rung not long after the missed stop and the passenger rushes to the front, asking to be let off. If there's a stop very soon indeed, I usually pretend I'm a little deaf and ask them to repeat themselves, by which point we're at the next stop and I've not had to do an unscheduled stop. Often these unscheduled stops can be in places that aren't too safe and the passenger just thinks you're being a bigger twat than normal by not stopping the bus immediately.
Today, a woman rang the bell as I was level with a bus stop at the junction of the main road and Street Y. I was doing 40mph at the time - the speed limit at this point along the route. I did wonder if she wanted the stop in question, but at 40mph and parallel as the bell was rung, there was no way I was even going to contemplate slamming my brakes on. I was starting to slow though as I was making the next left turn, into Street Z.
As I turned into Street Z there's an immediate bus stop. The woman who pressed the bell as I was passing Street Y started to complain that I was going the wrong way as I turned into Street Z. She thought that I was turning a street too soon, into Street Y. That's how much notice she was taking. As I opened the door, she must have realised her mistake.
The nasty bitch then started to bollock me for not stopping at the stop before!!
Can you believe it?! I was going to argue, but luckily a number of people were leaving here - all of whom wanted to leave here and her protestations were drowned out by my thanking others leaving the bus here. I made no eye contact with her, just said "Thanks!" on a number of occasions as everyone else got off.
Common-sense solution: We all miss our stop. I've daydreamed before and gone the wrong way. That's life. If I can stop safely I will, but usually that's not the case. So you have to walk back a block - deal with it. Most do. This woman was so unaware she hadn't realised she'd gone past her stop and yet chose to tell me off for not stopping for her. I'd have needed to know she wanted the stop before she rang the bell - late. I sensed there'd end up being a slanging match, which is no good for anyone. I was happy in the knowledge she'd rung the bell too late by anyone's book and this would be shown using the CCTV. This only happened today, so expect a follow-up entry if she phones to complain!
Today, a woman rang the bell as I was level with a bus stop at the junction of the main road and Street Y. I was doing 40mph at the time - the speed limit at this point along the route. I did wonder if she wanted the stop in question, but at 40mph and parallel as the bell was rung, there was no way I was even going to contemplate slamming my brakes on. I was starting to slow though as I was making the next left turn, into Street Z.
As I turned into Street Z there's an immediate bus stop. The woman who pressed the bell as I was passing Street Y started to complain that I was going the wrong way as I turned into Street Z. She thought that I was turning a street too soon, into Street Y. That's how much notice she was taking. As I opened the door, she must have realised her mistake.
The nasty bitch then started to bollock me for not stopping at the stop before!!
Can you believe it?! I was going to argue, but luckily a number of people were leaving here - all of whom wanted to leave here and her protestations were drowned out by my thanking others leaving the bus here. I made no eye contact with her, just said "Thanks!" on a number of occasions as everyone else got off.
Common-sense solution: We all miss our stop. I've daydreamed before and gone the wrong way. That's life. If I can stop safely I will, but usually that's not the case. So you have to walk back a block - deal with it. Most do. This woman was so unaware she hadn't realised she'd gone past her stop and yet chose to tell me off for not stopping for her. I'd have needed to know she wanted the stop before she rang the bell - late. I sensed there'd end up being a slanging match, which is no good for anyone. I was happy in the knowledge she'd rung the bell too late by anyone's book and this would be shown using the CCTV. This only happened today, so expect a follow-up entry if she phones to complain!
Thursday, 12 April 2012
Laughing in my Face
I started to load some people on my bus recently and they were all OAPs travelling for free with their bus passes. The fourth in line was a black woman who asked for her destination while placing her hand by the side of the ticket machine, where the ticket would come from. She looked fairly old but didn't ask for a concession to X or show a card and ask for X. I told her the fare. She spluttered.
She pointed to her purse, which was open, inside which, amid the numerous coins and cough sweets, was a bus pass in a money bag. You could only see it was a bus pass by the location of the colours on what otherwise could have been anything credit card sized.
Silly me, I then did what I'm paid to do and asked her to show me the pass. There are quite a few that are running out of date and we're told to offer no leeway at all as what we get back per journey is so shit no operator is willing to give an inch when the error is the passenger's and the passenger's alone.
This black woman seemed surprised that I was asking to see her pass. Looking bewildered she got it out and showed me it but it was still in the money bag and I couldn't see the expiry date or, more importantly, that it was her photo on it.
"Well I've never been asked to do this before!" the woman said, laughing nervously. I suspect the volume of her voice was so that others on the bus could hear how unreasonable I'd been when actually they'd all done what I was now asking her to do except they'd done it without hesitation.
I checked the pass - in date and it was her beaming smile - issued her ticket and off she went. As she was about to go up the stairs, she said to anyone in the lower saloon who wanted to listen that "I've never come across such a bully in all the years I've been travelling on the buses!"
There's only so much I can stand, so I turned round from the cab and very publicly informed her that if she did not like showing her bus pass to obtain a FREE, yes, FREE journey on the bus, could I suggest that she get off and catch the train to her destination. The woman headed back to the front, if only to shut me up as the tables were now turning and it was she who was being embarrassed.
With her face right in mine (wrinkles and all!) she just burst out laughing. Just a very long cackle. I'd love to have thrown her off. But it would be one of those situations where the local press would be involved. I'd have to say that I removed her from the vehicle for laughing in my face, which compared to the conduct of the most troublesome of passengers, is a very minor offence.
I told her to go away and she did - upstairs, silently.
Common-sense solution: Sadly, ignorance is rife in all manner of life. This woman may not have wanted to make her age obvious to everyone else on board so assumed she'd just put her hand by the ticket machine to await her free ticket. I don't suggest all bus passes be thrust into the driver's face or slammed against the assault screen, but they need to be displayed clearly. I'd never seen this woman before so familiarity wasn't to blame. In the scheme of things, laughing in my face is not a smackable offence, regrettably. Rise above it. It's hard, but I think this dozy cow wouldn't dare do the same to me again.
She pointed to her purse, which was open, inside which, amid the numerous coins and cough sweets, was a bus pass in a money bag. You could only see it was a bus pass by the location of the colours on what otherwise could have been anything credit card sized.
Silly me, I then did what I'm paid to do and asked her to show me the pass. There are quite a few that are running out of date and we're told to offer no leeway at all as what we get back per journey is so shit no operator is willing to give an inch when the error is the passenger's and the passenger's alone.
This black woman seemed surprised that I was asking to see her pass. Looking bewildered she got it out and showed me it but it was still in the money bag and I couldn't see the expiry date or, more importantly, that it was her photo on it.
"Well I've never been asked to do this before!" the woman said, laughing nervously. I suspect the volume of her voice was so that others on the bus could hear how unreasonable I'd been when actually they'd all done what I was now asking her to do except they'd done it without hesitation.
I checked the pass - in date and it was her beaming smile - issued her ticket and off she went. As she was about to go up the stairs, she said to anyone in the lower saloon who wanted to listen that "I've never come across such a bully in all the years I've been travelling on the buses!"
There's only so much I can stand, so I turned round from the cab and very publicly informed her that if she did not like showing her bus pass to obtain a FREE, yes, FREE journey on the bus, could I suggest that she get off and catch the train to her destination. The woman headed back to the front, if only to shut me up as the tables were now turning and it was she who was being embarrassed.
With her face right in mine (wrinkles and all!) she just burst out laughing. Just a very long cackle. I'd love to have thrown her off. But it would be one of those situations where the local press would be involved. I'd have to say that I removed her from the vehicle for laughing in my face, which compared to the conduct of the most troublesome of passengers, is a very minor offence.
I told her to go away and she did - upstairs, silently.
Common-sense solution: Sadly, ignorance is rife in all manner of life. This woman may not have wanted to make her age obvious to everyone else on board so assumed she'd just put her hand by the ticket machine to await her free ticket. I don't suggest all bus passes be thrust into the driver's face or slammed against the assault screen, but they need to be displayed clearly. I'd never seen this woman before so familiarity wasn't to blame. In the scheme of things, laughing in my face is not a smackable offence, regrettably. Rise above it. It's hard, but I think this dozy cow wouldn't dare do the same to me again.
Monday, 6 February 2012
Just Plain Thick
There are two bus stops located along a stretch of road I was driving along today. The first is at a memorial and the second is by a school. They're around 0.25 miles apart. A woman flagged me down right in the middle of the two stops today. I stopped and let her board and after she paid I asked her to wait at either the memorial or school bus next time. She said she'd phoned my company before venturing out (sensible!) and that they'd told her there was a bus stop located by the school (all correct). The punch line, if that's what you call it, was not what I was expecting:
"I wasn't sure how near the school they meant so I thought I'd just stand outside my front gate to make sure."
Bullshit. Complete and utter fucking arse. The lazy cow couldn't be bothered walking to the bus stop - clearly sited outside the frigging school - and so thought she'd flag me down outside her house. She also dropped into the conversation that she wasn't used to catching buses. It shows.
You see buses stop at these things called bus stops. This way, it ensures everyone is treated fairly and that the bus isn't unnecessarily delayed by stopping too often, for example, for the idle wankers who want a personal taxi service at a fraction of the cost.
She asked for the suburb I was heading for he city centre.
The city centre most of my services call at has two major bus stops. On the way in is a row of stops at the far end of the pedestrianised area and beyond that is the second and final stop in the bus station. As I approached the centre, most alighted at the first stop, outside, by the pedestrianised area. She and a couple remained on for the bus station.
Mid-way between the two points, the idle woman got up, strolled to the front and said: "Here please!" Ha! Yeah, right. Now it was pay back time. I tried the old faithful at first, ignoring her completely, in the hope she thought I simply hadn't heard her, but this woman was having none of it. "I said HERE please!"
"I'm sorry, the next stop is the bus station. We only call at the bus stops I'm afraid!"
"Well I want to be at that shop there!" she said, as we whizzed past it at a very satisfying 30mph.
I told her that as it was mid-way between the two stops (a bit like her house) she had to walk regardless of which stop she chose to leave.
Then she started moaning very loudly about how dire the service was and how glad she doesn't have to rely on buses and how rude and ignorant the drivers are. I then lost it. I slammed the brakes on and shouted. JUST SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP AS I COULD CRASH THE BLOODY BUS WITH YOU GOING OFF ON ONE!
All that investment in my Driver CPC and NVQ going right out the window. She sat down and shut up. Perhaps I should mention that at my next training course, that it could be an effective way in which to deal with dickhead passengers?
The sensible thing to do now is back-track, but in such a way that the passenger doesn't know you're doing it. She'd plonked her fat arse down directly behind my cab, so I said fairly loudly that there was CCTV fitted throughout the bus and that my boss takes a personal dislike to passengers distracting the driver and stopping between bus stops and it can compromise safety. I also added that I'd already broken the rules by picking her up in between stops earlier in the route.
The plan was to make her sufficiently aware of how her actions would not be condoned by the depot and so she wouldn't dare phone in to report the incident as her story would effectively drop herself in it.
Needless to say, I've now got a mental image of her and shall be driving past the next time if she flags me down in between stops.
Common Sense Solution: Exactly what I did. Initially point the error out to the passenger (as I did) and hope they learn from it. Many will and many won't, usually in equal measure. If you should find you have a thicko who doesn't quite understand anything you're telling them, you may need to re-emphasise the point in another way, if this presents itself - luckily for me it did when she wanted me to drop her off in between stops. Yes, you'll get hassle but at the same time you're investing in a trouble-free life for the journeys to come as she won't dare recreate the situation. Probably.
"I wasn't sure how near the school they meant so I thought I'd just stand outside my front gate to make sure."
Bullshit. Complete and utter fucking arse. The lazy cow couldn't be bothered walking to the bus stop - clearly sited outside the frigging school - and so thought she'd flag me down outside her house. She also dropped into the conversation that she wasn't used to catching buses. It shows.
You see buses stop at these things called bus stops. This way, it ensures everyone is treated fairly and that the bus isn't unnecessarily delayed by stopping too often, for example, for the idle wankers who want a personal taxi service at a fraction of the cost.
She asked for the suburb I was heading for he city centre.
The city centre most of my services call at has two major bus stops. On the way in is a row of stops at the far end of the pedestrianised area and beyond that is the second and final stop in the bus station. As I approached the centre, most alighted at the first stop, outside, by the pedestrianised area. She and a couple remained on for the bus station.
Mid-way between the two points, the idle woman got up, strolled to the front and said: "Here please!" Ha! Yeah, right. Now it was pay back time. I tried the old faithful at first, ignoring her completely, in the hope she thought I simply hadn't heard her, but this woman was having none of it. "I said HERE please!"
"I'm sorry, the next stop is the bus station. We only call at the bus stops I'm afraid!"
"Well I want to be at that shop there!" she said, as we whizzed past it at a very satisfying 30mph.
I told her that as it was mid-way between the two stops (a bit like her house) she had to walk regardless of which stop she chose to leave.
Then she started moaning very loudly about how dire the service was and how glad she doesn't have to rely on buses and how rude and ignorant the drivers are. I then lost it. I slammed the brakes on and shouted. JUST SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP AS I COULD CRASH THE BLOODY BUS WITH YOU GOING OFF ON ONE!
All that investment in my Driver CPC and NVQ going right out the window. She sat down and shut up. Perhaps I should mention that at my next training course, that it could be an effective way in which to deal with dickhead passengers?
The sensible thing to do now is back-track, but in such a way that the passenger doesn't know you're doing it. She'd plonked her fat arse down directly behind my cab, so I said fairly loudly that there was CCTV fitted throughout the bus and that my boss takes a personal dislike to passengers distracting the driver and stopping between bus stops and it can compromise safety. I also added that I'd already broken the rules by picking her up in between stops earlier in the route.
The plan was to make her sufficiently aware of how her actions would not be condoned by the depot and so she wouldn't dare phone in to report the incident as her story would effectively drop herself in it.
Needless to say, I've now got a mental image of her and shall be driving past the next time if she flags me down in between stops.
Common Sense Solution: Exactly what I did. Initially point the error out to the passenger (as I did) and hope they learn from it. Many will and many won't, usually in equal measure. If you should find you have a thicko who doesn't quite understand anything you're telling them, you may need to re-emphasise the point in another way, if this presents itself - luckily for me it did when she wanted me to drop her off in between stops. Yes, you'll get hassle but at the same time you're investing in a trouble-free life for the journeys to come as she won't dare recreate the situation. Probably.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Fact of Life
A woman mumbled something about me being a racist today as she got off my bus. Absolutely ridiculous.
What happened was a black woman, yes, a BLACK woman (you better lock me up now!) boarded and asked for a particular stop that is not lit and in the middle of nowhere. It was dark and I was driving the 2020 departure from the nearest estate. She said she wasn't sure where the stop was in the dark as she normally travelled during the day, so could I give her a shout when we arrived at the stop in question. Being the big racist that I clearly am, I said I would, issued her with a ticket and then wiped the counter down with antiseptic wipes.
I approached the stop in question and couldn't see her sat downstairs. I assumed that she was upstairs so wasn't going to shout her stop out above the engine, so when I came to a stop I opened the door and shouted the name of her stop. The woman was sat upstairs and got up as soon as I called out.
She said thanks as she got off, I closed the doors and we drove off. All sorted.
At the next central point, the lead passenger waiting to alight stood next to me and said: "Typical, overriding her stop, eh?" implying the black woman had deliberately kept quiet in the hope that I'd take her beyond her stop, perhaps to where she really wanted to go. This was wrong for two reasons.
1. As can be read above, this was pre-planned and happened with my blessing and
2. The fare to the next central point is the same as the one where she left the bus, so there was no financial gain to be had.
A woman stood behind this guy seemed interested in what happened. I was keen to let them know that it was all under control and nothing like the guy was suggesting. I said: "The black lady asked me to shout out when we got to the stop back there as she didn't know where it was in the dark."
This seemed to satisfy the guy at the front, and he left the bus first. The woman said: "I'm just wondering why you felt you needed to describe her as a black lady?" I said: "In India I would be described as a white man, so I can't see what the problem is!"
"Hmm, that's a little racist!" she said and got off.
The stupid silly cow was obviously under the employ of a local authority with this stupid, pathetic, paranoid obsession with equality. Either that or a fully paid-up member of the Liberal Democrats.
Common Sense Solution: Sadly, with the world being as it is, I had to make my depot aware of the incident. The BLACK woman would have surely left my bus feeling that I'd helped her out as she requested I do. The WHITE woman thought I was a racist simply because I described her as a BLACK lady. She wasn't aware of the situation. This is why we have such ridiculous rulings in this country. People are so paranoid about racism that they manage to perpetuate something worse: paranoia about saying the wrong thing. This has nothing to do with free speech. I'm glad I said back to her what I did, about being called a White Man in India. I bet whoever said that there wouldn't be branded a racist by a black woman!
What happened was a black woman, yes, a BLACK woman (you better lock me up now!) boarded and asked for a particular stop that is not lit and in the middle of nowhere. It was dark and I was driving the 2020 departure from the nearest estate. She said she wasn't sure where the stop was in the dark as she normally travelled during the day, so could I give her a shout when we arrived at the stop in question. Being the big racist that I clearly am, I said I would, issued her with a ticket and then wiped the counter down with antiseptic wipes.
I approached the stop in question and couldn't see her sat downstairs. I assumed that she was upstairs so wasn't going to shout her stop out above the engine, so when I came to a stop I opened the door and shouted the name of her stop. The woman was sat upstairs and got up as soon as I called out.
She said thanks as she got off, I closed the doors and we drove off. All sorted.
At the next central point, the lead passenger waiting to alight stood next to me and said: "Typical, overriding her stop, eh?" implying the black woman had deliberately kept quiet in the hope that I'd take her beyond her stop, perhaps to where she really wanted to go. This was wrong for two reasons.
1. As can be read above, this was pre-planned and happened with my blessing and
2. The fare to the next central point is the same as the one where she left the bus, so there was no financial gain to be had.
A woman stood behind this guy seemed interested in what happened. I was keen to let them know that it was all under control and nothing like the guy was suggesting. I said: "The black lady asked me to shout out when we got to the stop back there as she didn't know where it was in the dark."
This seemed to satisfy the guy at the front, and he left the bus first. The woman said: "I'm just wondering why you felt you needed to describe her as a black lady?" I said: "In India I would be described as a white man, so I can't see what the problem is!"
"Hmm, that's a little racist!" she said and got off.
The stupid silly cow was obviously under the employ of a local authority with this stupid, pathetic, paranoid obsession with equality. Either that or a fully paid-up member of the Liberal Democrats.
Common Sense Solution: Sadly, with the world being as it is, I had to make my depot aware of the incident. The BLACK woman would have surely left my bus feeling that I'd helped her out as she requested I do. The WHITE woman thought I was a racist simply because I described her as a BLACK lady. She wasn't aware of the situation. This is why we have such ridiculous rulings in this country. People are so paranoid about racism that they manage to perpetuate something worse: paranoia about saying the wrong thing. This has nothing to do with free speech. I'm glad I said back to her what I did, about being called a White Man in India. I bet whoever said that there wouldn't be branded a racist by a black woman!
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Yet more Hail & Ride problems...
I've said before how sections of route without bus stops being registered as Hail & Ride causes untold problems. The problem is that passengers firstly do not know what Hail & Ride actually means. They just stand there, impersonating someone waiting to cross the road and then phone in to complain when the bus drives past them. There are some who, while having grasped the concept of HAILING a bus in order for it to stop, do so almost in secret, with ridiculously puny hand gestures or stand in dangerous places: in between parked cars, at road junctions or on the brow of a hill.
Today saw me have an issue with someone who wanted to get off a bus in a tiny village. It has a bus stop in the centre, but at either end of the village we will stop for passengers. She boarded in a large town with someone else who wanted this village. This other person wanted the first unofficial stop, not the main, fixed bus stop in the village centre.
As we entered the village the bell sounded. This was not the woman whom I knew wanted the first, unofficial stop, but the first lady. I entered the village and as I pulled over for the unofficial first stop, the woman said, "They normally stop for me a lot sooner than this!" and got out without a bye-your-leave. The second woman, who travels regularly, said she'd never seen her in her life before so she didn't know which drivers dropped her off earlier, as she said.
Common Sense Solution: I just shrugged it off and got on with my journey. It did annoy me though that a woman who clearly doesn't travel very often thinks that all she has to do is ring the bell and the bus will stop precisely where she wants it to. We are all psychotic (or is that psychic?) Had the village had three fixed bus stop, one at the start/end as well as the central one, there would be no argument. Sadly, as I've said before, some councils and bus companies don't want to shell out on bus stop signs and poles. It all boils down to money.
Today saw me have an issue with someone who wanted to get off a bus in a tiny village. It has a bus stop in the centre, but at either end of the village we will stop for passengers. She boarded in a large town with someone else who wanted this village. This other person wanted the first unofficial stop, not the main, fixed bus stop in the village centre.
As we entered the village the bell sounded. This was not the woman whom I knew wanted the first, unofficial stop, but the first lady. I entered the village and as I pulled over for the unofficial first stop, the woman said, "They normally stop for me a lot sooner than this!" and got out without a bye-your-leave. The second woman, who travels regularly, said she'd never seen her in her life before so she didn't know which drivers dropped her off earlier, as she said.
Common Sense Solution: I just shrugged it off and got on with my journey. It did annoy me though that a woman who clearly doesn't travel very often thinks that all she has to do is ring the bell and the bus will stop precisely where she wants it to. We are all psychotic (or is that psychic?) Had the village had three fixed bus stop, one at the start/end as well as the central one, there would be no argument. Sadly, as I've said before, some councils and bus companies don't want to shell out on bus stop signs and poles. It all boils down to money.
Monday, 9 January 2012
For the fun of it
Why is it that when one of the Great Unwashed learn something they don't like the sound of, they choose to automatically think that the bus driver is somehow mistaken or that they've misheard.
"What time is the last bus, mate?"
"5.50 tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Actually, no I'm not. There's one a 10. I'm glad you told me to double check my first statement!"
The other is when a passenger purchases a return ticket. This, naturally, sees the passenger pay for their outward and return journeys when they board and a discount on two singles is offered as the passenger has chosen to return with us. If a single fare is, say, £2.00, the return will be around the £3.00 mark, offering a saving of £1. The journey allows you to go from A to B and then return from B to A during the same day. Some passengers think it entitles them to get off at Stop Z or Stop Y and then go and see their friend at Stop X before continuing with their journey. It does not. Some tickets on the train allow you to do this, but this is a bus, not a train. Apart from the obvious physical difference, the per mile cost is about 10 times less on a bus, though the way passengers moan about the cost of their fare.
"Alright, mate. With this return, can I stop off at Morrisons on the way back and get back on?"
"No, if you want to break your journey you need to buy a day ticket."
"Oh really? Only I only need to nip into Morrisons for a few bits."
Notice how the fact they only want to buy some batteries or tampax somehow made a difference from their first statement, which they were concerned was worded to imply they'd be getting back on with a trolley full and that somehow this made their de-legitimised their request.
The day ticket is only a few pence more than many of our return fares yet some just don't research the information before travelling. Some routes I drive are OK as they are wholly within certain urban areas which offer a cheaper day ticket. The more rural routes are worse as they only offer the more expensive day ticket which some people seem to, on principle, choose not to buy.
And then there are those who don't look at your destination and flag you down and ask for somewhere that you're not going to. The only time a bus driver can get his own back here is when he/she is travelling 'Not In Service' and the cretin will still flag you down as you glide by...
Common Sense Solution: Sadly, there isn't one. Is is human nature to question anything you're told that you don't like the sound of? I don't do that. I think it is because passengers don't now see a bus driver as holding much authority. He is the guy they begrudgingly hand over their hard-earned money to.
"What time is the last bus, mate?"
"5.50 tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Actually, no I'm not. There's one a 10. I'm glad you told me to double check my first statement!"
The other is when a passenger purchases a return ticket. This, naturally, sees the passenger pay for their outward and return journeys when they board and a discount on two singles is offered as the passenger has chosen to return with us. If a single fare is, say, £2.00, the return will be around the £3.00 mark, offering a saving of £1. The journey allows you to go from A to B and then return from B to A during the same day. Some passengers think it entitles them to get off at Stop Z or Stop Y and then go and see their friend at Stop X before continuing with their journey. It does not. Some tickets on the train allow you to do this, but this is a bus, not a train. Apart from the obvious physical difference, the per mile cost is about 10 times less on a bus, though the way passengers moan about the cost of their fare.
"Alright, mate. With this return, can I stop off at Morrisons on the way back and get back on?"
"No, if you want to break your journey you need to buy a day ticket."
"Oh really? Only I only need to nip into Morrisons for a few bits."
Notice how the fact they only want to buy some batteries or tampax somehow made a difference from their first statement, which they were concerned was worded to imply they'd be getting back on with a trolley full and that somehow this made their de-legitimised their request.
The day ticket is only a few pence more than many of our return fares yet some just don't research the information before travelling. Some routes I drive are OK as they are wholly within certain urban areas which offer a cheaper day ticket. The more rural routes are worse as they only offer the more expensive day ticket which some people seem to, on principle, choose not to buy.
And then there are those who don't look at your destination and flag you down and ask for somewhere that you're not going to. The only time a bus driver can get his own back here is when he/she is travelling 'Not In Service' and the cretin will still flag you down as you glide by...
Common Sense Solution: Sadly, there isn't one. Is is human nature to question anything you're told that you don't like the sound of? I don't do that. I think it is because passengers don't now see a bus driver as holding much authority. He is the guy they begrudgingly hand over their hard-earned money to.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
Last Argument of 2011
It is only fitting to report that my last argument of the year took place on New Year's Eve. Not only that, it occurred while working the last journey of the particular journey I was working. I was departing a bus station at 1600, though as it was the last bus for two days, reversed off the bay at 1601. A passenger on board yelled out that someone was running towards the bus and as I was the only bus in the station, assumed he wanted me.
He was an odd sight. I would describe him as a typical geeza, except this wanker was in his 40s and was mincing along. Very odd. Very camp. Perhaps he was one of these gays that I hear talk of. Whether he was or not was not made known to me. I can, though, reveal that he was a complete ignoramus.
Had I been the one running for a bus that should have left a minute ago - and that it was the last one to operate this route for 2 days - I would board and immediately thank the driver for waiting for the sorry spectacle of me gricing along as if I'd shit my pants. Knowing me, I'd probably apologise for delaying the driver. This tosser said nothing of the sort.
"You're going bloody early!" he said.
There was little point in my being polite to him considering his tone. No, he was one of these who thought that he was right no matter what. I was his servant and I was disobeying him. C U NextTuesday - quite literally, as that's when the next bus would have been if I'd not stopped.
Luckily the clock on the bus dashboard showed 1601, as did the clock on the ticket machine. I pointed these out to him without getting into an argument. I also offered him my mobile phone, on which was displayed the correct time - guess what it was? 1601.
Rather than accept defeat, knob head said "I've had a triple heart by-pass you know!"
Oh, does that account for your ignorance and bad attitude?
Of course it doesn't. In a move designed to show that he wasn't going to hold the service up anymore than he had done already, I pulled away with him stood at the front and issued his ticket while the vehicle was in motion. That ought to flex his aorta sufficiently.
Common Sense Solution: Passengers regularly run late for buses. It is a fact of life. You cannot change it and there is no point in attempting to. However, when a bus driver does stop for a passenger after leaving a stop - something vehemently frowned upon by the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Operators Safety Agency - the least a driver expects is for the passenger to offer his or her thanks. I put myself in that passenger's shoes. I'd have thanked the driver, even if I felt he may have been departing early. He still did not have to stop and I reckon that when pressed, most bus operators would instruct their drivers NOT to stop for ANY passenger once they've left a stop.
He was an odd sight. I would describe him as a typical geeza, except this wanker was in his 40s and was mincing along. Very odd. Very camp. Perhaps he was one of these gays that I hear talk of. Whether he was or not was not made known to me. I can, though, reveal that he was a complete ignoramus.
Had I been the one running for a bus that should have left a minute ago - and that it was the last one to operate this route for 2 days - I would board and immediately thank the driver for waiting for the sorry spectacle of me gricing along as if I'd shit my pants. Knowing me, I'd probably apologise for delaying the driver. This tosser said nothing of the sort.
"You're going bloody early!" he said.
There was little point in my being polite to him considering his tone. No, he was one of these who thought that he was right no matter what. I was his servant and I was disobeying him. C U NextTuesday - quite literally, as that's when the next bus would have been if I'd not stopped.
Luckily the clock on the bus dashboard showed 1601, as did the clock on the ticket machine. I pointed these out to him without getting into an argument. I also offered him my mobile phone, on which was displayed the correct time - guess what it was? 1601.
Rather than accept defeat, knob head said "I've had a triple heart by-pass you know!"
Oh, does that account for your ignorance and bad attitude?
Of course it doesn't. In a move designed to show that he wasn't going to hold the service up anymore than he had done already, I pulled away with him stood at the front and issued his ticket while the vehicle was in motion. That ought to flex his aorta sufficiently.
Common Sense Solution: Passengers regularly run late for buses. It is a fact of life. You cannot change it and there is no point in attempting to. However, when a bus driver does stop for a passenger after leaving a stop - something vehemently frowned upon by the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Operators Safety Agency - the least a driver expects is for the passenger to offer his or her thanks. I put myself in that passenger's shoes. I'd have thanked the driver, even if I felt he may have been departing early. He still did not have to stop and I reckon that when pressed, most bus operators would instruct their drivers NOT to stop for ANY passenger once they've left a stop.
Friday, 2 December 2011
The Jobsworth Passenger
So, a number of bus drivers are regarded as jobsworths when they do not do what the passenger wants them to do. I can see it from both sides and don't always side with a colleague when what the passenger is asking is not in anyway dangerous, unsafe or breaking any laws, guidelines or local agreements.
Today, I had a 'jobsworth' passenger. That's right! Rather impressive.
We have a bus stop near a school. The bus stop never used to exist but a recent change to the way the school wants its school buses to operate has meant that the school stop has been moved to the current location. A bus stop flag has been attached to a lamp post to show that buses stop here. Additionally, other buses that pass this location on their normal services during the day stop here, upon request. It would seem a little silly to tell them to ignore the stop.
In the opposite direction things are different. There is no bus stop opposite as school services operate a one-way loop. Service buses during the day pass in the opposite direction, though, and we have been told not to stop opposite the bus stop sign as a very large road exit is located her and parked cars either side of that. The bus stop sign opposite does not have 'either side' or 'bus stop opposite too' on it.
Today, a woman rang the bell to get off opposite this stop. I did what I've done since the stop has been in use and rightly assumed she wanted the next actual stop in this direction. As I passed the bus stop flag opposite the lady said "Can you stop here please?" I played partially deaf and waited a few seconds before asking "Sorry?" by which time we were fast approaching the next, actual bus stop. This technique doesn't show ignorance, just that I'm concentrating on my driving, like a good bus driver.
"You should have stopped there." she said.
"There's no bus stop there, just one opposite. And that's only there because we drop school kids off there in the mornings" I said.
"It's all changed now though!" the woman replied.
'It's all changed now though'? What the fuck was she banging on about. What has changed? Was she somehow telepathic and aware of a pending change to our stopping pattern that even our boss hadn't come up with yet? Had there actually been a notice informing us to drop off in between parked cars of the entrance to a road junction that I'd missed?
Of course not, she was just being thick.
As a meaningless gesture of goodwill I dropped her of 5 feet before the next bus stop and told her the (above) reasons why that is not an either side bus stop.
Her response? "Oh, I think you find that it is."
Common Sense Solution: The customer is NOT always right. Any company with this ethos nowadays is on a slippery slope. There had NOT been any alteration to our stopping pattern here, I checked. Although not illegal, it is very dangerous to drop passengers off in between parked cars and blocking a road junction to drop passengers off carries a £60 fine if the policeman watching you is in a bad mood. A driver may have dropped her off here before and thought nothing of it. This is possibly what caused today's exchange. Passengers will immediately believe that this dangerous or fine-worthy act is the correct procedure and they then equip themselves with this information, wielding it out as fact when it is absolutely nothing of the sort. Stay firm, toe the party line and be prepared to refuse them their request. Consistency is, as I've said before, key.
Today, I had a 'jobsworth' passenger. That's right! Rather impressive.
We have a bus stop near a school. The bus stop never used to exist but a recent change to the way the school wants its school buses to operate has meant that the school stop has been moved to the current location. A bus stop flag has been attached to a lamp post to show that buses stop here. Additionally, other buses that pass this location on their normal services during the day stop here, upon request. It would seem a little silly to tell them to ignore the stop.
In the opposite direction things are different. There is no bus stop opposite as school services operate a one-way loop. Service buses during the day pass in the opposite direction, though, and we have been told not to stop opposite the bus stop sign as a very large road exit is located her and parked cars either side of that. The bus stop sign opposite does not have 'either side' or 'bus stop opposite too' on it.
Today, a woman rang the bell to get off opposite this stop. I did what I've done since the stop has been in use and rightly assumed she wanted the next actual stop in this direction. As I passed the bus stop flag opposite the lady said "Can you stop here please?" I played partially deaf and waited a few seconds before asking "Sorry?" by which time we were fast approaching the next, actual bus stop. This technique doesn't show ignorance, just that I'm concentrating on my driving, like a good bus driver.
"You should have stopped there." she said.
"There's no bus stop there, just one opposite. And that's only there because we drop school kids off there in the mornings" I said.
"It's all changed now though!" the woman replied.
'It's all changed now though'? What the fuck was she banging on about. What has changed? Was she somehow telepathic and aware of a pending change to our stopping pattern that even our boss hadn't come up with yet? Had there actually been a notice informing us to drop off in between parked cars of the entrance to a road junction that I'd missed?
Of course not, she was just being thick.
As a meaningless gesture of goodwill I dropped her of 5 feet before the next bus stop and told her the (above) reasons why that is not an either side bus stop.
Her response? "Oh, I think you find that it is."
Common Sense Solution: The customer is NOT always right. Any company with this ethos nowadays is on a slippery slope. There had NOT been any alteration to our stopping pattern here, I checked. Although not illegal, it is very dangerous to drop passengers off in between parked cars and blocking a road junction to drop passengers off carries a £60 fine if the policeman watching you is in a bad mood. A driver may have dropped her off here before and thought nothing of it. This is possibly what caused today's exchange. Passengers will immediately believe that this dangerous or fine-worthy act is the correct procedure and they then equip themselves with this information, wielding it out as fact when it is absolutely nothing of the sort. Stay firm, toe the party line and be prepared to refuse them their request. Consistency is, as I've said before, key.
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