My bus driver was an ass

[mariamousie1]

Okay, here in London there is an impending bus driver's strike. Starting possibly next week, there will be no bus service. I don't know if that had anything to do with why this driver was so pissy, but it's a thought.

First of all, the bus driver yelled at some guy for not holding up his pass long enough. He was just going on about how he needs to look at the top AND the bottom, and the passenger was selfish and inconsiderate. He actually said that. The guy just showed him his pass again and sat down. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful until the bus was almost at my stop and I rang the bell. The driver got totally mad and said "WHO SAT HERE FOR TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES ON THIS BUS AND CHOSE TO GET OFF HERE?" I had no idea what he was talking about and I wasn't sure if he was even talking about me. So I didn't say anything. He pulled over to the side of the road (we weren't at the stop yet), opened the door and said "If you want to get off, get off here. I'm not stopping at that intersection." So I got off.

But seriously, if he didn't want to stop at that stop, why didn't he say so at the last stop, which was about a block back? I could have walked the distance if he wanted me to. But he acted like I was totally inconveniencing him by wanting to get off at my usual stop. Or he could have just said "Would you mind getting off here? There's bad traffic ahead (or whatever the reason) and it would really be easier on me." I was thinking it might have something to do with the strike (which I am just as pissed about, but I don't take it out on the bus drivers), but it's my parents opinion that he's just a jerk. My dad says if he hates his job so much, there are plenty of people that need jobs that would be willing to take it. Well, maybe not now, with the strike and all...

Since he wasn't planning on stopping at my stop, I wonder what he would have done if there had been people waiting to get on?

[LillFilly]

Hmm, if that had been a woman I would have thought that was my old bus driver from Elementary School. I was the first pick-up, meaning I had to be at the stop by about 6AM (got to school about 7AM, to sit in the cafeteria about 1/2 hour till classes started). She'd either come 10 min early or 10 late; so I'd think I had missed the bus and was walking back to the house when I saw her whizzing by!

And several times, she'd be coming to my stop and I'd stand up and go to the front and she'd SCREAM at me to sit back down. And I tried to explain it was my stop, and she'd yell at me to sit again so I did as she drove right by my stop! She'd make me get-off at the next stop a block down with another group of kids. I always wondered if she felt it was my fault she had to start her route so early or something.

[KellyHabersham]

Sounds a bit like one of the bus drivers I encountered Tuesday night.........apparently she'd gotten held up at some point because of having to pick up (the guy got off at my stop) a passenger in a wheelchair, so she was ten minutes behind schedule. She was getting a bit snarky at the rest of us for not moving fast enough when paying fare and getting seated.....as if it was our fault that she was late.