Bus Follies

[Miss_Stress]

Ahh it's time for more stories from the joys of public transport.

I'll Set Jesus On You!

Right, here in the UK if you are over 65, you are entitled to a free bus pass. However, if you do not apply for and receive the pass, you have to pay regardless. So, an oldish woman got on, and tried to ride the bus for free even though she had no pass. I'd just like to point out this woman looked to be in her 50s, not 65.

SC: I don't have a pass but I want to ride for free!

Driver: I can't let you without a pass. The fare is £X.XX.

SC: But I am ENTIIIIIIIITLED to a pass!

Driver: Maybe you are, but you don't have one so therefore you must pay.

SC: I talk to JESUS and if you don't let me on this bus free I'll set him on you!

Driver: On this bus, I AM Jesus. Off you get.

Horseplay...

I don't know if anyone in the UK saw the article in the papers about the man who tried to take his horse on the train, but when I was on my way to my aunt's to visit my fiance a woman tried to fetch her HORSE on to the bus.

I Don't Want To Walk That Far!

Before I tell this story, I just want to point out that there was nothing wrong with this woman. She could walk absolutely fine and seemed fit as a fiddle to me.

SC: ***** stop, please.

Driver: ...but it's there. *points at stop clearly visible further down the road.

SC: Oh I know, I just don't want to walk that far. *walks to seat*

Driver: ...but it's there.

She actually paid to be driven a grand total of about 100m.

ZOMG I Can't Wait 10 Minutes!!!

I'm lucky in that the bus I get is every ten minutes, so no pressure right? Wrong. I got to the bus station and the queue was quite long, so I decided to sit and wait for the next bus, as it would only be a ten minute wait. I was treated to a wonderful sight. The bus arrived and everybody who turned up just piled on to the bus. There was no room at all on this bus. You couldn't have swung a gnat. That is how bad it was. Instead of waiting for the next bus and using common sense, people were willingly squashing themselves on to the bus. In fact, I saw one person THROW himself at the bus doors when it was departing, because he couldn't wait ten poxy minutes.


There's loads more stories, but I don't want to bore you, so that's it for now!

[dragon_wings]

Ah. Public transit. Sounds like something I'd see. Must be universal.

[smileyeagle1021]

ZOMG I Can't Wait 10 Minutes!!!

I'm lucky in that the bus I get is every ten minutes, so no pressure right? Wrong. I got to the bus station and the queue was quite long, so I decided to sit and wait for the next bus, as it would only be a ten minute wait. I was treated to a wonderful sight. The bus arrived and everybody who turned up just piled on to the bus. There was no room at all on this bus. You couldn't have swung a gnat. That is how bad it was. Instead of waiting for the next bus and using common sense, people were willingly squashing themselves on to the bus. In fact, I saw one person THROW himself at the bus doors when it was departing, because he couldn't wait ten poxy minutes.

I can beat that, one time when visiting San Fran waiting for Muni a train came in that was already standing room only and people were trying to force their way in when you could already see the lights of the train behind it (like it was close enough that it would enter the station probably about as soon as the other one exited). I of course waited for the next train which , shock of shocks, had 4 people on it.

Though I do envy you, every 10 minute service... UTA has pulled the 15 minute service is so frequent that you won't even need a schedule stunt (which is why the 35Max has exactly three time points because because the service at once every 15 minutes is so frequent who'd need to worry about when the next one is anyway... yeah...)

[It's me]

This one confused me for a bit.... so I added a bit to clarify for the confused among us!

SC gets on bus and speaks to driver
SC: ***** stop, please.

Driver: ...but it's there. *points at stop clearly visible further down the road.

SC: Oh I know, I just don't want to walk that far. *walks to seat*

Driver: ...but it's there.

She actually paid to be driven a grand total of about 100m.

[Miss_Stress]

This one confused me for a bit.... so I added a bit to clarify for the confused among us!

Ahhh thanks

[MoonCat]

Years ago I read that in the UK, people were polite and qeued up to wait for a bus. I didn't believe it, but when I visited in 1982 I saw people actually doing that.

Not anymore, I guess.

[LillFilly]

SC: I talk to JESUS and if you don't let me on this bus free I'll set him on you!

Driver: On this bus, I AM Jesus. Off you get.

AND here we have my new signature!

[Miss_Stress]

AND here we have my new signature!

YAY!! I always wanted one of my posts to be someone's signature!!! *feels very famous now*

And Mooncat, people used to queue but now a few people will deliberately stand off to the side and push in when the bus arrives

[PepperElf]

did she pay full price go go 100m?

a bit weird but i guess they got paid for it... ?

[Miss_Stress]

PepperElf, she paid whatever the driver asked her for, I'm not sure how much it was exactly, but I assume they have a minimum fare that they can charge for this sort of thing.

[Syriilord]

Strangely enough, I had my first real public transport sighting today. But it was the driver that was sucky.

This happened on what would be considered the main street of the city I live in.

A rather large delivery truck decided to pull in and just idle in front of the stop which was the only empty area along the footpath. Please note that the driver didn't get out, make a phone call or anything. He just sat there. That was bad enough.

The driver of the bus I was planning to get left the first stop of the route, which is clearly in view from the second stop, where I was standing. He pulled up on the road, not being able to pull into the footpath and out of traffic. I understand doing this. Many drivers do when blocked like this. But instead of pulling up so the door was slightly ahead of the truck's cab, which would have put him near the stop, he pulls up behind the rear of the truck.

Several people, myself and a few elderly ladies included, started to approach the bus. A few of these elderly ladies were ahead of me. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I reached the corner of the truck just in time to see the doors closing and the bus, with all 8 or so of its passengers (these things can hold 30+ easily) pulling away leaving me and everyone else who had been waiting at the stop behind.

The whole incident lasted about 15 seconds and annoyed me more than I have been in months. After that it was another 25 minute wait for the next one. Which made me glad I had a book with me.

[Sparky]

Strangely enough, I had my first real public transport sighting today. But it was the driver that was sucky.

This happened on what would be considered the main street of the city I live in.

A rather large delivery truck decided to pull in and just idle in front of the stop which was the only empty area along the footpath. Please note that the driver didn't get out, make a phone call or anything. He just sat there. That was bad enough.

The driver of the bus I was planning to get left the first stop of the route, which is clearly in view from the second stop, where I was standing. He pulled up on the road, not being able to pull into the footpath and out of traffic. I understand doing this. Many drivers do when blocked like this. But instead of pulling up so the door was slightly ahead of the truck's cab, which would have put him near the stop, he pulls up behind the rear of the truck.

Several people, myself and a few elderly ladies included, started to approach the bus. A few of these elderly ladies were ahead of me. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I reached the corner of the truck just in time to see the doors closing and the bus, with all 8 or so of its passengers (these things can hold 30+ easily) pulling away leaving me and everyone else who had been waiting at the stop behind.

The whole incident lasted about 15 seconds and annoyed me more than I have been in months. After that it was another 25 minute wait for the next one. Which made me glad I had a book with me.

This should be reported to the bus company. This should not happen. That driver needs training. For one thing, he stopped near the rear of the truck so that passengers had to walk behind it? Oh hell no! What if that truck had backed up?