It's YOUR fault you're late!

[GatedDiscord]

I haven't posted in a while because I don't get that many sucky passengers, but every once in a while it happens.

There was a men's basketball game and my route took me past all the dorms and the arena, so I got to take all the students and their friends to the game, putting me 10 minutes behind schedule. Then, because this is also during rush hour and I have to deal with the traffic around the arena, I'm all of a sudden 20 minutes behind schedule. This one person starts to blame me for being 20 minutes down and saying that she would have gotten to where ever she was going if she walked and can I please let her out here? Here being the middle of a road, two blocks from a stop. It's a rule that we can't let anyone on or off the bus except for at stops. It's for the safety of the passengers. And, of course, traffic isn't moving at all. I was satisfied in that 1) I couldn't let her off (when people pull this kind of crap, I tend to drive more slowly - going 10 or 15 mph in a 25 zone for example) and 2) I managed to say "Well, then maybe you should have walked".

Then, of course you get the drunk guys who get on at one of the dorms (no, alcohol isn't allowed, but when has that stoped anyone?). They like to go to the back of the bus, where they think that I can't see or hear them (I have a mirror), and start shouting about "bus surfing". They stand in the aisle and don't hold onto anything and his buddies shout at me to drive as recklessly as I can. So, of course, I drive as smoothly as I can.

And, lastly, one of the buses' stop request chimes doesn't stay on because it's broken like that. So, a lot of people think it's funny to constantly ding it. I'm always tempted to skip the downtown stops, where all the bars are, and just drop them off at the next stop after that and make them walk back downtown. Sadly, all I've been able to do is use the PA system in the bus to say "Knock it off! It's already broken thanks to jackasses like you!". Of course the students aren't going to call in and complain, so I'm safe mouthing off to them.

Hospital workers, on the other hand, will call in and bitch about anything and everything. It's all game: your choice of music all the way to your hair style to your driving.

[princess4life]

I was on the bus in my area once and a large lady got nad at he bus drive beacuse he wouldn't drop her off at the corner and she was going to have to walk back to the corner. She was yelling at him the entire time and I could tell it was starting to bug him but he didn't dare say anything, so finally I pipped up
"A little walking will do you some good. As a matter of fact maybe he should skip your stop altogether and make you walk further."
Everyone around started laugh and she sat down. The lady strommed off the bus at her stop pushing people out of her way. The bus driver turned to me and said "Thank you she comes on here about evey other day and complains about the samething you would think that by now she would have realized it's not going to happen."

[hawkchick11]

Hey a fellow Iowa Citian! I always felt bad for the cambus drivers having to drive the drunks.

[South Texan]

"A little walking will do you some good. As a matter of fact maybe he should skip your stop altogether and make you walk further."

Sorry, but in my opinion, that comment was way out of line. Making fun of someone's weight when that person never made weight an issue is stooping to a low level.

[Forensic Waitress]

South Texan, although you are right about the weight issue, the sheer fact that this person felt the need to abuse someone verbally because they were too lazy to walk to the corner needed to be called on. They could have done it in another way but when you do not show respect to others why should it be given to you.

Princess4life good on you for standing up for the driver. So often we have to hold our tongues so that we do not lose our jobs, it is nice to know that there are people out there who will make SC's shut up and stop abusing people who are in fact helping them by serving them, or in this case driving them to their destination.

[smileyeagle1021]

my favorite bus driver ever drives route 200 (route 22 at the time this happened... we had a system redesign, adding and changing routes, and renumbering all of them to be on a grid system like our streets) but the guy ran on through the back door, ran to the front of the bus, and told the bus driver to wait until his wife came with the money, and this driver is my hero, he told the guy, you just entered through a door that specifically says do not enter, and you do not have fare, and guess what I'm already 2 minutes behind schedule so your wife missed the bus, now get off before I have the police called in to have you arrested for fare evasion.

He was my hero that day.

[Sonoma]

My hat is off to bus drivers. I've recently started working downtown, which makes taking mass transit pretty much a necessity. The drivers have been more than helpful in finding routes, and dealing with some pretty hairy traffic.

Princess4Life - I have to take your side in the issue with the woman who wanted to be dropped off between stops. Our transit system has special services, so if she had a physical reason to be dropped off at a specific location,. they would drive her. The bus WILL stop between stops, between specific hours, if you request it of the driver. Otherwise, a little walking will do anyone some good.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

The bus system that I take has a 'you may request to disembark at a place other than a bus stop, however, it is at the driver's discretion regarding traffic & safety whether that is possible' type policy. For a while, the driver would let me off at the intersection (which was marginally closer & in my opinion easier to see traffic at) between the stops that bracket my home. Now, the driver lets me off at the 2nd one & waits until I cross the road (thus blocking at least one lane - theoretically - from driving over me).

The bus drivers here are a wonder. It's intertown (too small to be intercity) and I bless it at least once a week. They deal with construction, traffic and all those other problems that drive me absolutely bonkers. And they do it while at least keeping close to the schedule.