Just don’t get this - waiting for the bus

Elderly people like routine. My parents were like this in their 70’s and 80’s. We always knew to the minute their daily routine, so knew when they were home for us to pop in. In fact, we used to sometimes ask if they wanted to go somewhere with us on a particular day, but they wouldn’t change their outing times for anyone or anything. I feel that that’s what awaits us all. Not being ageist, but just an observation.

Because they maybe look after grandchildren for free of course
Or they have a job
Or they volunteer somewhere
Or they have appointments

Or shopping, cleaning, DIY, gardening, cooking - you know, all the important things that important people like you have to do.

Maybe it's a bit of socialising for them, chatting to the others at the bus stop for a bit?

I'm old.

I am rarely early. Way too much time to faff about

Round here (London suburb) the bus drivers let them get on after 9am.

I know this feeling very well, especially as mine is hyper mobile too so struggles to walk far. But then again I’m disabled myself so can manage even less. Thankfully the parents at our school are understanding as it’s a SEN school so no funny looks now, we’re all getting our spots early lol

Exactly @TheSnowyOwl we always used to go 20 mins early so my son who has ADHD could have a good run around with his friends and get things out of his system before class.

People are so judgemental

Me too, and it drove me nuts. They'd act like I was late turning up. The looks. The tuts. (I wasnt.) And they wouldn't get out of the way of the door so I could get in 🙄

I help at a vaccine centre and despite all our efforts, people of a certain age will always arrive early 'in case there's a queue'. Of course, as soon as they do this, there is a queue... Then the people with earlier slots who arrive at the requested time find they are waiting longer than they should, or else we have to push them into the front of the queue, and those with later appointments who've been there early get cross. Either way, someone gets cross.

@AtomicBlondeRose I know right. Guess nothing better to do.

I don't think it's ageism to wonder why retired people who have all day to do whatever they need always seem to choose the times when people who aren't retired aren't just trying to get stuff done?!

I love to be the first in the supermarket so I can bugger off home! Then as OP says, I've got the whole day to myself rather than pottering about waiting for busses and shops to open etc.

Only if it's a council subsidised bus. Our council scrapped our bus route and a private company took it on....£8.50 each way to get to the nearest town 7 miles away.

I’ve been on several coach holidays, and on every single one there would be a queue at the coach each morning well before the driver even got there and unlocked the bus!

i remember one holiday my friend and I looking out of our window twenty minutes ahead of time and watching them - we had time for another cuppa and a wee. Every morning we would get on the bus about two or three minutes before the requested time (on the bus at time X for a briefing and a scheduled depart at X+10) and all the Twirlies would be tapping their watches at us. We were perfectly timed and never late but we still had the reputation of holding them up. They’d waste half the time at each stop off on the itinerary queuing at the bus rather than exploring. We were on holiday, so it amused rather than annoyed us, but it was a bit wearing by the end.

Twirlies!!! What a great phrase - for all those who give themselves oodles of time to get anywhere, not just oldies like me!

I live in Ireland, and now qualify for free travel as a Senior. At last!

I can travel anywhere in the country on bus, rail, tram - anything that moves people around. My goldie pals and me go somewhere different every fortnight, (Not Shady Pines lol) and it's a great day out. I can travel free across the Border in Northern Ireland also and am discovering that beautiful part of the island bit by bit. Lovely friendly people. There are zero restrictions on my free travel entitlement.

I am not organised though, and would be legging it to the bus at the last minute I'm afraid! Am I a TLATY then or a JUSTINTIMEY? ha ha.

We use Twirlie in the North East.

tesco open at 9 on sunday for browsers, perhaps as a result of the twirlies
?

I’m shocked at how expensive it is for pensioners in different places before 9:30 where I live if they wish to get the bus before 9:30 it’s only 30p for them which believe me some of them begrudge paying and will wait until after 9:30 to go out.

"Too early" has morphed into "twirlie". That's from Liverpool, anyway.

Carpe diem.

Probably just like to chat . Maybe the only people they see in a day .

Because they're waiting for free travel 😁

I get the bus every morning and every day without fail there’s several OAPS trying to get on the bus 15 minutes before the bus pass kicks in. Delays the bus and it’s annoying especially as they only go to fanny about in Asda. But if there’s no brave one to try it on with the driver they all do just sit there waiting. I think it’s something to do tbh.

Perhaps they're having a chat? Enjoying the fresh air?

Maybe they're worried about being late, I know I always get there stupidly early 🤷‍♀️

Who knows - as long as they're okay - does it matter?

I used to arrive to a queue when I did a clinic at the surgery.
It’s like Harrod’s sale here I would tell them. You’ll be bringing sleeping bags soon.
They loved it.

I’m a twirlie but with a disabled pass. I sometimes need to get the bus from the bus station- scheduled at 9.29. Next one too late for me to start work on time. Quite often late so free, some drivers recognise me/other twirlies and let you tap the pass just after they pull away. But quite often I have to pay. The ones with senior cards just hope to get on. It’s deliberate next bus 10, not 9.59.