Why are people mean to Bus drivers?

UrbanMan27 · 2023-02-11T18:33:19+00:00

I mean when people are driving they cut them up when it's their right of way. And then as customers they don't acknowledge them or say thank you to them when getting off the Bus! What's wrong with people? And why are they like this?

RaininSummer · 11/02/2023 18:34

I get a bus most days and almost everyone says thank you which is actually polite but odd as they are doing their job.

Exeterrose · 11/02/2023 18:37

It's awful isn't it. Before Christmas a bus driver was so calm and lovely & SO patient. Even though she was being spoken to like shit. A man literally shouted "go fuck yourself" at her.

I sent the bus company a message to say she's amazingly professional and she made me feel safe. Took a photo of my ticket so they could identify the her via driver ID. They passed on my compliment and the social media person said they don't receive many compliments and that it really cheered up the whole team!

Worth doing sometimes x

SantaBakula · 11/02/2023 18:39

I don't know but it annoys me too, I use buses a lot and the amount of rude passengers amazes me.
A few days ago I was on the bus and saw someone running up the road with his hand out so the driver went slowly towards him so he could stop running and get on.
The guy jumped on half harted showed his pass and sat down , no thank you , no cheers for that, not even a smile or grunt .
Rude !

Serena1977 · 11/02/2023 18:40

my dh is a bus driver and hates it. The verbal abuse occurs at least everyday. It's a dirty job. nowhere to have a wee unless it's a designated break. Had to call 999 as a passenger was thumping on the partition that protects him threatening DH but call wasn't answered the other day. Even the normal passengers don't say thank you, hello, etc

And he was attacked with a weapon in 2019 for his takings, off work 3 months, scars on his head now, perpetrator caught and jailed for 3 years.

evtheria · 11/02/2023 18:41

DP used to drive buses. He quit, it was getting too shit, and this was up north about 6 years ago.

SantaBakula · 11/02/2023 18:42

RaininSummer · 11/02/2023 18:34

I get a bus most days and almost everyone says thank you which is actually polite but odd as they are doing their job.

So you don't thank anyone gor doing there job ? Nice

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 11/02/2023 18:43

I blame the Wheels on the Bus song. In it the driver tells people to "Move on back" without saying please. They come across as fairly aggressive and this enters our unconscious from a young age and we think negatively of them. As a result we are trained to be rude to them which is a shame as they're generally lovely people.

SantaBakula · 11/02/2023 19:00

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 11/02/2023 18:43

I blame the Wheels on the Bus song. In it the driver tells people to "Move on back" without saying please. They come across as fairly aggressive and this enters our unconscious from a young age and we think negatively of them. As a result we are trained to be rude to them which is a shame as they're generally lovely people.

I sincerely hope that you are joking , a baby's song makes people rude to bus drivers.!

I have heard it all now

october77 · 11/02/2023 19:02

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 11/02/2023 18:43

I blame the Wheels on the Bus song. In it the driver tells people to "Move on back" without saying please. They come across as fairly aggressive and this enters our unconscious from a young age and we think negatively of them. As a result we are trained to be rude to them which is a shame as they're generally lovely people.

Are you being serious 🤣🤣

fairtrauchled · 11/02/2023 19:02

I always say thank you to the bus driver when I'm leaving the bus.Most of the other passengers do too

GetTheBehind · 11/02/2023 19:05

You'd need a rhino hide to drive a night bus in any major city. I have no idea why people are such arseholes to them. I think because people are desperate to get home and if anyone appears to prevent them doing that (by saying they have to pay the fare or whatever) get it in the neck

catsonahottinroof · 11/02/2023 19:07

It's not like that round here, nearly everyone is really polite and friendly towards the drivers. The only exceptions I've noticed is when buses are running very late or not turning up, the next bus driver sometimes gets it from disgruntled passengers who've been waiting an hour or more, but the drivers come across as nonplussed and don't seem to take it to heart.

TalkinBaaaaht · 11/02/2023 19:08

I try to be polite and friendly to bus drivers, but it’s a struggle in London. I know it must be a tough job - a lot of rude and crazy people about. But fuck me, 95% of them are seriously hard faced and look like they would rather not be doing the job. A sizeable minority are rude and aggressive. Half of them can’t drive safely. Indicate when you pull out from a stop, dimwit!

CaptainMyCaptain · 11/02/2023 19:08

Everyone thanks the bus driver where I live. It costs nothing.

RaininSummer · 11/02/2023 20:29

Santabakuka... I didn't mean it quite like that and I always say hello and thank you to the driver. Mind you I don't think I have been thanked for doing any of my jobs more than a handful of times in 40 years . I wonder if it's worse in some cities as where I am we all seem to say thanks to the driver .

Shitfather · 11/02/2023 21:25

Doesn’t matter how much traffic there is, I will always give way to a bus. I appreciate the public service they are doing.

WaddleAway · 11/02/2023 21:27

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 11/02/2023 18:43

I blame the Wheels on the Bus song. In it the driver tells people to "Move on back" without saying please. They come across as fairly aggressive and this enters our unconscious from a young age and we think negatively of them. As a result we are trained to be rude to them which is a shame as they're generally lovely people.

No, the driver on the bus says ‘tickets please’. Everyone knows that. They’re very polite in the song!

KangarooKenny · 11/02/2023 21:28

I always say thank you to bus drivers

Goldandpurplezebra · 11/02/2023 21:32

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 11/02/2023 18:43

I blame the Wheels on the Bus song. In it the driver tells people to "Move on back" without saying please. They come across as fairly aggressive and this enters our unconscious from a young age and we think negatively of them. As a result we are trained to be rude to them which is a shame as they're generally lovely people.

😂😂🤣🤣 that really tickled me.

Pedallleur · 11/02/2023 22:00

Drivers see buses as an impediment. People are rude to bus drivers because they can be. Same as some students where I work are rude to the cleaners. I tell my daughter to thank her driver on the school bus as she may need their help one day and being polite costs nothing. She sometimes says X was driving today she or he is really nice. Or it was Y today. He hates us and the job. I tell her to thank him anyway, it might just improve his day.

birdling · 12/02/2023 07:34

Everyone thanks the driver where I am (very small town).
In fact, in the big city just by me, 'Cheers Drive' is a well known saying.
Feel very sorry for the poor drivers if that isn't the case all of the time.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 12/02/2023 08:35

I’ve hardly ever seen any abuse here (outer SW London) and I use buses a lot.

Quite a few people, inc. me, do thank the driver.

OhMyBleedingHeart · 12/02/2023 08:38

Only thank the driver if they've done something like let me on before moving off, or open the doors early.

Most people don't say thanks in London, who cares. It's nice when people do, but it's not expected by the driver

SnowyGiveAway · 12/02/2023 08:44

Not here! I live in a rural, 1 bus an hour type place and everyone without fail thanks the bus driver at the end. I think we're all scared of what would happen if the one or two bus drivers quit 🤣

Mardyface · 12/02/2023 08:49

I always say 'morning' to the bus driver in London. Seems like a really horrible job a lot of the time to me.

I don't remember the 'move on back' verse but surely any grumpiness can be explained by all the chatter chatter chattering if the children and ding ding dinging of the bell?!