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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think bus company should let OAPs on at 9.27

85 replies

Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:27

My mum can hardly walk, degenerative heart disease and nearing 80, the bus driver couldn't let her on as it was 9.27 and the bus was not even half full. He was very apologetic but said he could lose his job if he did.

AIBU for thinking the bus company are being unreasonable for not allowing drivers to use their common sense. ie. empty bus, let the OAPs on a few minutes earlier than they are supposed to?

OP posts:
Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:28

Sorry she was allowed on at 9.30 so if she was a few stops up she would have been able to get onto the same bus.

OP posts:
Nagini · 02/08/2011 21:31

YABU. If it's half 9, it's half 9.

They draw a line and that is the time. Otherwise you'd get it creeping earlier and earlier, with the OAPs getting an expectation that they can use peak time buses and giving drivers a load of shit if they say no.

At least he was apologetic about it. He wasn't rude.

YABU.

Gastonladybird · 02/08/2011 21:31

Yanbu in wondering if bus driver could use some discretion in circs. However yabu as the rules were there for a reason (although why anyone would want to travel at peak time if avoidable beats me) and I know there have been issues raised on cost/ crowding caused by subsidised transport in some areas hence the need to regulate.

Honeydragon · 02/08/2011 21:32

You mean she'd have had to pay full fayre? Sadly they do get threatened with the sack for this and people to report them if they cheat and let you on for a stop then log the pass Sad

UANBU and depressingly neither was the driver Sad

allsmeggedup · 02/08/2011 21:33

I sympathise and think it's awful that we all - inc bus drivers - are so scared of losing our jobs that personal acts of kindness can no longer feature in our working lives.

But

Your mum could have got on. She just would've had to pay the fare.

The bus driver probably has a story as well which may well feature a mum with DHD. But he also has shitty policies that he's scared to contravene.
Doesn't mean he is a bad person with no common sense.

Honeydragon · 02/08/2011 21:34

And we do get some bus pass holders round here wanting on at 9.20 rather than 9.50 who get really shitty when they are charged.

Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:34

I would agree IWBU if the bus wasn't empty, it was rules for rules sakes IMO.

If it was on a day when the bus was heading for full then I agree but when a bus is all but empty is just seems like the company overriding their drivers ability to use common sense.

OP posts:
Meglet · 02/08/2011 21:35

YANBU. The bus company are at fault, the driver was just stuck in the middle.

Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:36

please don't get me wrong the driver was really kind, I don't blame him for a second. My gripe is with the company who wont allow the driver to use his discretion and common sense. The driver was lovely.

OP posts:
notevenamousie · 02/08/2011 21:36

I often get a bus that is due at 9:28, and they let the OAPs on. But I agree that bus drivers should be allowed to use their common sense, but aren't. And OAPs don't have to pay full fare, they pay the concession rate (80p in this neck of the woods).

squeakytoy · 02/08/2011 21:36

As others have said, she could have got on it, but she would have to pay. After 9.30, she can get on for free. Her choice.

zukiecat · 02/08/2011 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hocuspontas · 02/08/2011 21:40

It should be done more fairly like trains do with cheap-day returns. E.g. Buses getting to the local terminus before 9.30 should not allow bus passes but those getting to the terminus after 9.30 should allow them to be used. As you say, it's daft if her friends getting on at the next stop could be allowed on because the magic 9.30 has been passed.

lenak · 02/08/2011 21:42

The 'Twirleys' are a staple round here - they have all day to get to the shops - really don't understand why they can't stay at home another 30 minutes. Most of our twirleys tend to pay the concession rate though rather than waiting for the next bus (every 15 minutes).

leftblank · 02/08/2011 21:42

My mum got on at 9.25 the other day, the rascal

Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:43

zukie that seems like a common sense attitude shame the drivers aren't allowed to use theirs in my area.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:44

leftblank get your Mum an ASBO now, pensioners like that have to be stopped. Grin

OP posts:
bettyspagetti · 02/08/2011 21:44

YABU I get the bus to work every day after dropping DCs at school (normally at the bus stop about 9.05 and on bus by 9.10) and you can guarantee that at least one OAP will try to get on with their free pass even though they know full well they can't use it before 9.30 and then moan at the poor driver who is only following the rules.

Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:45

lenak love the twirlies never heard of that before. As many get older they get up earlier, mum is up around 5 - 6 and by 9 it's the middle of the day for her.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mitmoo · 02/08/2011 21:47

betty what is the point of stopping someone getting on a quarter filled bus. If it was not in our cities main holiday fortnight I'd have understood more but it actually wouldn't have hurt anyone.

OP posts:
SlackSally · 02/08/2011 21:49

I think it's a pretty fair rule. If you're old enough to have a bus pass, you're probably not going to work so, apart from, say, hospital appointments, they're unlikely to NEED to be somewhere at a certain time.

And they do get very cheap/free fayres. Seems eminently reasonable to me.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 02/08/2011 21:50

You are mostly assuming that they are getting the bus to the shops. They could equally be getting the bus to the hospital/drs and not have much choice about when they travel.

zukiecat · 02/08/2011 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Karstan · 02/08/2011 21:54

GwendolineMaryLacey - 9.30 is far too late to be getting the bus to the doctors, round here they start queueing at 7.30! (surgery opens at 8, first appointments 8.30)

bettyspagetti · 02/08/2011 21:54

Mitmoo There's no harm I suppose in one little old lady wanting to get on a quarter-full bus a few minutes early, but what if at the previous stop there had been five of the eager OAPs with their shopping trolleys wanting to pile on and there was five more of them at the next stop? If you let one on you would have to let them all on and I know that sometimes here the buses are packed anyway at that time of day.