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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put in complaint against bus driver?

36 replies

SirBoobAlot · 08/08/2012 22:56

So yesterday I was heading home after a hospital appointment from the middle of town with DS (2.8y) in buggy. I'm disabled, so also use a crutch, and walk reasonably slowly / unsteadily due to pain levels. Get on the bus, driver just kind of grunts at people as they get on, fine, whatever. Sit down. Entertain DS for journey.

Push bell in plenty of time for bus stop. Because of my pain levels / balance issues, I can't move before the bus has stopped. On this occasion I managed to stand up, but still needed to be holding onto the bars before the bus came to a standstill. As I'm taking the break off the buggy - this being a grand total of maybe five seconds after the bus has stopped, and there having been other people waiting to get off before me - the bus driver says very sarcastically, half under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear, "Oh yes, take your time."

As I got next to him, to get down from the bus, I said - deliberately loud enough for other passengers to hear - "I will take my time, thanks, I am disabled and have a buggy."

Now if he'd have apologized at this point, I would have let things go, but he rolled his eyes, muttered something under his breath, and drove off as fast as his could.

I spoke to the bus company today, and the lady I spoke with was furious with what I had to report, and assured me it would be dealt with. She agreed that he had the opportunity to apologize, and didn't. So I was feeling reasonably positive about it (I'm rubbish with phone calls, so making one was a big thing - and standing up for myself an even bigger deal!). But when I told my mother earlier about it all, she said I was making a fuss over nothing.

I can't tell you how difficult it is to maneuver a buggy, a walking stick, and a body that doesn't want to co-operate. I always do so as quickly as I can, if for no other reason than my pain is worse when I stay still, but obviously can't move as swiftly as people without stick and buggy would. I felt he had the opportunity to make up for being so rude once I had pointed out that I had a stick and buggy, in case he hadn't noticed - but he didn't. It left me feeling embarrassed, angry and punished almost for my physical state.

Am I being unreasonable in wanting a bit of respect?

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 08/08/2012 23:00

YANBU to want respect but are are absolutely sure he was being sarcastic or was he actually sating 'take your time?'

northernmonkey · 08/08/2012 23:00

Sirboob, no yanbu!!
That is so rude Angry
I know for a fact that some of the drivers for the company here have not one ounce of compassion or humanity.
Please don't listen to your mum. It should have been highlighted.

GsyPotatoPieEyed · 08/08/2012 23:01

No Yanbu. That bus driver sounds like a right mardy arse.

NoComet · 08/08/2012 23:01

UANBU at all.

You did the decent thing and gave him chance to say sorry if he hadn't noticed you were disabled and had a buggy. He didn't take it - nob.

FeakAndWeeble · 08/08/2012 23:02

If I were you I'd stick with feeling proud that you stood up for yourself and got a good result - don't worry about what your mum said. There are signs all over the buses where I am telling people not to stand until the bus has completely stopped because it's dangerous, he shouldn't have been snitty at you. Hope you're OK.

Original poster
SirBoobAlot · 08/08/2012 23:03

Valium - completely sure. He used a foul tone of voice, was drumming his fingers, and like I said, when I responded, he didn't reply at all. If he had replied that he'd been being sincere, I would have thanked him and apologized.

OP posts:
Badgerina · 08/08/2012 23:06

YANBU - that was a terrible way for him to speak to you. I think you absolutely did the right thing to complain.

valiumredhead · 08/08/2012 23:07

In that case YANBU to complain at all!

SamosaYouWinSamosaYouLose · 08/08/2012 23:08

YANBU. Driver was completely wrong.

Ignore your Mum's opinion too - I think it's a generational thing where we (women) were expected to put up with anything and not complain.

larks35 · 08/08/2012 23:13

YANBU, most bus drivers I come across are wonderfully patient with me, my DS3.5 and my stupid huge phil&teds pushchair and the length of time it takes for me to settle down and get off. Weirdly the closer I go to the city centre and the less patient bus drivers tend to be - maybe not so weird, as traffic gets worse, there are more traffic lights and passengers.

BTW SirBoobAlot, I love your name and have adapted it for my DC - SirBumpAlot (DS keeps bumping his head, at least twice a day) and LadyPooALot (DD 4mo who, well poos a lot) Grin

NightLark · 08/08/2012 23:19

YANBU.

A complaint now might stop your driver before he hurts someone.

When DC1 was a toddler we had a mardy git of a driver who pulled off while we were half way down the stairs from the top deck.

We (pregnant woman and 2 year old child) both fell.

He swore at us.

I can't believe that was the first time he'd been a bastard.

Complain.

confusedpixie · 08/08/2012 23:26

YADNBU, the company should know exactly which driver it was if you remember a rough time you got off the bus and where. I would say complain in writing too, that way it cannot be forgotten about.

The bloody driver shouldn't be in a customer facing role if he's a dick about it Angry

ripsishere · 09/08/2012 06:54

YANBU. Do complain. I did complain about one driver who took off when a woman and baby arrived just as he was closing his doors. Since there was only one bus an hour I thought he was despicable.
I argued with him as we left the Trafford centre that the woman had arrived. His answer was she should have been early.
I understand that timetables need to be kept to, but, for the sake of thirty seconds, it's mad.
DH was a bus driver in a previous life, he was lovely.

Indith · 09/08/2012 07:07

What a knob Angry

The stupid thing is that all the buses here and I bet most places inthe country have signs reminding EVERYONE to not get up until the bus has stopped. NOBODY should be getting up while the bus is moving.

shuffleballchange · 09/08/2012 07:28

YANBU. It amazes me how rude some bus drivers are and they get away with it. You are right to complain. Some bus drivers are lovely but a lot I have come across are miserable, rude gits.

Tee2072 · 09/08/2012 07:55

Good for you for complaining. If more people complained, maybe those drivers would be less grumpy!

I find it ridiculous that all the timetables around here say 'buses may be delayed due to traffic conditions' but can't give a person 5 seconds to sit down before they move!

50ShadesOfGreggs · 09/08/2012 08:00

YANBU he sounds like a prize twat.

Well done for reporting him, people with his attitude shouldn't be allowed to work with the general public.

JeezyPeeps · 09/08/2012 08:02

Id like to see him live in your body for a day, give him something to be grumpy about, the twat.

TruthSweet · 09/08/2012 08:57

what a horrible man! Definitely in the right to complain about him. Hopefully he gets some form of retraining or if you are just one of many complaints a formal warning.

It's not on to be rude to customers especially if they have explained why they need extra time/consideration.

LurkeyLurkerson · 09/08/2012 09:07

What a dick! You did the right thing to complain, hope he gets disciplined - who knows how many people he's done that too!

Like Indith our buses are covered in 'don't stand until the bus comes to a halt' type signs, bet yours was too...

Original poster
SirBoobAlot · 09/08/2012 12:01

Thank you, was starting to doubt myself!

I had a voicemail left for me this morning (was opening the shop up) saying that they'd worked out which driver it was, and disciplinary action will be taken.

OP posts:
Bossybritches22 · 09/08/2012 12:10

YANBU & quite often reporting an incident like this- while quite rightly a complaint in itself- adds to others made against bad employees.

As an employer myself in the past, I found it can be very useful( if you have a employee who is letting down the standards and ethos of the company) to get a complaint like this as you can assure your client it is NOT the way your employees are expected to behave and also gives you ammo to discipline an empoyee who may have a record of bad customer service.

It must have been an awful experience for you so well done for speaking up & no your Mum is BVVVVU to say you are making a fuss.

Glad the bus company are taking it seriously and keeping you informed too.

SoleSource · 09/08/2012 12:22

Yanbu.

wankpants · 09/08/2012 12:30

YANBU. Massive wanker.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 09/08/2012 12:43

YANBU

Contrast that with the driver of the London Double decker I was on this morning that lowered the bus down for a lady with a walking stick and waited until she was in her seat before driving off.