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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bus driver trapped DS in the bus doors!

41 replies

MarmaladeShatkins · 25/04/2014 17:12

FFS. That sounds like a headline from Take A Break. Hmm

Caught the bus to town with DS yesterday. Driver was an utter arsehole from the start. I put my money in and said where we were going. He didn't hear me and articulated this by grunting and sneering at me. I repeated myself. He snapped "Worrabout im?" gesticulating towards DS. I pointed out that I had paid for us both and had in fact paid ten pee over.

Then he drove straight past two ladies at the next bus stop down, despite them waving him down to stop.

We got into town. I got off the bus first then turned around to give DS my hand to climb off only to find the bus driver shutting the doors with him inside them. I shouted "What the hell are you doing?" then the driver started shouting back at me. I retrieved DS and went around to the driver's window so that I could hear what he was barking at me. "I SAID SORRY" is what he was saying. He was very rude! I told him that I thought the he was unhinged on account of his rudeness, driving past two waiting passengers, then trapping my child in the doors and shouting at me for being upset about it.

DS's arm and wrist are red where he'd tried to free himself from the doors (he is 6 and panicked)

I stormed off as I could feel myself getting more wound up. I did email their customer services when I got in, detailing what happened.

This is the reponse I got;

^Dear Mrs Shatkins

Thank you for your email on 24 April 2014. I am really glad you took the time to contact us about this incident.

I am sorry to hear of your son’s injuries and I sincerely hope that he is well on the way to a speedy recovery.

The safety and well being of our customers and other road users is our number one priority. We take all complaints very seriously and have strict internal procedures to ensure that any issues are properly followed up.

Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention. If I can be of any more help please feel free to contact me again.^

I don't really feel that this is an adequate response. I'm not after any monetary compensation at all but I would have expected them to be a bit more arsed than this. Maybe a follow-up call to see how DS is or something?

AIBU?

OP posts:
Madcatgirl · 25/04/2014 17:14

Not good enough in my opinion. A proper apology and maybe a toy bus would've been nice, at the very least a promise of a follow up once investigations are complete.

FindoGask · 25/04/2014 17:14

it sounds like an interim response while your complaint is investigated. I'm not sure what else you expected?

Original poster
MarmaladeShatkins · 25/04/2014 17:17

It doesn't sound like an interim response to me.

Where does it say that they'll be in touch again post an investigation?

I expected a phonecall, really. Not a template letter.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 25/04/2014 17:20

I would email back saying "As you can understand my son is upset by this incident and I would like to be informed of the outcome of your investigation so I can reassure my son that he will be safe in future when we travel by bus"

imnottoofussed · 25/04/2014 17:21

Often the outcome of a complaint is not given to the complainant in my experience. I used to handle complaints and it was generally seen as non of the complainants business whether the employee got sacked or not or what happened in the investigation. They should have extended on what they said and basically indicated that the matter would be dealt with in line with their complaints procedures.

CoffeeTea103 · 25/04/2014 17:23

They told you that it's being dealt with. What in particular do you want to hear from them? What goes on with the employee and the company isn't your business.

Topseyt · 25/04/2014 17:26

It isn't an adequate response. I don't think it is interim either, as it more smacks of "we will ignore it now in the hope that you will go away" sort of thing. Don't let it drop. That driver was an arsehole who needs to be disciplined. He did not have the safety of his passengers at heart, and your son could have been seriously injured.

Were you able to supply them with full details of which bus you were getting (route number, time due etc.)? Was the driver wearing a badge or anything which may have had some of his details on it (the train captains on the Docklands Light Rail have this, or did) and did you have time to catch a glimpse of it?

I hope you at least get your fare back. A driver who cannot behave better than that should absolutely not be driving a public service vehicle.

Pumpkinpositive · 25/04/2014 17:27

it sounds like an interim response while your complaint is investigated.

Doesn't to me. Sounds like a brush off. Hmm

Have you taken pictures of his wrist?

OwlCapone · 25/04/2014 17:30

They can't give a proper apology without investigating as they do not want to make any admission of guilt. Blame the new culture of suing for everything.

OwlCapone · 25/04/2014 17:31

If I can be of any more help please feel free to contact me again.

Contact them in a short while to see what has happened.

TheFarceAndTheSpurious · 25/04/2014 17:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OleaAndMarge · 25/04/2014 17:34

YABU - a toy bus? ffs!

The e-mail is well written and seems genuine, follow it up later to see what the consequences were.

Madcatgirl · 25/04/2014 17:40

Yes a little gesture goes a long way (and what child doesn't like a free toy and I'm sure shatkins would have appreciated a small token) or didn't those of you who've never worked on the front line with the general public not know that? Hmm

PickledPorcupine · 25/04/2014 17:43

That's a brush off email. I frequently complain (not about anything as bad as yours though!) and it's very similar to the replies I get and then hear nothing else unless I push back again. You need to demand a better response, that's appalling!

Hereshoping99 · 25/04/2014 18:24

I work in complaints and that's a brush off.

I was seriously injured on a bus a few years ago, think broken bone due to driver neglect.

Never got a sorry or an acknowledgement. Some just don't seem to see themselves as customer facing roles.

In my opinion it is the complainant's business, they don't have to say they've sacked him etc, but they can say we have watched the cctv, your account was correct and the appropriate action with staff has been taken. I imagine you'll only get that type of response (and dare I say it investigation) if you push back.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 25/04/2014 18:37

I reckon its a brush off too.
dd was stranded by a bus sailing past her twice on the way home from school. I emailed and was phoned by one of the bosses who wanted to know what had happened etc. He said it shouldnt have happened and he would deal with it. dd reported that the next couple of times the driver had a supervisor on the bus with him. Problem did not reoccur.
That's sensible customer service.

Timeforabiscuit · 25/04/2014 18:50

It's a brush off, ask for detail on the internal procedures.

I work in the sticky middle, on the one hand you see completely legitimate complaint - on the other a staff member who is on thin ice as it is and is undergoing competency review.

I wouldn't expect chapter and verse on what has happened to the bus driver, I would expect detailed response as to the matter progressing to formal investigation and more recognition for your son in an age appropriate way (that's the toy bus for the people who are sneery).

Its this kind of response which makes people do the sad face pose in the local paper.

manticlimactic · 25/04/2014 21:15

That's a brush off standard letter.

flippinada · 25/04/2014 21:39

Part of my job is dealing with complaints/correspondence and that is definitely a brush off. They are hoping you will fume about it then go away.

I would write back stating politely (I completely understand why you might not feel like being polite in the circumstances btw that you aren't happy with their reply and would like an apology for your son and reassurance that action is being taken to prevent a repeat of the incident. Ask for a response within 'x' number of days and advise them you will escalate if you don't get one by then. It might help if you have a look for their complaints procedure.

With complaints, if you make a reasonable request, are clear about what you are looking for and assertive about getting it you have the best chance of getting a good result.

Last but not least, I hope your DS is ok. That must have given him a fright.

x2boys · 25/04/2014 21:45

Ohbus drivers can be such arse holes many years ago I got on A bus with a daysaver a bus driver yelled at me to show it to him so I did when I was getting off he yelled at me again asking me to show my day saver I did and asked him if he was always this rude to his passengers he apologised but they are generally horrible even more so now with kids they always cross examine me where I am going as though I am trying to do them out of ten pence they infuriate me!

TypicaLibra · 25/04/2014 21:50

I once penned a written complaint to a bus company about the behaviour of a certain driver towards me and my dc. I got an answerphone message the moment they received it saying they were 'absolutely appalled' by the driver's behaviour. They said they needed 3 written complaints to fire him I think, and mine was the second. I got the impression they really did want him out, and I hope they got their third complaint and were able to ditch him. Bastard.

ExitPursuedByABear · 25/04/2014 21:50

Well you ain't going to let it rest there are you Marms?

AmysTiara · 25/04/2014 21:52

Yep I'd agree its a brush off and you really need to take it further

RandallFloyd · 25/04/2014 21:53

Definitely a brush off in the vain hope you won't kick up a stink.

My Nanna fell on a bus last year. She was 87 and unsteady on her feet, the fucker drove off before she'd sat down so she went flying.

She bashed her face on the side of a seat and was literally sprawling on the floor. Some lovely passengers helped her up but the driver didn't even stop, just carried on driving.

She got off (with help) at the next stop as luckily it was outside her GP's surgery so she went straight in there and the nurses got her sorted. The driver didn't even speak to her as she got off.

She broke her cheekbone, bruised her legs and was very shaken.

We complained to the bus company and got a similar response to yours. We eventually managed to persuade her to sue them. They tried to bloody argue it!

She won, not a huge amount of money by any stretch but it was the principle. They've never apologised. If they'd just showed an ounce of concern they could have kept their cash.

Don't let it go. They should just have the decency to say sorry. It's as simple as that.

(As an aside - good to see you, Marm, long time no speaky)

IHeartKingThistle · 25/04/2014 21:55

About 10 years ago I had to run to catch a bus. The bus driver definitely saw me. I was carrying my coat. The driver started to close the doors and I raised my arm to bang on it. He closed the doors fully, which partly trapped the coat I was carrying, and then he drove off. I was jerked off my feet into the road, the coat came free and I was left lying in the road while the bus wheels thundered past my head. I had to be picked off the road by people at the bus stop. I ended up going to the walk in centre to get my ankle bandaged and was in pain for ages.

I received almost exactly the same email you did OP. I wish I had taken it further. I can't believe he closed the door on your DS's arm!

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