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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Bus driver wouldn't let dog on empty bus

66 replies

Hubblez · 03/09/2014 09:36

I have been taking one of my dogs to work for the last 2 weeks (I work 9.30 - 3 so usually just leave him at home, but the office has been empty and so I was allowed to bring him for company

The office is about a 20 minute walk away, but up a very steep hill all the way, for a while now my knee has been locking and so I've been getting the bus rather than walking (knee is in process of hopefully being fixed!), it's about a 2 minute bus ride literally, it's 2 stops away from where I get on the bus, but up the massive hill

Anyway last week and this week the drivers have let me on with my dog who is Labrador sized, the bus has always been empty except sometimes 1 or 2 elderly people, I go and sit far away from them if they are on as I'm aware some people don't like or are scared of dogs. Have had no problems with drivers or passengers at all though

Today the bus came around the corner and was totally empty, it pulled over to me and the driver told me that my dog wasn't allowed on the bus as he 'would probably' bite people!! The bus was EMPTY, my dog was standing next to me on a short lead and behaving himself, I explained that he behaves well on buses and has been getting them with me for the last week and a half, and that we were only going 2 stops anyway and the bus was empty

The driver still said no because he 'thought the dog was dangerous', and then drove away leaving me to walk up the steep hill and be late for work whilst being in pain from my knee constantly locking

My dog is a rottweiler cross so I suppose he fits the stereotype of a 'dangerous dog' breed, but for the driver to judge him on that when he was clearly next to me, under control and behaving, and the bus was EMPTY! and I only wanted to go for 2 stops, has really annoyed me!

AIBU or is the bus driver? I am worried now about getting the bus with him tomorrow, but it's much nicer for both of us for my dog to be able to come to work with me

Obviously if the bus looked busy for whatever reason then I would understand and probably not even try to take my dog on, but I've been getting the same bus for 3 months now and have never seen more than 2 people on it at a time. I could have put a muzzle on my dog but in my opinion people see dogs wearing muzzles as dogs who will bite and so are wearing them for a reason, and then avoid them further, so don't see how that would have helped my cause

OP posts:

mamalino · 03/09/2014 10:28

A muzzle wouldn't stop him taking a dump on the bus though would it? The driver might be worried about this also.

I thought only assistance dogs were allowed on public transport?

mamalino · 03/09/2014 10:29

Someone I know wasn't allowed to bring paint on the bus. Sealed and still in the hardware shop packaging!

ikeaismylocal · 03/09/2014 10:30

Surely a dog that size needs the walk?

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 03/09/2014 10:32

I don't think animals should be on public transport at all apart from guide dogs.

londonrach · 03/09/2014 10:35

loving the idea of a lamp on a lead. I'm tore on this op as although I'm very used to dogs and love them and have walked loads in my time your type of dog does make me wary. Am I being doggiest or breediest. I'm still unsure dogs should be on a bus unless it's a helping dog. If my cousin was with me on the bus any dog even the smallest cutest puppy would have her exiting the bus. I know her problem. Look at bus conditions of carriage although I think they have the right to refuse.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 03/09/2014 10:35

I remember being on a bus and a dog at the back puked and it rolled down the aisle, we had to clamber over the seats to avoid getting it in our shoes! Who knew a dog could produce so much vomit?! Oh God it was revolting. Bus driver was pissed off and bus was taken out of service to be cleaned.Blerk.

mommy2ash · 03/09/2014 10:41

I've never seen any dog on a bus other than guide dogs. I have one person refused and thought it strange they were bringing a dog on the bus in the first place. maybe check with the bus company to see what their rules are

Owllady · 03/09/2014 10:44

Our bus drivers seem a bit strict too, but so much has happened whilst I have been on the Bedford park and ride that I am really not surprised. It's generally people drunk though, in the morning. Carrying lamps

JeanetteDanielsBenziger · 03/09/2014 10:49

I thought dogs were allowed on buses? Maybe policy has changed recently, but I used to walk my German shepherd the 6 miles to the next village and we'd get the bus home.

I would call the bus company to clarify.
The driver sounds like a bit of an ass though!

Gruntfuttock · 03/09/2014 10:52

ohbladee "YABU for not getting a dog big enough to ride to work."

That's funny, but have you tried getting a saddle on a dog?

sweetnessandlite · 03/09/2014 10:52

I think the driver should have let your dog on the bus, especially seeing as nobody else was on it.
But, supposing somebody else got on and then your dog did bite that person? (highly unlikely I know),
The driver would end up in big trouble and could lose his job.
So I think the driver was probably worried about his job.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 03/09/2014 11:06

Of course you can saddle a dog...

Bus driver wouldn't let dog on empty bus

Original poster

Hubblez · 03/09/2014 11:45

I think that muzzling him will still reduce his chances of being let on as it makes him look scary, I will still try it though as it could put people's mind at rest that he can't bite them. I have both a cage type muzzle and a clip on one that closes his mouth completely - would use that one for the bus as it's easier and faster to get on and off and he won't need to wear it for long

Whoever said that he should be walked (can't scroll up easy I am on my poo phone) then I do walk him along with my other dog every morning for an hour, and an hour when I get home again, as well as playing in the garden when I am home. I walk them off lead in a field though not up a giant hill

OP posts:

Original poster

Hubblez · 03/09/2014 11:51

Also if I was on the bus with him and a person was looking clearly terrified or said something then I would take him off, but the bus I get on has never had more than 2 people on it, there's one stop and then the second that I get off at, the likelihood of him throwing up or shitting himself in that very short journey is highly unlikely. He's used to travelling in cars and on trains.

Obviously there's no way to be sure and the driver might not want to take that chance, but it was 2 stops that takes literally 2 minutes, in the time that the driver sat there telling me why I can't get on I could have been at work!

OP posts:

writtenguarantee · 03/09/2014 11:55

YABU. Just because the dog looked fine doesn't mean that he will be on the bus. Some people could get on after and the dog might bite them.

it's an animal and as such unpredictable especially to someone who doesn't know him.

writtenguarantee · 03/09/2014 11:56

I don't know the legality of it all, but my guess is that if your dog did bite someone on the bus, the company would get sued. So I can see them wanting to protect themselves.

Lulabelle2013 · 03/09/2014 12:13

OP - am assuming that you are a responsible person so you would not put your dog in a situation where it would feel uncomfortable/scared. Am also assuming that you would use your common sense and not use modes of transport that would induce [travel] sickness and would let your dog do it's 'business' before getting on the bus.

Surely the responsibility lies with the owner whether to let a dog travel on a bus or not. It is public transport after all and if the dog behaved in way that caused harm to another passenger then the owner would be liable.

Bus driver was being mean and wasn't a dog person.

Also the points about being sick - I am a regular bus user as I do not drive - have never seen a dog sick on a bus but have seen numerous drunk people be sick and go to the toilet. Have also seen a small child wee on the bus too. Just lovely.

Would much rather a Rottweiler cross any day :)

FatherDickByrne · 03/09/2014 13:03

I'm scared of dogs so would have felt much safer knowing that yours was muzzled & couldn't bite me. They can't do much harm without their teeth even if they are enormous so this would put my mind at ease if I were a fellow passenger.

On another tip and completely beside the point, it's illegal to take durians on buses in Singapore. They smell so bad the buses have to be taken out of service & cleaned at vast expense. I quite like the smell now but it takes a bit of getting used too - kinda ripe fruit meets North Sea gas.

Summerisle1 · 03/09/2014 13:19

You do realise he'll need a Rover ticket don't you?

gets coat

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 03/09/2014 13:25

I like seeing dogs muzzled, it says 'responsible owner' to me not 'dangerous dog'

primarynoodle · 03/09/2014 13:59

im highly bitter about my lamp dragon!!

tbh I think general policy is guide dogs allowed only but some bus drivers use discretion on others...

I havent got a problem with dogs but if somebody took a 2ft spider onto a bus I would be also my old doggy (alsatian) was soft as shit and literally used to roll around on the floor with me as a toddler etc but one day 10 years later he bit the postman... you can never ever ever say a dog is 100% docile

sunflower49 · 03/09/2014 14:06

I think he was BU. But as far as I know it is driver discretion. He probably wasn't a 'dog person' or was new or was scared for his job if the dog did something wrong, etc but I still think he was BU. A person can be as undesirable as a dog on public transport, generally.

Out of interest, are you small in stature? I have a large dog, and I have been told I 'Shouldn't be walking that, It's too big for you!'
And 'Don't you struggle keeping that under control?!' and other similar such things. It's an assumption people make sometimes that a woman can't be in charge of a large animal.

It bemuses me, because my DP is a large (6ft and broad!) man, and he struggles more with her than I do-she is a skittish dog, not the most obedient but he has far more of a struggle keeping in control of her than I do-I just know how to handle her and he doesn't.

mrsbrownsgirls · 03/09/2014 14:18

are you serious ? why do you think it's ok for you to take your dog on the bus ? lots of people are afraid of dogs. dogs can bite and shite.
and I have NEVER met a dog owner who thinks their beloved dog might bite or snap.
think about it.

grocklebox · 03/09/2014 14:19

yabu. The bus is his place of work, and why should anyone have to have a Doberman in their place of work. For all he knows your dog could shit all over his bus, or shed hair, or bark loudly and distract him from the road.

People forget that the driver is a person and employee as well as being there for your benefit. Dogs are allowed at drivers discretion, he has every right to say no.

Original poster

Hubblez · 04/09/2014 09:24

Little update - I muzzled my dog before we left the house, at the bus stop people were intentionally walking in the road or crossing over and back again to avoid walking past us so he must have looked more scary. Which is silly because logically they are safer if he has a muzzle on!

We were allowed on the bus today but the driver did say he doesn't like dogs and it is at the drivers discretion and it took a bit of talking to him for us to be allowed on

Still very silly and annoying in my opinion. He was muzzled and once again the bus was empty and I was going 2 stops. When I sit down I hold him by his collar with him sitting on the floor beside me and so even if he wanted to he can't run around the bus or anything

Fair enough it is at the drivers discretion but he admitted today it was because he just didn't like dogs. So if I am a bus driver I can say "I don't like tubs of sealed paint / lamps / green shoes that don't match your trousers. Please get off my bus"? V v silly but it appears that is how it is!

OP posts:

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