Bus driver wouldn't let dog on empty bus

[Hubblez]

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

If you carry a muzzle with you, why don't you use it anyway? The fact that you even carry a muzzle is a warning to me.

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My car is broken and I have been getting the bus for the last six months. Buses are annoying, unbelievably expensive, unreliable, and bus drivers on the whole, miserable. I am not a massive fan of dogs but it wouldnt have bothered me if you had bought him on. BTW, another gripe, it costs me £10 in bus fares to do a round trip with my kids into the nearest town which is three miles away. It is no bloody wonder everyone has a car. Did I say I hate getting the bus

Yanbu at all i don't think, unless i just have dog loving drivers in all the areas i go. They're always allowed on wherever i go.

Yes, you can indeed saddle a dog...

Get the dog to tow you on a skateboard. Win-win.

This could be you on your way to work OP

Bus drivers can use their discretion as to whether or not to let dogs on. When travelling with dogs it is best to leave extra time in case the first bus driver says no. It's irritating when they are irrational about it but they are within their rights to refuse. It's just one of the joys of public transport! It is annoying because I've never heard them say, 'you can't bring your child on, I don't like them' and they can be more disruptive than a well trained dog!

I am a huge dog lover and love seeing dogs out and about.

However, not everyone feels the same way. A lot of people are scared of dogs due to bad experiences with them.

you arent allowed to take paint on a bus anyway, nothing to do with the driver.
Buses are for people, not dogs. Just because you love your dog doesn't mean everyone else needs to.

dh works for a bus company - they had a call from member of the public to ask if was allowed to take a wheelie bin on the bus to the tip! because the council had failed to empty it.

The answer was no, strange eh?

phantom - that is such a funny image! At least he didn't just turn up at the bus stop complete with wheelie bin. Imagine the NM thread if he'd tried to put it in the disabled space

I think only guide dogs should be allowed on public transport. I'm not keep on dogs in offices either.

I've just bought this for my dog.

Perhaps you should get one and then you can deny he's a dog and ask where in the rules does it say that spiders are banned?

You should just take him to Granny Murray's really

ghoul