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AIBU?

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Original poster

Buses, Young Parents and Fares

108 replies

RedBlu · 10/08/2015 13:40

Not really an AIBU, but more traffic here!

I catch the bus to and from work each day, occasionally a young woman gets on the bus at the same stop as me, she has a baby in a pram.

I don't know her personally but we have been on the bus together for a few months now.

Anyway, there is one bus driver who is known to be extremely rude and he tends to pick on young women, I have seen him many times shouting at customers. He is the sort that rather than politely explaining something, automatically starts shouting at you.

He was the driver this morning, the young woman asks for a "young person" ticket (so obviously she is under 19) and the driver refuses. Apparently her baby cannot travel for free if she buys a young person ticket, she needs to buy an adult ticket (another 50p). Babies only travel for free with an adult (not sure if this is right). She politely explains she has been getting this bus for months, and always buys a young person ticket and has never had a driver query it. This driver does he usual and explodes with rage, shouting at her saying he is the driver, he is right and that she isn't getting on without buying an adult ticket. She again explains the situation and that she needs to get to work and doesn't have any more money to buy an adult ticket. He continues shouting at her, she starts crying, he says he doesn't care and to get off the bus.

I step in at this point, give her the 50p to buy the adult ticket and tell him he is being rude. He then shouts at me saying he isn't being rude and we get into a bit of an argument before he gives up and starts driving the bus.

I have emailed the bus company to complain about the driver and told the woman to do the same.

HOWEVER, from looking online - the driver may have been correct (however doesn't excuse his disgusting attitude and behaviour). It does seem that if you are travelling with a baby (or any child under five) you have to have an adult ticket? Now, to me - this seems wrong. Surely it is discriminating against young parents? Clearly she is under 19, has a baby (its not unheard of is it!) so should pay the reduced rate young person fare, as she is under 19. How does the fact she has a baby mean she has to pay an adult fare?

Anyone else think this is wrong or is this normal?!

OP posts:
JeSuisMois · 10/08/2015 15:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BeyondTheWall · 10/08/2015 15:49

I had big trouble before with tuskers example. As a disabled person with free travel, i had to pay full price for both of my children on my local bus. I complained vocally, got into a discussion about how unethical that is with the owner, and (enentually) they changed the policy.

So complain, and good luck :)

hejhej · 10/08/2015 15:49

I think pensioners should pay full stop. Only poor ones on pension credit should get a pass.

Then pass passes could be given to those seeking work or low paid.

JeSuisMois · 10/08/2015 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

howabout · 10/08/2015 15:56

DH is disabled. If he could actually get on and off a bus he would have a free bus pass and I could accompany him free as his carer and my under 5 would still be free.

Also thinking about "kids go free" on trains - conditions about needing a full paying adult don't apply to under 5s.

I think airlines are the only place I can think of where I would expect to pay to transport an under 5.

TTWK · 10/08/2015 15:57

TTWK with your logic, disabled people with free bus passes should have to pay if they want to bring a child on, as should pensioners. Do you really think that's fair?

Yes, I think it's perfectly fair. Not sure why pensioners get free travel anyway, given many pensioners are relatively wealthy.

What on Earth is unfair about restricting free child travel to people paying the full fair for themselves. A lot of very entitled people on this thread.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 15:59

given many pensioners are relatively wealthy.

splutters

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:01

Pensioners are the group with the most wealth as the boomers are retiring on mass. Richest generation there has ever been, and will be for some time.

Obviously that's not saying every pensioner is loaded, you do know that.

MaximiseProductivity · 10/08/2015 16:05

All the pensioners I know who make best use of their bus passes don't really need them. My parents have 2 very nice cars but don't use them unless the bus would be very inconvenient.

I know two different couples who use their bus passes to go on holiday every year and when I was in Devon on holiday last week, almost everyone on the bus was a pensioner, also on holiday and using their bus pass - Ok so a Devon holiday doesn't make you loaded, but you're not struggling to make end meet.

Poor pensioners often don't use the passes that much IME - they can't afford to go and meet friends for coffee in town etc.

CorBlimeyTrousers · 10/08/2015 16:06

I live in London and am quite shocked that there is a charge for young children on buses. Children under 11 travel free on buses and trams at any time in London. They also travel free on the Tube if accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket (including Freedom Passes - which are free for relevant groups, eg pensioners, disabled people). Children aged 11 to 15 can also travel free on buses and trams with a Zip Oystercard which gives a discount on the Tube.

I suppose bus companies in other parts of the country can set their own rules. If the rule is that discounts can't be combined then I suppose that's just the way it is. Although you could complain and say it's unfair. Certainly the way the bus driver treated this young woman sounds wrong and if you think he generally treats young women worse than other passengers you should definitely complain about that.

Mrsjayy · 10/08/2015 16:07

Im not sure how your young persons ticket runs but it doesnt seem fair is she is under the age but needs to pay full fair just because she had a baby

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:08

All the pensioners I know who make best use of their bus passes don't really need them.

Exactly. Where I live some people have to pay 16 a fortnight to travel to sign on and there is zero help for this. Just has to come out of JSA along with all the traveling to interviews. Its disgusting.

Mrsjayy · 10/08/2015 16:09

Even if she needs to pay full fare you were right to email the bus company

MaximiseProductivity · 10/08/2015 16:12

CorBlimey, anyone used to London Transport would be astounded at how expensive it is for anyone to travel on public transport in the rest of the country. £9.30 here for DS and I to travel 25 mins - he gets half fare until he's 16

howabout · 10/08/2015 16:14

TTWK I feel your pain. Took me and 3 DC swimming for best part of a tenner today. More than half the pool was roped off for the reduced rate pensioner keep fit class.
Also get a tiny bit put out when I am the only one on the bus having paid full fare (everyone else has a season ticket) and I have to stand up for a pensioner to sit down. If I paid less then I wouldn't have to mentally tell myself off as I wouldn't feel like this.
My issue is that the non-discounted price should be lower not that pedantry should be applied to the application of discounts.

Hissy · 10/08/2015 16:16

You should have said the baby was travelling with you... Grin

Then she could have got the young persons fare.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:17

Bloody hell. You hate standing up so any elderly and possibly arthritic elderly person can sit down? Yet you don't want them to have a keep fit class in 'your' space, which presumably allows them to keep fit and therefore able to stand on the bus?

WTF have I wandered into here?

Your gripe re: the pool should be with the leisure centre who didn't warn you have the pool was out of bounds, not old people who've worked their entire lives and want to enjoy their retirement. Jesus.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:18

half the pool*

Sorry, angry typing typos.

TTWK · 10/08/2015 16:19

TenForward82, not sure why you're spluttering over my assertion that many pensions are relatively wealthy. They are not all huddled around a 1 bar electric fire eating cold beans out of the tin.

Many run a nice car each, take numerous foreign holidays, eat out several times a month and basically live a great life. And good luck to them I say.

My next door neighbours take the bus and tube free to go everywhere, and only use their Bentley when they have to.

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:19

elderly and possibly arthritic elderly person

Yes because all old people have chronic health problems and all below 65 have perfect health ..

LurkingHusband · 10/08/2015 16:20

I know two different couples who use their bus passes to go on holiday every year and when I was in Devon on holiday last week, almost everyone on the bus was a pensioner, also on holiday and using their bus pass

On honeymoon, in Spain, MrsLH and I found the Spanish government used to pay for pensioner to go on holiday off-peak. The (Spanish) hotel staff called them "pensionistas" Grin. Every day was an organised coach trip somewhere. I did try an blag a space on a trip to the Alhambra, but was missing a vital document (which, given my experience of Spain would have been a €20 note).

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:22

Didn't say they ALL were, I just take issue at sweeping generalisations when I think of my parents, who have worked since they were 15, and who are now frantically saving up to buy their first house near me and their pending grandchild, after they've worked up until their retirement age.

I'm glad my mum gets free travel to work, she deserves it.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:23

hejhej I never said they did. Clearly common courtesy and respect has gone out the window in favour of the ME ME ME generation. And I say this as a 32 year old with chronic health problems.

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:25

If they've been working for 50 years then why haven't they been able to buy a house?

There have been many times throughout that you can buy a house on one single low wage?

It was much much much easier to buy a house than it is now.

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:26

I'm guesing at the 50 years btw