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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:
TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:29

hejhej I'm sorry, what exactly are you asking me to tell you, here? Are you asking me to explain my family history, how we've lived, exactly how my parents have spent their money? Are you actually asking me to tell you why they haven't been able to afford a house until now? Are you asking me to tell you how we lived with relatives, and then in council hostel for years because we were so poor, how my parents have never taken a holiday? Details like that? Would that justify it to you? Does that meet your approval?

SurlyCue · 10/08/2015 16:29

OP next time it is this driver offer to take the girl's baby on with you so she doesnt have to pay full fare.

SillyStuffBiting · 10/08/2015 16:31

Are we really buying into the myth that all pensioners are now loaded, or indeed everyone born in the 'baby boomers' generation?

Bullshit and you know it.

hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:31

I'm just saying baby boomers as your parents probably are as your 32 had many opportunities to buy a home in their lifetime and have it much much easier than the next few generations.

SillyStuffBiting · 10/08/2015 16:34

There's so much wrong with that assumption hejhej, I wouldn't know where to start.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:37

So hejhej that means fuck giving them seats on public transport (although that's not even a rule, or anything, unless you're sitting in a disabled/elderly seat), no free or discounted anything, no space for group classes, they should all sit home and rot and leave society free for us poor hard done by most educated, most entitled, healthiest generation that's ever existed. Lazy fucking rich entitled baby boomers, who are obviously all in exactly the same situation. Fuck 'em.

MrsGentlyBenevolent · 10/08/2015 16:39

Really cannot believe the attitude of some towards a young mother and pensioners on here. The 'most pensioners are wealthy' had my jaw on the floor, who actually thinks like that? Are these the same ones who cannot afford heating in winter? Oh, and how dare they have a part of the swimming pool to themselves at times. No one else gets that privilege do they. Not school children, pre natal classes, water yoga for the middle class.... What entitled arses these oldies are.

Original poster
RedBlu · 10/08/2015 16:40

Well, the bus company replied to me and confirmed that to travel with an under five for free, you do need to purchase an adult ticket. Still, it seems wrong to me that this lady has lost her "right" to a discounted young person ticket because she has had a baby.

They also confirmed they would be speaking to the bus driver, but IMO he should not be working in a customer facing role. As I mentioned before, this is not the first time he has acted like this, it is actually a fairly frequent thing for him but he always seems to get away with it. His rage goes from 0 to 100 in seconds, he seems to lack the ability to be polite. I have found that with this bus company, the older drives do seem to be quite rude whereas the younger drivers are polite and helpful!

Anyway, to those who asked, the area is in Norwich.

Also, I am not normally one to intervene but she is a young girl, with a young baby and she is back at work - it must be tough enough without having some nasty bus driver yelling at you so I was absolutely not going to sit back and watch her get off the bus and therefore not be able to get to work! If I was in her situation, I would hope someone helped me!

OP posts:
hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:41

Wow you've got a chip...

No that means public money should be spent on people in need.

MaximiseProductivity · 10/08/2015 16:42

I don't think anyone's said that all pensioners are loaded, but it is true that there are a lot of pensioners making very good use of free bus travel they don't need.

Original poster
RedBlu · 10/08/2015 16:45

Oh and if I am there and it happens again, I will offer to say her baby is travelling with me. Not sure if it would cause her problems getting home again (as I don't see her on the bus home) or if once she has the ticket, nothing they can do.

OP posts:
TTWK · 10/08/2015 16:45

Are we really buying into the myth that all pensioners are now loaded

No, we're just exploding the myth that all pensions are poor.

SillyStuffBiting · 10/08/2015 16:45

red would you press them further and see if that refers to season ticket holders, disabled pass holders and pensioners?

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:46

Fine, then, means test the free bus pass for elderly people. Lobby the transport companies. That's not every elderly person's fault and it CERTAINLY doesn't mean every elderly person can afford bus travel. Aside from that, the general attitude towards elderly people on this thread from certain people STINKS. Can't wait til you lot get old and the shoe is on the other foot.

And yes, I have a chip, because you're spouting selfish childish crap and asking me to justify why my parents haven't been able to buy a house.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:47

EXPLODING THE MYTH.

Earth-changing debate! Folks, you saw it here first.

MythicalKings · 10/08/2015 16:47

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

Not true, we can only use our passes in our own areas.

MythicalKings · 10/08/2015 16:48

Great to see a thread turn to boomer bashing in so short a time. Well done to the ageist members.

TTWK · 10/08/2015 16:49

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hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:49

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SillyStuffBiting · 10/08/2015 16:50

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hejhej · 10/08/2015 16:50

Not true, we can only use our passes in our own areas

Not true. Bus passes even work on the premium airport buses hereHmm there's an easy cut

MythicalKings · 10/08/2015 16:51

So much bitterness will eat her up before she gets her bus pass.

MythicalKings · 10/08/2015 16:52

My pass says I can only use it in our county. Nowhere else.

Bogeyface · 10/08/2015 16:53

it is true that there are a lot of pensioners making very good use of free bus travel they don't need.

Yes it is. My parents being a case in point. They are certainly not poor and run 2 brand new cars, but they use their bus passes to go into town as they object to paying for parking. They dont need the free passes and I agree that they should be means tested.

TenForward82 · 10/08/2015 16:53

Since you ask, TTWK, yes, because she's paid her taxes consistently, worked for 50 years to provide for her family, put up with shitty Underground transport and nasty selfish burks (sounds familiar) on the tube. Oh, and because TfL has decided that she deserves it, after paying thousands of pounds for decades in transport fees.

If we're bashing elderly people, why do disabled people deserve rail cards? Young people? You don't get to decide who's worthy, thank fuck.