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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be livid with this bus driver

195 replies

NeitherNowtNorSummat01 · 11/05/2017 22:05

So, I was on a double decker bus today with my 2 year old son. We sat upstairs at the back. When the time came to get off the bus, we pressed the button, the bus stopped and we started to get off. Half was down the stairs, the drivers pulls off, I lose grip of my son (who was holding my hand) and he falls head first down the steps.
Son screamed (and screamed and screamed). Bus driver said 'is he alright' I said 'no, clearly he's not alright... why didn't you wait' and he says 'you took too long getting off the bus'
After a short conversation (I was a bit cross) he kept repeating, next time get off the bus quicker!
Would I be unreasonable to complain to the bus company
(Son is covered in bruises... and I got off the bus and cried!)

OP posts:
Fruitcocktail6 · 12/05/2017 10:59

Anyone who's been on a bus would know there are signs saying don't stand until the bus stops.

As lots of pp have said, this is not the case. I have never seen one of these signs and I get the bus often.

ghostyslovesheets · 12/05/2017 11:03

scroll down to 'getting off the bus' !

www.arrivabus.co.uk/travel-help-and-accessibility/how-to-catch-the-bus/

Please remain in your seat until the bus comes to a stop

Arriva are a fairl large bus company I believe

TrinityTaylor · 12/05/2017 11:06

Concise opinion?! Like I said, have you ever tried walking down moving bus steps with a toddler? May as well walk down them on your hands with a jug of water balanced on your head. Do you ever get the bus? The ones round here (busy city) are very similar to the ones op talks about. No seats downstairs, steep steps, drivers going 40 over speed bumps. Not village bus services with basically a minibus with five people on it.

Gileswithachainsaw · 12/05/2017 11:08

As lots of pp have said, this is not the case. I have never seen one of these signs and I get the bus often

Do people really need a sign to realise that some people may not be able to walk safely to the doors on a moving vehicle

There aren't signs saying "breathe" but I'm sure you do it anyway

Fruitcocktail6 · 12/05/2017 11:09

So what do they expect you to do when the bus is full and your standing? If people are allowed to stand on buses, then you must be allowed to stand up before it comes to a complete stop.

Not relevant in OPs case, but in London that is definitely not the norm and we don't have those signs.

TrinityTaylor · 12/05/2017 11:14

Yes but you stand still, holding on to something or sometimes someone! Not walk down steps wrangling a toddler.

Gileswithachainsaw · 12/05/2017 11:14

Not everyone is able to stand either ajd bus drivers often tell people to sit down when they stand if seats are vacant.

Plus standing still holding on is easier than walking

WaitrosePigeon · 12/05/2017 11:15

My poor grandad was killed by a bus driver ten years ago because he pulled off as he was getting off the bus. He fell down and broke his neck.

Please complain.

silkpyjamasallday · 12/05/2017 11:16

Totally the bus drivers fault, most double decker have cameras so the driver can see upstairs and mirrors if not, it is his responsibility to check that no one is in the gangway or on the stairs before he pulls off, especially when he has already been notified by the buzzer that someone wants to get off at that stop. You can't move as fast with a two year old as you would do as a lone adult. I would definitely complain, I'm feeling livid on your behalf. I would be so so angry if dd got hurt and the driver acted like that.

TrinityTaylor · 12/05/2017 11:17

Waitrose that is so awful Flowers

amicissimma · 12/05/2017 11:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Toysaurus · 12/05/2017 12:22

Waitrose, I think Yours was the incident I read about in the paper at the time it happened. It was one of those stories that for some reason always stuck with me. Indeed, I was thinking about it as I wrote my previous post and is the reason I always stand at the top of the stairs before we walk down Flowers

WaitrosePigeon · 12/05/2017 12:24

Thanks. It was horrific. He was on his way to see his grandchildren. He was paralysed from the neck down and died two weeks later in hospital from a chest infection as he couldn't swallow any more. He dehydrated to death, it was grim.

We did take the bus company to court and as a result all buses should have extra mirrors now.

It was traumatising for the whole family. Grim.

Louiselouie0890 · 12/05/2017 12:38

You shouldnt get up before the bus stops just like they shouldn't leave till your sat if he had to do an emergency stop you'd go flying and at least on ny buses you wouldn't be insured as you got up on a moving bus. To suggest OP does that on stairs of a double decker with a two year old is ridiculous. However our busses only have a mirror to see top deck not the stairs so if that's a case it was an accident but doesn't excuse his behaviour. I would have waited till the bus stopped then carried him downstairs to get off quickly. I would write in to know there poilcy over the issue and go from there

MyKingdomForBrie · 12/05/2017 12:43

I am so so sorry for your poor ds, so excited to get a bus and then that happens. The driver was an utter utter arsehole and I would be completely livid. Waiting a bloody minute was too much? Complain as loud and as long as it takes to get a proper response, and take your poor ds on a bus again soon to try and get rid of the bad memory, this time tell the driver where you will be getting off and to please wait for you to come down (no you shouldn't have to do this).

Louiselouie0890 · 12/05/2017 12:44

Omg don't get on the bus get on a less busy one Ive heard it all now.

FatUpperPubicArea · 12/05/2017 12:50

YANBU OP. Yes most people do get up before the bus stops, I do when I'm on my own but not with my toddler and baby. It takes seconds to get off once it's stopped.. it's so pointless and dangerous to try and do it while it's moving. I'm in Yorkshire and we have signs saying to remain seated too. What about older people, disabled people etc... I hate this rush rush panic attitude that everything must be done at the speed of light, which discounts a huge section of society.

FatUpperPubicArea · 12/05/2017 12:52

That's awful Waitrose FlowersWhat a shitty way to go and highlights perfectly what this thread is about. Patience..

MyKingdomForBrie · 12/05/2017 12:52

Giles Grin people will actually be demanding those soon..

Freddofrog1983 · 12/05/2017 13:01

Even if he didn't see you, his attitude was terrible.

MommaGee · 12/05/2017 13:36

Flowers WaitrosePigeon
If OP is to be at the door ready for her stop does she move increasingly closer every time then siT when the bus starts up again? Like the shittest game of musical chairs ever

MommaGee · 12/05/2017 13:37

And WaitrosePigeon I will speak up the next time the driver doesn't give the old man on my route time to sit down, for your grandad x

Kokusai · 12/05/2017 13:57

Wow that's a nasty accident, hope your son is ok.

Round here you have to be ready to get off as soon as the bus stops though so you come down the stairs whilst the bus is moving.

M0stlyBowlingHedgehog · 12/05/2017 17:29

Flowers Waitrose. That's bloody awful.

I really don't get the whole "you should only use public transport if you're young, fit and unencumbered by small children" attitude. Err, it's "public" transport, people, i.e. for the public you know, like everyone! If your journey is so important that you can't cope with an extra 20 seconds at a bus stop while someone elderly, or disabled, or with young children gets on or off - well, maybe buy yourself a car and use that instead. It's not like buses are exactly the speediest mode of transport ever in any case - complaining about that 20 seconds just makes you look a bit of a pillock given how long the journey is going to take in any case.

Marmalade85 · 12/05/2017 17:41

I'm on a London bus right now and there are no signs saying remain seated until the bus stops.