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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To complain about the bus driver

80 replies

Complainornot · 14/08/2017 23:04

This is not a thread about who has priority over the wheelchair space at the front of the bus

This afternoon I was on the bus with my DC. Youngest was in the pushchair in the space at the front of the bus. A wheelchair user needed to board the bus and the driver, not at all prompted by me, said to her that a pushchair was in the space but there was a bus five minutes behind going to the same destination and could she wait for that one. Woman began shouting that she has a right to the space, that its a wheelchair space not a pushchair space. The shouting was unnecessary especially considering it was the driver who had asked her to wait and not me.

I said to the driver I'd fold the pushchair, not a problem at all and there was no need to have asked her to wait for the next bus. Driver told me no, i couldn't fold it because there was no luggage storage so me and the DC would have to leave the bus. I asked for a forwarding ticket and was told that they don't give them.

DC and I were ordered off the bus in an area I don't know very well. There was a bus five minutes behind I hear you say? Yes. There was. Except I only had £2 in my purse as I'd used the cash I did have to pay for our tickets on the first bus so I could afford to get on that bus.

I had to walk until I found a cash point. In this time my other DC (sensory problems, ASD) had a huge meltdown about being put off the bus then a meltdown about needing a wee because I didn't know where there was a toilet and we had to go looking for somewhere anywhere and he won't simply wee behind an emergency tree. He ended up pissing himself so when I did eventually find a cash point, wait for another bus (with his jacket wrapped around him to hide his shame) and get to our destination I also had to go and buy him a whole new outfit.

AIBU to complain about the driver putting us off the bus in an unfamiliar area with no forwarding ticket potentially leaving us stranded? I had my bank card but could just as easily left it at home if I was going somewhere that didn't require me to have money with me or the nearest cash point could have been miles away as the bus passes through several semi-final areas along it's route. At the very least they should be offering forwarding tickets, shouldn't they?

OP posts:

OhtoblazeswithElvira · 15/08/2017 06:57

Complain. The bus driver really mishandled the situation and caused unnecessary grief to the wheelchair user and yourself, and seriously inconvenienced you.

I live in a retirement area where 90% of people on buses are pensioners ie they don't pay. A lot of bus drivers don't know that they can issue things such as return tickets or children's tickets. The ones that do know have no idea how to issue them and would rather let my children travel free than work out how to produce their ticket. So yes training for bus drivers can be abysmal.

AccrualIntentions · 15/08/2017 07:05

I would definitely contact the bus company. At the very least they should be clarifying their position on folded buggies, since the driver has basically said they're not able to accommodate them. Which sounds a lot like bollocks to me.

And yy to previous poster about 90% of people on the bus being pensioners - the drivers on one I get monthly look affronted at having to actually sell a ticket, for money!

instrifeagain · 15/08/2017 07:36

I would email the company, then if they reply that they allow luggage on buses, or forwarding tickets, you can keep the reply to show future drivers.

Historically, everyone had to fold buggies, and buses always allowed luggage. It doesn't make sense.

ScissorBow · 15/08/2017 07:45

Yes the bus driver was being unreasonable. There were multiple ways of solving this problem before it got to you being put off the bus with no forwarding ticket.

Migraleve · 15/08/2017 07:54

Forwarding ticket?

Really! You just had to wait for the next bus, show your ticket was valid from A-C and explain you were boarding at B because you got off the bus in front due to wheelchair.

That's it. Literally that simple.

DressedCrab · 15/08/2017 07:57

That's it. Literally that simple.

Except she was told she'd have to pay again. Try reading the thread.

wheresmyphone · 15/08/2017 07:58

Complain. I think the bus driver was incorrect. Apart from
Anything else there is no need to shout at passengers or get rude. Do complain: sounds like a training issue. Policy should be clear and carried out nicely.

BannedFromNarnia · 15/08/2017 08:02

Yes complain - that bus driver was punishing you for speaking out about him oppressing the wheelchair user. Ask for the extra fair and the cost if your child's clothes to ram the point home - he discriminated against your son, too.

Oh and to the user who said the wheelchair user was wrong for shouting in an entitled way - don't be daft. She was LITERALLY entitled to the space, in account of it being a wheelchair space. She and the OP were both being totally correct and the bus driver was being an arse.

And what the hell else does a folded buggy become once folded, if not luggage??

JuicyStrawberry · 15/08/2017 08:04

I once tried to get on the bus with my youngest in the buggy. There was no space in the space at the front which is fine because buggies are foldable. I told the driver it's fine I would fold it and he said he's pushed for time! I told him aww that's too bad. I was really annoyed.
Could it be that the driver couldn't be bothered waiting for you and was making excuses?

JuicyStrawberry · 15/08/2017 08:04

And yes complain!!

BornOnTheSolstice · 15/08/2017 08:04

Your son also has a disability (albeit a hidden one) so I would absolutely complain. If that was one of mine (two with an Asd) they would now refuse to travel by bus because of the anxiety and worry we would be turfed off again.

Even if - technically- the woman had every right to be in your place (what are the rules regarding pushchairs vs wheelchairs?) there are ways of handling situations and the driver handled the situation appallingly IMO.

Ceto · 15/08/2017 08:15

OP, why didn't you wait for the next bus? The driver could have radioed to confirm what happened to you.

But he obviously wasn't offering to do that, was he, given that he told OP she would have to pay again. OP, you should complain about him.

emmyrose, how do you make out the wheelchair user had a chip on her shoulder? She was perfectly correct, the space is there for wheelchairs, and the driver was trying to prevent her from using it. It's all very well him saying there was a bus behind, how could he know whether the space was available on that bus?

procrastinationsupremo · 15/08/2017 08:15

Arrrrggggghhh, this gives me the rage!! Quite similar thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I got on a virtually empty bus, going a short distance with my daughter. Got on, put buggy in wheelchair space, then a few minutes later a wheelchair user came to get on the bus and was told by the driver he couldn't get on because of the buggy. Luckily as I as was near the front, I heard and said no, no, of course I'll move. The driver was bizarrely grumpy about this and said I'd HAVE to fold down the buggy. I said yes, yes I would and moved out of the wheelchair space and up the aisle (is that what it's called??). At that point I decided I wouldn't bother folding the buggy as it was full of shopping and would have been quite a performance. There was plenty of room for me to move if anybody needed to get off before me. The bus driver then got out of his seat and came up the bus to tell me I HAD to fold the buggy. He then immediately went back and started up the bus. My buggy is one of those 'travel systems' and you have to lift off the seat bit (which is really bulky) before you can fold up the frame. In the end (in desperation, on a moving bus) I took my daughter out (she was 17 months at the time), she had to stand on the floor by the window and hold on to the seat and I just hauled the whole sort of folded buggy onto the aisle seat so it wouldn't be blocking the aisle. I was obviously then blocking the aisle as I had to stay reaching over to steady my daughter with one hand and the precariously balanced buggy with the other! Fortunately all the (4 or 5) other passengers were very jolly and we all had a giggle about it, but it wasn't very comfortable! What particularly annoys me is I've been on the very same bus services at rush hour (without my daughter) and they've let so many people get on and block the aisle that half of them have to completely get off the bus to let people on the back seats get off at an earlier stop.

Anyway, sorry OP I obviously needed to get all that out 😳. Yes, I would complain. Elderly people and people with young children/buggies seem to make up the majority of non rush hour passengers so are presumably keeping the bus services going. There should be room for both (and in my case there was, the bus driver was just being an arse).

I have subsequently bought a smaller, lightweight pushchair that folds easily and have obviously never needed to fold it on a bus since....

Migraleve · 15/08/2017 08:22

Except she was told she'd have to pay again. Try reading the thread.

But she wasn't. So perhaps you should read again.

The OP said she was 'led to believe' and that belief was based on no forwarding ticket, she was not told she would have to pay again.

cantlivewithoutcoffee · 15/08/2017 08:23

Appalling bus driver. You did all the right things by offering to give the wheelchair user the space that was for her.

Personally, I would have refused to get off the bus without a forwarding ticket or refund. You had already paid for a ticket to your destination, you had also offered to fold your pushchair. It isn't your fault the bus had inadequate facilities for luggage and also didn't issue forwarding tickets.

If the bus driver was unwilling to issue you a refund for the forwarding ticket, I would have told him he could wait 'just 5 minutes' and explain the situation to the next bus driver so you could get onto that bus as you did not have the funds for another bus ride and were not familiar with the area - ime, at this point they realise that you won't be bullied and will usually give you a refund or decide to allow the folded pushchair as by waiting, there would be far more passengers complaining about him delaying their journey.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 15/08/2017 08:37

OP. You say the front of the bus. Is it one of those where you have the fold down seats both sides of the bus and the very first one being the wheelchair space (with the lockdown arm?). Because if it was I can see why she got upset. It doesn't mean she has a chip on her shoulder at all as another pp has suggested

Do complain about the driver. He should have given you a forwarding ticket. I had my purse stolen last year with my bus ticket in (was a group all day pass one). I rang the company and they told me to go up to any bus and ask them to print me a new one off and give my name and address. A very kind driver printed me one off no questions asked so I see no reason why your driver couldn't have given you a forwarding ticket in your circumstances.

abundantlyclear · 15/08/2017 08:39

It sounds like a journey from hell and yes - you should complain. I cannot believe you were treated so badly. You should start drafting a very detailed email about what happened! You have every right to an apology.

DeadGood · 15/08/2017 08:42

I'd absolutely complain. You poor thing :(

AwaywiththePixies27 · 15/08/2017 08:43

, I would have told him he could wait 'just 5 minutes' and explain the situation to the next bus driver

I think it depends on the area. Here, all buses are tracked by GPS. Just waiting five minutes can result in him getting a right bollocking when he gets back to the depot. I've often had buses fly straight past me in the middle of winter if they're only a few minutes late so they can catch up with the time with two very cold kids so they would show as 'on time' on GPS.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 15/08/2017 08:47

OP. Do please complain. Most buses have CCTV nowadays and they'll be able to see how he behaved towards you.
I once complained about a driver for speaking to a woman with a baby in a pram like absolute shit. I dont usually get involved but I did say something to this man. He started being abusive to me. So I complained. His boss checked the cctv and confirmed that he acted completely unprofessionally. If it's anything like around here they get moved to another route which means you dont have to deal with them again.

My DS has ASD too so I know how hard it is.

Ceto · 15/08/2017 08:52

AwaywiththePixies, if the driver didn't want to wait the 5 minutes to explain to the next one, he could either let OP stay with the folded buggy, or refund her ticket money. It's totally his choice.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 15/08/2017 09:04

if the driver didn't want to wait the 5 minutes to explain to the next one, he could either let OP stay with the folded buggy, or refund her ticket money. It's totally his choice.

Yes I'm aware of that ceto. Which is why I told the OP to complain.

cantlivewithoutcoffee · 15/08/2017 09:08

Awaywiththepixies that's exactly my point. Faced with the prospect of a bollocking from his employers or a whole bus of angry customers, he would have been forced to pull his finger out and accept the folded buggy or offer a refund/forward ticket. They bus company will have a policy for these cases, as it won't be the first or last time that a buggy user needs to vacate for a wheelchair - he was just too lazy to enforce/explain it.

When a passenger has paid a full fare, kicking them off the way he did is unacceptable in every way and putting him on the spot would have forced him to act.

RainyDayBear · 15/08/2017 09:26

Definitely complain, that is awful!

Scrumptiousbears · 15/08/2017 09:35

I think the bus companies need to issue far more clarity to passengers regarding this buggy v wheelchair policy.

I'd complain. But not direct all my anger to the driver as no doubt he is trying to stick to various policies that conflict. For example it's not his problem there are no forwarding tickets. More than likely if the folding buggy fell and injured someone they could sue the bus company.

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