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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how long it been since you've used public transport?

267 replies

BoysofMelody · 19/09/2017 14:37

After a thread on here over change from bus fares got very heated, a couple of people said they'd not used buses (and possibly other forms of public transport) for over 10 years.

I find it fairly incredible that you can go so long without going on a bus or use other forms - okay I get that it may be months if you commute by car/bike or walk, but surely most people will make an occasional trip by bus or train across the course of a year for a night out or on a day trip or whatever?

OP posts:
MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic · 19/09/2017 22:55

I drive to work as it's quicker (20 minutes vs up to 1.5 hrs on public transport as there's no direct route) but as I'm in London I tend to do a lot of social stuff by public transport. I was on a bus this morning to a hair appointment as it's a pita to park near it. I'll be on a train on Friday night as we're meeting friends for a meal and a drink in a mutually accessible location and I want to actually have a drink for a change!

imnottoofussed · 19/09/2017 22:59

Get the bus fairly often. Can't drive but I do get a lift to work or can walk there in 25 mins. Usually if meeting friends or going shopping at the weekend I get the bus. Approx 35 mins to major city. 15 mins to local town. Frequent service. Can now buy ticket on my mobile phone they have an app which is great.

Rarely get trains. Last one was at end of august for a day out and reminded me why I don't get trains more often. Outbound journey cancelled because of train broken down so had to wait 45 mins for next train. Then return journey had to stand up for about 40 minutes the train was so full.

honeylulu · 19/09/2017 23:06

I get the train and tube to work every weekday.
I do drive but only to do nursery pick ups, gym, national trust at weekends etc.
We live in the town centre so can walk most places which I love and eldest walks to school. I'd feel trapped if I couldn't go anywhere except by car.

BroomstickOfLove · 19/09/2017 23:09

I went for a day out by bus just before term started. Neither DP or I drive, but because of that, we live within an easy walk/cycle of most places I'd want to go locally, so I tend only to use the bus for visiting friends who don't live in the city.

FairNotFair · 19/09/2017 23:11

Today, but I live in London

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 19/09/2017 23:12

I can't remember when I was last on a bus- definitely not this year.

steff13 · 19/09/2017 23:24

I've never taken public transportation. I'm in the US, though. My city has buses, but we've never used them.

EBearhug · 19/09/2017 23:29

Your 17th birthday present tends to be driving lessons...

Yup. (Farmer's daughter.)

steff13 · 19/09/2017 23:39

We usually start driving lessons at 15.5 here. That's when you can get your temporary permit.

Judashascomeintosomemoney · 20/09/2017 00:01

Not sure why you find it 'incredible'. We use trains very occasionally if we go in to London (living on Kent coast now), the DDs use an LA subsidised bus service for school if that counts, but other than that not practical (semi rural) or even affordable tbh. Even to go a relatively short way (DDs previous primary school) involved two changes of bus. Personally, haven't used public transport for about 17 years. On the other hand, the previous 17 years spent living and working in London, even though I could drive, I used it all of the time. Lots of it, joined up service, frequent, not prohibitively expensive when compared to driving in London.

disneydatknee · 20/09/2017 00:46

I got the bus home from toddler group in town today. I got the same bus home from the same group last week and caught a cough from the man sat in front of us who randomly turned around and told me a weird story about his bike being stolen. He coughed in the queue for the bus for ages and coughed all over me on the bus argh that is my only gripe with public transport. My DD also caught it.

Kazzyhoward · 20/09/2017 08:08

I always get surprised when I hear of people not using public transport regularly.

Yes, I can imagine people who live in larger cities with a good, regular, integrated, public transport system would be surprised. But sadly, that's not the case in most towns and smaller cities. Around here, the city's bus and train stations aren't even close enough to walk and there's no "shuttle" between them, so connections are basically impossible unless you take a taxi. My son has a 90 minute journey to school and we only live 5 miles away from it - the bus service/route is so bad, he has a mile walk at both ends and still has to change buses enroute (and we're not rural, it's a large village on the edge of the city on the main A road, and his school is in the city, though a mile away from the bus station with a bus only every 2 hours going past his school which isn't at school starting nor finishing times!). What's really annoying is that the city itself is jam packed full of half empty buses that come/go to different places which were historically the more popular routes but which have changed due to changing workplaces, housing estates etc over the decades - everything else changes but the bus routes don't!

PinguForPresident · 20/09/2017 08:09

I never use buses - they're quite shit round here. I get the train fairly regularly: will be using it tonight for a night out.

EBearhug · 20/09/2017 08:16

My son has a 90 minute journey to school and we only live 5 miles away from it

Can he cycle? 5 miles should be under half an hour, and if he's already walking a mile each end, he can't be missing the weather.

EngTech · 20/09/2017 08:27

Normally cycle to work, 20 minutes each way

By bus, 40 mins and £4.10 return, 6 miles total.

Get bus when it rains getting to work as no showers at work

If I get wet cycling home, shower etc.

Catwithglasses · 20/09/2017 08:52

Another point about public transport is that I have found that there is often pressure from employers not to be reliant on public transport.

When I raised the issue of claiming back bus fare to travel to another work site it seemed a totally alien concept. They said it could be done, but it irritates me that it's not mentioned in the travel policy alongside claiming car mileage.

The preference was basically that I would normally be able to find someone else driving the same way - so I just hang around asking people?!

tehmina23 · 20/09/2017 08:59

I often use the bus as I'm not allowed to drive due to photosensitive epilepsy- I have a disabled bus pass which is free.

GrannyHeadology · 20/09/2017 09:26

I haven't used a bus in over 10 years, used the train for a day trip to London about 6 years ago.

HangingRock · 20/09/2017 11:59

I use it regularly as well as drive. It's meant that my kids have felt confident about using it too as they are so used to it. Dd is 10 and gets the public bus to school on her own.

RandomUsernameHere · 20/09/2017 12:25

I only really use it when we go to London or to get to the airport if we don't have lots of luggage. I walk a lot though and can walk into the centre of town from our house.

AuntJane · 20/09/2017 12:53

How long since I last travelled on public transport? About five hours.

BakedBeans47 · 20/09/2017 12:54

I think it was back in march when I was going on a night out after work. I work outside the city centre so I drive.

TriJo · 20/09/2017 13:14

Around 5 hours... I'm in London and the easiest way to get from my kid's nursery to work is a bus followed by a short train journey.

TheNaze73 · 20/09/2017 13:17

Was on the tube yesterday

FoonaBaboona · 20/09/2017 13:28

I catch the bus everyday to and from work. Buses run every ten minutes and because of the bus lanes get there quicker than driving would,

I sold my car because it worked out cheaper to use public transport.