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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WWYD Bus took a detour

163 replies

SandyY2K · 09/05/2018 00:42

I was just wondering WWYD in this situation. Just seeing if it's the same as my thought process.

DD was coming home on the bus, when the driver took a wrong turn. There was no diversion of any sort. He said absolutely nothing to the passengers by way of an explanation or apology and got himself back on route by turning round. DD got the reg number when she got off.

Unfortunately this caused a massive delay as the bus then got stuck in traffic...resulting in DD being late /missing a private lesson, which the tutor (not unreasonably) wanted payment for.

For clarity, I have no issue with the tutor and she's been paid.

WWYD in relation to the bus detour?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 09/05/2018 00:46

Nothing. Everyone makes mistakes at some point and the driver was probably mortified.

He should have apologised though.

IDefinitelyWould · 09/05/2018 00:49

I would probably email/call the company and request compensation for the cost of the lesson. Athough it wasn't malicious, it was still a mistake which shouldn't have occurred and ended up with you out of pocket.

FissionChips · 09/05/2018 00:49

Nothing, it’s not like he carried on driving the wrong route. Confused

Pringlecat · 09/05/2018 00:58

Chalk it up to experience. You always have to allow extra time with public transport or take the risk (as happened here) that the bus won't get you to where you need to be on time.

Sorry your DD missed out on a lesson though.

WorraLiberty · 09/05/2018 00:59

To be fair, the bus could have got caught in traffic even without the driver's mistake.

CalF123 · 09/05/2018 01:06

If you've arranged the lesson without leaving any leeway for a few minutes delay, that's not the bus company's fault. What if it had broken down or got stuck in traffic? Would you expect them to pay for the lesson in that case?

IAmMatty · 09/05/2018 01:07

What do you think are your options?

I am always baffled by these threads. A minor incident happened, what needs to be done? Confused

PerspicaciaTick · 09/05/2018 01:10

Was the delay on the scheduled route or the section he drove by mistake?

If it was on the scheduled route then I don't think you can expect anything really, maybe just plan future lessons to start a little later.

Original poster
SandyY2K · 09/05/2018 01:11

To be fair, the bus could have got caught in traffic even without the driver's mistake

No. It wouldn't have got caught in traffic from the point of the error. That's not a traffic spot and it would have been in the bus lane.

He turned onto a major road (no pedestrians allowed), so she couldn't even get off the bus.

I spoke to my BIL (he works for TFL) and he said I should report it and put in a claim for the cost of the lesson.

He said it would get investigated and told me what tends to happen in these situations with the driver.

OP posts:
spatchcock · 09/05/2018 01:12

If you asked someone who works for TFL, why are you asking us?

PositivelyPERF · 09/05/2018 01:13

Poor driver made an easy mistake and will get hawled over the coals for it, but never mind.

FissionChips · 09/05/2018 01:15

Do you want the driver to be punished? Or just money?

PerspicaciaTick · 09/05/2018 01:15

So why didn't you trust what your BIL told you in the first place?

EmiliaAirheart · 09/05/2018 01:23

Mildly annoying but not worth getting het up about at all, and a timely reminder to you and your daughter to allow extra journey time for any important appointments.

Original poster
SandyY2K · 09/05/2018 01:26

To be fair, the bus could have got caught in traffic even without the driver's mistake

Not on that section of the road with his lanes. He turned onto a major road that pedestrians aren't allowed on..so she couldn't even get off the bus and walk.

As it happens I spoke to my BIL who works for TFL. He said I should report it and put in a claim for the cost of the lesson.

He said it would be investigated.. it's not the first time it's happened or similar things to that.

He told me what normally happens to the driver in such incidents.

Enough time was allowed for the journey. His error added @ 40 minutes to the journey and she only had 2 more stops to go.

I'm not sure if it's a cultural thing, but it seems at times the British don't tend to complain in justified circumstances.

I recall one of these shows...where they had actors as waiting staff in a restaurant and they were deliberately being rude and giving poor service. Not one of the customers complained and some even left a tip. When they were told it was an experiment and asked why they didn't say anything...they acknowledged the poor service...but just kind of shrugged it off.

Having previously worked in the hospitality industry, my view differs.

OP posts:
Original poster
SandyY2K · 09/05/2018 01:29

If you asked someone who works for TFL, why are you asking us?

For opinions on what others would do.

I don't need MN as an answer...it was merely an interest in what others might do.

OP posts:
NotUmbongoUnchained · 09/05/2018 01:30

I’m not British and have no problem running my mouth and making a scene.

But I really don’t understand what you want here? He made a mistake. I’ve been driving for nearly 10 years and I still make wrong turns sometimes.

EmiliaAirheart · 09/05/2018 01:31

Again... people make mistakes. I don't know of anyone who hasn't in their personal or professional lives. It sounds like this wasn't deliberate and I'm sure the driver learned an important lesson from it. I just couldn't bring myself to get worked up about it, though I guess other minds may differ. I'd also disagree that "the British don't tend to complain in justified circumstances" based on one anecdote - easily rebutted by another anecdote about the plethora of daily mail sad face stories...

spatchcock · 09/05/2018 01:40

I wouldn't do anything. People aren't robots, they have brain freezes/bad days. I hope when I next make a stupid mistake in my job no one goes over my head and report me.

I was once on a bus where the driver pulled over and shouted "does anyone know which way I'm supposed to go?" It was his first day on the route. Everyone just laughed, and a regular went up the front to guide him.

Shen0102 · 09/05/2018 01:43

It wasn't deliberate, it was a mistake. it sucks that you lost money out of it but You need to move on from this. If you was the bus driver what would you do OP?

George199 · 09/05/2018 01:45

There is only one thing to do after such a trauma. Tomorrow morn go ye both to the nearest main road and take a selection of sad-faced photos, with a bus in the background and possibly a traffic jam and some potholes. Make sure to point sadly at the bus, so people know the cause of your despair. Send the photos to your local newspaper so that they can share the tragedy with the townspeople.

Tinkety · 09/05/2018 02:03

Sounds like it was a driver new to the route, wrong turns like this do happen & allowances are made so it shouldn’t result in anyone getting sacked.

Most city buses (not sure about rural buses) are tracked on a system called iBus which is monitored by the controllers at the bus depot, they can see where each & every bus is, if they’re running late, if they need to be turned etc. It’s entirely possible that the controllers are already aware of the mistake & even helped the driver get back on track. In any case, this information is all logged so if you make a complaint, they’ll be able to see exactly how much time had elapsed from the bus leaving the route to getting back on it & therefore how much of a delay this wrong turn actually caused - you’d be surprised at the number of people who like to exaggerate a 5min delay into a 50min delay.

Also a quick tip, if you ever want to report a bus / driver then you should get the running number which is on a little plaque outside of the bus by the front doors - this number will tell the garage exactly which bus, route & driver it is. Don’t bother with the reg number, buses are swapped & pulled all the time.

Monty27 · 09/05/2018 02:06

Your dd was commuting to an extra curricular class on the bus.
Shit happens with public transport.

LolitaLempicka · 09/05/2018 02:09

So what would happen to drivers in these circumstances?

SadTears · 09/05/2018 02:10

DD was coming home on the bus

Was she going to her lesson after going home on the bus? Or does the tutor live near you! Or maybe I'm tired and read it wrong?

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