Rude, Racist or Right?

[tarmactreacle]

I rarely travel by bus but yesterday I was queuing behind a man for a bus to town.

When he got on he said "name of destination". The driver replied "no, it's "single to name of destination PLEASE". Have some manners, We're in England"

The man then politely repeated what the bus driver had asked him to say, took his ticket and sat down.

The man was black and the "we are in England" felt unnecessary and made me feel uncomfortable.

What are your thoughts?

The last part was clearly racist. No other meaning for it.
But people should say please and use full sentences instead of just barking destinations at bus drivers. They deal with a lot of rudeness all day long. It must be demoralising. Although I’m sure that, in this case, his entire rebuke of the man was driven by race.

Racist. Please report him.

Do you really have to ask?

Rude and racist.
Report to the bus company?

I agree, the 'we're in England' sounded racist - it implies the person isn't English. Of course the passenger might be a tourist on a UK holiday, but that wouldn't be a normal assumption about someone on a local bus service (which I assume it was by your use of 'bus to town').

I am sure the man knows we are in England.

The driver was a complete prick.

This is the type of racism where black people are treated like children. Whether or not an adult says please or thank you, ans whether or not others think it's rude, adults do not usually correct other adults in this way. The "this is england" was just another layer of racism.

I would also be tempted to complain. If this is how he behaves to a black male adult, I dread to think how much worse he us to black.women or children.

We are definitely not a tourist area. I felt the man wasn't rude in the way he asked for the ticket, he said the destination softly and quietly. There was no arrogance about him. I admit a "please" would have been nice though.

Racist. Please make a report about the bus driver.
IMO we all have a duty, as bystanders, to support and protect others in need.

We're in England is racist. You should report him.

Pleased to see everybody agreeing it's racist. It definitely is.

Certainly racist and the driver needs to be reported.

Racist. Report the driver.

Obviously racist. This sort of person is just waiting for excuses to have a pop at someone. Also the “we are in England” comment is so ridiculous. As if it’s acceptable to be rude everywhere in the world but not in England. Small minded moron.

Probably a bit of all three. It's basic manners to say please, but it's quite rude to correct someone in that way, and yes the bus driver does sound racist.

@MsMarch

This is the type of racism where black people are treated like children. Whether or not an adult says please or thank you, ans whether or not others think it's rude, adults do not usually correct other adults in this way. The "this is england" was just another layer of racism.

Exactly. If the guy had been white there’s no way he would even have challenged him on it.

Its like the way some people will speak to foreigners with this very slow, patronising and loud voice as if they are intellectually challenged because they are not British. The fact someone has bothered to learn enough if your language to be able to communicate (unlike the average Brit who can’t assemble a sentence in any other language) tells you that they are not stupid. So don’t treat them as if they are: they’re probably more educated than you.

I loathe people like this.

Definitely racist. Please report him

Outrageous, report him

Yeah, I think it was racially motivated and that's not on and needs to be reported.

Don't agree with it being rude to 'challenge' lack of manners in general though.

Bus driver is an arrogant racist prick and needs to be reported. He would never have said that to your average white British man in the same situation.

The driver’s probably exasperated by rude passengers.

I’ve said ‘we’re in England so you’ve got to say please’ to my family on trips who live abroad and don’t use it - or thanks - normally at home. Lots of places don’t.

Not automatically racist. I’ve got my suspicions on this one but equally calling someone out for discourtesy isn’t a problem.

Rude and clearly racist.

Not saying please may be rude but it's far ruder IMO to admonish an adult for not saying please than it is to fail to say it in the first place.

Report the driver.
What a horrible man.

100% racist. The bus driver wasn't trying to do this guy a favour so that he would understands social norms, he was saying 'you don't belong here'.