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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To complain about this twat of a bus driver? And the twatty passengers?

39 replies

AmIWhatAndWhy · 25/04/2008 18:47

I've had a shit day anyway, I have a horrid cold and nothing seems to have gone right.
Soooo,
I caught a train back from central London with my DC , DD (1 1/2) in a pushchair and DS (2 1/2) walking.
Normally I would walk back from the station but DS was exhausted, refusing to walk, and kept telling me he was hungry.

So I waited 10 minutes for the bus, struggled on with the buggy and showed my travelcard (that I'd paid almost a tenner for this morning) . But it wasn't my travelcard for today, it was an older one. The driver snatched it from my hand and loudly declared it was invalid, cue me rummaging around my bag/ coat.

I soon realised I was annoying everyone so pulled out my oyster to pay the single fare, but the oyster machine wasn't working.

By this point some idiot yelled 'kick her off, I'm in a rush'. I could hear mumbling of agreement and my cheeks burnt up. Someone else yelled ' let her on for gods sake' and the driver yelled 'shut the fuck up, no fare, no travel, she should get off my bus'.

DS started crying so I eventually found my purse and all I had was a ten pound note. The driver said he had no change so we had to get off and I ended up switching DS into the pushchair and pushing him home one handed whilst carrying DD.

I'm eve more pissed off to have gotten home and realised my travelcard was in the back pocket of my jeans all along, I must have missed it with all the stress.

Oh what a rant, sorry.

OP posts:

GirlySquare · 25/04/2008 19:20

AIWAW I am so angry for you I have just reported it via the tfl website

oxfordmcboing · 25/04/2008 19:24

just read full thread and agree with WRINKLYUM...two types of drivers.....once the driver gave me back a pound of my fare and said buy your lo an ice cream...was really touched!!...he was carrying bertie the bus at the time and was really excited

Original poster

AmIWhatAndWhy · 25/04/2008 19:35

Thanks GS I plan to do the same when I am not so angry and can compose a proper letter.

I assume they would have records of the oyster machines not working, and cctv even?

OP posts:

BrassicMonkey · 25/04/2008 19:39

What a load of bastards

Yes, complain about the driver. Not much you can do about the passengers though.

spicemonster · 25/04/2008 19:39

I have never had to get off the bus if there is an oyster machine and I have an oyster card but the machine doesn't work. What a shower of **s. That's dreadful. Complain in the strongest possible terms, very out of order. I hope you are having a relaxing evening.

Sidge · 25/04/2008 19:51

I am so angry on your behalf!!!

You had a valid oyster card.

You had money to pay the fare.

It was not your fault that 1, the oyster machine wasn't working and 2, the driver had no change.

I hope you complain all the way up to the top if necessary, not only at the bus not being equipped to receive payment but at the vile, rude driver. People that say fuck in front of small children shouldn't be allowed to work with the public.

Here, have this and this!!

Countingthegreyhairs · 25/04/2008 19:52

How horrid of him AmIwhatandwhy ....people's attitudes and degrees of friendliness/unfriendliness can make all the difference when travelling with toddlers ... it doesn't cost anything for people to be polite ....

I recently visited my ma in Suffolk and went in to Ipswich for the day with dd. I got the bus home (long country route with lots of elderly passengers and mothers with children) and the driver drove like a maniac. He set off at a mad speed before we had even managed to sit down; going around corners far too fast. I was struggling with dd and loads of supermarket bags and nearly fell over. An elderly woman behind me was having the same problem. People already seated on the bus were very kindly propping us up. When I (politely) appealed to the bus driver to please slow down a bit, he pulled the bus over, got out of the driver's seat, put his face right up to mine and shouted about how stressful his day was and how he didn't have time to "baby-sit" his passengers. The bus went totally quiet, no-one said anything and I felt so humiliated and dd was so scared (she was hiding her face in my coat) that I couldn't trust myself to say anything in case I burst in to tears. It still rattles me now thinking about it so understand how you are feeling AmIwhatandwhy

kneedeepinthedirtylaundry · 25/04/2008 19:56

What a wanker! Complain about him definitely! Poor you - you must have felt miserable, and your poor DS, too. Wanker driver

nickytwotimes · 25/04/2008 19:58

YANBU
Bloody rotters.

Original poster

AmIWhatAndWhy · 25/04/2008 20:04

Counting..

That sounds truly awful! I felt just the same ,I didn't want to fight back as so exhausted and embarrassed.
As I watched as the bus drove off people on there were laughing at us. (not paranoid, they actually did)

OP posts:

Wallace · 25/04/2008 20:20

How horrible You did try to pay the fare twice! I am so cross on your behalf

A bus driver once told me (heavily pg btw with a toddler) that he couldn't accept 5 pence pieces for the fare He did let me when I asked him how on earth I was supposed to get home...

Countingthegreyhairs · 25/04/2008 20:26

Oh that's even worse AmIwhatandwhy ... at least I (kind of) felt passengers were on my side ... even though no-one actually stepped up and said anything ... (or I could be deluding myself of course )

I simply don't understand how people can't give mothers who are struggling with young dc on public transport a bit of slack ... either they don't have children or have forgotten what it is like ....

Don't let the b**gers grind you down AmIwhat ...!!

Sounds like a good time for a long candle-lit bath and a slob-out in front of DVD tonight!! x

Paddlechick666 · 25/04/2008 20:30

I think you should report the driver.

I've lost count of the times the oyster machine isn't working. Every time the driver has just waived me on to the bus.

What about all the other people on the bus with Oyster cards?

TBH I doubt the bus company will do anything but you might just feel better for reporting it.

Really hope you can have a nice relaxing evening now you're home safe tho.

hifi · 25/04/2008 20:36

god, i feel for you, been there. normally if the machine isnt working they let you on, its not your problem.
i had an incident where bus driver told me i had to fold buggy up, there was space but he demanded it, i had already paid.didnt have any shopping on it so struggled. a lady held dd for me. a male species then started to get really abusive with me, really bad. one woman shouted that as he was the only man on the bus she would suggest he shut the f* up. he did, and looked scared. made me feel like a million.girl power.

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