AIBU? Bus driver refused to let me on the bus

[tulipkisses]

Where I live buses can be infrequent and often delayed due to awful traffic. We also don’t have tap on/off, we have to show the driver our tickets or purchase one as we get on.

I work about a five minute walk from the bus stop. As I got to the bus stop this evening the bus was just pulling away, I checked the app and there was another one coming three minutes later.

It turned up and I put my arm out to hail it. It pulled in, someone got off and I stepped on. The driver refused to let me on because I “should have been on the earlier one”. He said if I walked onto the bus he wouldn’t pull away and would wait for me to get off, and he didn’t care about sitting there for hours to see if I’d stay on. He said he knew I was “only getting on this one for a faster journey” because it was empty compared to the one in front.

I have never experienced this in my life, I have no idea what to do? I have the number plate and I’m considering reporting it but this is just totally bizarre, should I have waited for the one after this one?

He sounds quite unstable. Report asap.

Weird. Yes report him. Did you have to wait long for another?

What the....!? Report this.

What an absolute fruit loop!

What? This is mad! I’d definitely complain and ask to see where on earth in their T&Cs/conditions of service this bonkers policy is detailed!

Still waiting! Next one is at 25 past, this is what I mean about them being infrequent. They’re either every half hour or one after another 😂

Eh?

Get this reported! Im stubborn and I think id have got on and let him sit there while I called the bus company

You definitely need to report him, he’s unhinged op!

He definitely doesn't sound mentally stable.

I'd report ASAP.

In fact, get onto the bus companies social media while you wait!

When u get on ask for the name or details of whoever is on shift. The batshit crazy one. Ask for the name of who to complain to directly.

Absolutely!!

How extremely bizarre! I’d report.

Report him. Very bizarre behaviour from him.

I'd have got on the bus and sat down and let him wait. I'd also have called his bus company while we were waiting.

Can't prove this but I bet he wouldn't have done this to a man built like a heavyweight boxer.

How did he know if you had been at the bus stop when the earlier bus went past or not? Obviously you have been treated very badly - I am just a bit confused and trying to follow the logic.

Unless the bus was no longer in service and returning to the bus garage he is being very unreasonable and you should complain to the bus company. First and Stagecoach have complaints forms you can fill in online and I'm sure other bus services do too

What on earth?! I am a bus driver and this is ridiculous

Where I live there is a "city controller" who works for the bus company and helps passengers with queries and complaints and stuff. Maybe if where you are has something similar you could speak to them?

Is your ticket only valid for the ‘slow’ bus? If it’s for any bus / bus route that seems utterly bizarre, as other posters have said, how did he know you missed the earlier one? So odd.

No, I have a bus pass.

I think he’s grumpy because he has a relatively empty bus and could probably get through most of his route quite quietly.

I’m slightly confused but is it that you have a return for a different service? E.g to get to my house from the station, you can get the number 3 bus (which goes one route, and is operated by company A) or the number 5 bus (different route and operated by company ah B). If I tried to get on a number 3 with a return bought on an outward 5 (or vice versa) then they’d refuse to let me travel, as it’s a different ticket.

I think you have a duty to report it really as he doesn’t sound fit to be driving passengers. He sounds unstable.

100% report

How does he know you missed the earlier bus though?