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?

I have had similar once. There are two buses that pass my house but one of them is designed in a way that really inconveniences everyone if you don't get off at the end of the line (which I don't).

It only has a front door and it gets very busy. So you get shoved down the back of the bus to let everyone on and then all those people have to get out of the way to let you off when you get to your stop. Whereas the other is a double decker with a back door so even if it is very full, you can always get off pretty easily with minimum impact on others.

The buses come from different places but from where I am, they both do the same route with the same terminus, just different bus designs.

Anyway, when the two buses pulled up at the same time, I walked past the front one-door one and took the double decker behind which would disrupt the journeys of all the other passengers less. The bus driver let me on but he was really furious about it and questioning my choice, even when I explained. It was the strangest thing. I probably should have complained, too, I was quite shaken by it.

That’s bizarre. I’m not normally one to say ‘report’, but he’s clearly bonkers so perhaps needs a meeting with HR.

He thinks you knew the bus behind was less full? Are you a witch? A psychic? 😂

The bus driver and his best mate 😆

That's mad OP, honestly I opened the thread expecting you to have been scoffing a bucket of KFC or something!!!

Guy's a nutter

Hi, OP -

Just …. Wow. Please report.

When you do, it will help to be clear at the start that your pass was valid for the weird driver’s bus. My first thought was to wonder whether you were trying something against the regulations, even if accidentally. Your answer to PP’s question cleared that up.

The bus company’s rep will be thinking the same way.

Good luck with this!

I’d have just got on and sat down. Would have been a bit counter productive for him if he was hoping to get to his destination quicker if he’d sat there and not moved.

But there must be more to it .

How would the driver know she missed the first bus, Op said he didn't arrive till three minutes later .

I'd go to SM first and complain publicly. They're usually quick to ask you to take it private. But either way you need to complain.

This doesn’t make sense. Once again OP - how did he know you didn’t get on the first bus if he came 3 minutes later?

There must be some sort of nuance you’re not telling us here, OP….

🤣🤣

None of his business. Complain about his attitude, it’ll be on camera, hopefully with audio.

Report him. How did he know the one in front wasn't full? Whether it was full or not, it's not your problem and none of his business.

Similar happened to me once, and the bus I didn't get on had people standing. I need to sit on a bus because I have balance issues. I was fucking furious.

My daughter had similar. She allowed the first bus to pass her, as her school friend was on the second, about a minute or two behind. The second bus sailed straight past her outstretched arm! Ended up having to drive her to school. Never did report it but I should have. It was definitely in service and travelling the right route. No reason to drive past other than the driver felt she should have got on the first bus.

They do this where I live. Build up to five minutes early going past my nearest stop and take a fag break two stops down. It's fucking outrageous.

Because she was standing at the bus stop.

I actually had this situation a few years ago. Driver told me I couldn't get on as I should have got the one in front. I said I wasn't here then, he said I was lying.

I'm gobby so just said I wasn't getting off so he either let me pay, take me for free or the bus would just not move. He huffed and puffed but let me pay.

Another one? Good grief. What on earth is going on? I wonder if you live in the same area as the OP.

But she wasn’t when the bus before went !

I'd probably have got on anyway. If he really refused to pull away at least you'd be in more comfortable surroundings while you reported him and waited for the next bus.

He needs disciplinary action asap.

I don’t travel by bus now as the drivers are invariably cunts but this used to happen. First bus was late, second would come when first was still at the stop and just zoom past - despite the fact I’d rather have a seat on the emptier bus than stand on the packed one 🙄 fucking arseholes and quite often the people who work in the office are as bad when you complain.

Also you wouldn’t get anywhere reporting it. Same has happened to my son a number of times waiting to get a bus to school. They just say the bus was full, and there’s zero way of disproving it. Total arseholes, bus companies

A bus driver refused to take you because he thought you wanted a faster journey? Really?