Bus Drivers

[TheAnimus]

Some are just plain physcopaths.

The night bus driver last night seamed to know better than the bus stops and the passengers in his bus, where he should stop. So much so theyre was a mini roit culminating in claims that the police would be called. This was when he just decided not too stop at Euston, he went in, saw lots of people hail him, plenty had pressed the stop button and where gathering at the exit, but no he went straight past.

I found this rather amusing actually, deciding to run to catch the bus in the first place, only for him to see me and two other guys, and iritatingly drive off. He did this for two stops before letting us get on bored.

Thing is, he did shave 10 minuites of the journey back. Turns out skipping stops makes it faster!

[htid]

Maybe it was Rave!

I know what you mean though, a lot of drivers up here just get to a stop and then wait about 5 minutes! They never used to, I think they got some new system whereby they have to be at a certain point at a certain time to "check in". Annoying though and makes me late for work every day (luckily I'm first in so nobody knows)

[rastamanblues]

Havent really had much experience with buses although a 'highlight' was the one that ages ago gave us a running commentary of the scienary and surrounding, and pretty much gave every passenger that came on and off nicknames. Im pretty sure he had a screw lose somewhere!

[funke_munke]

A few years back in a place in the valleys a guy stole a bus from the depot and did it's usual daily round, picking up passengers, then at the end, just stopped the bus and got off with the cash, leaving behind a very confused bunch of pensioners!

[zulander]

the best driver i ever had was one that went all the way through a log and busy route without charging anybody anything. He was speeding so much that he missed most of the stops and was just dropping people where he could. I wouldn't be a bus driver for anything but some of them are just plain weird like another fella i see from time to time who just flat out wont speak to u. Even if u ask him a perfectly reasonable question like do you stop near.. or how much to.... i know he probably gets it a million times a day but he really winds me up

[Vroomparrot]

Some are just plain nuts. I especially like the ones who treat red traffic lights as a suggestion that they may want to consider stopping if they like.

There was one time years ago when waiting for a bus, the driver pulled in to the stop but pulled off before anybody could get on. Fortunately the next stop was not too far away and you could beat him there if he was stopped by the traffic lights (and of course if he decided he would stop). So, I do manage to beat him there and when I get on I ask him why he didn't stop properly at the last stop as there were people waiting there. He then told me to get off the bus (maybe his wife had left him for a train driver and that had left him in a really bad mood). I didn't get off of course, instead I told him he'd have to physically drag me off. I then proceded to back of the bus.

I have to say most bus drivers seem fairly normal, polite and helpful.

[bigblue]

I'd have to agree that many are nuts, though whether or not they were nuts when they started driving buses is open to debate. Must be quite a soul-destroying job if you get the wrong route often enough.

As shown on Bloodbus (not for the easily offended, though I'm sure most Hexites are broad minded enough !)

[No.72]

All bus drivers are fascists tbh.

.... two of you average bus drivers there.

[0iD]

Originally Posted by No.72

All bus drivers are fascists tbh.

awaits the coming of Rave... Hexus.BusDriver

[sammyc]

Originally Posted by htid

Maybe it was Rave!

I know what you mean though, a lot of drivers up here just get to a stop and then wait about 5 minutes!

That's one of those things where you do want them to go prompt if you're on it & don't if you're waiting... - even tho I hate hanging around, it drives me more mad if they're off ahead of time as you get to the stop and have nooo idea if they've gone & stand there like a total fool. You do get some very odd ones & the worst are the funnymen - like the one we get who if you ask for a ticket to x says ooh i'm not going there, etc. ha ha. Then there are the ones that sing......

[Koolpc]

Can't stand bus drivers. They always pull out in front of you and never let you pull out! They think they own the road and some drive like complete lunatics!!

[0iD]

I dunno about the drvers, but bus lanes annoy the hell outa me. Nothing like sitting in heavy traffic & seeing a clear lane beside you

[SilentDeath]

Originally Posted by 0iD

I dunno about the drvers, but bus lanes annoy the hell outa me. Nothing like sitting in heavy traffic & seeing a clear lane beside you

this.

[SilentDeath]

Google Maps

LOOK how STUPID that is. They put a bus lane, on a dual carrage way, 200 meters after a busy roundabout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you follow that roundabout east, the traffic builds up EVERY DAY and blocks the PREVIOUS roundabout, around 1mile away.

The bus lane is hardly used too... compleatly unnessasary and makes them slower from the extra traffic it causes.
Then here, Google Maps
south a bit. this junction buses get instant 100% priority, the lights just go red instantly (going south, my commute..). often twice in a row if two busses are following each other.
Note that straight on, going north, is 100% always green. The bus would go this way, but they chose not to, as the bus lane further up causes a huge traffic jam which blocks that roundabout.

[Rave]

If a bus driver isn't doing their job properly, you should complain about them. If they won't give you their badge number (which I believe they're obliged to do), then get the running number of the bus when you get off- this is usually on a card mounted inside the windscreen (facing out), or a removable plate mounted on the side of the bus. I think they're always a one, two or three digit number. Then write a letter of complaint to the bus operating company (list here) and CC it to TfL. At the end of the day there's no excuse for consistently missing stops where passengers are waiting to board or alight- I miss the odd one through absent mindedness, but doing it repeatedly is taking the mic.

[Dreaming]

Maybe it's just London because all the ones I've had have been pretty good .

The bus companies in York fleece you though, it's more expensive than a taxi (shared between 4). Sorry state of affairs to be in really...