Buses, the old people on them and the driver

I manage to resist taking the 501 to and from university 90% of the time. It's now £1.50 to travel less than two miles, and often by the time I've reached the bus stop and waited for the supposedly ten-minutely muddafugga to arrive, I could have been home, with calories burnt and money saved.

On the rare occasions that I do take the bus, such as this afternoon, I usually end up debating two questions with myself...

a) Should I give up my seat for an elderly person who, let's face it, didn't pay, and in most cases would be willing to endure the discomfort of standing up if it presented an excuse to whinge about the ignorrance of youth? I always offer my seat as it happens, but simply because I don't have the heart to do otherwise.

b) Should I (it seems to be traditional to do so) thank the driver as I get off, baring in mind 99% of them are bad-tempered, generally unpleasant people? 'Thank you' for what? Robbing me in broad daylight?

Had to chuckle at this one. Being an old fart, who's used his bus pass a couple of times, I do of course think you should offer the seat. I always did when I was your age, and still do, if I think they are going to expire before me. (It makes me feel good, looking after the old ones). Also, its good to see people views don't change, i.e. the young think of the old ones as a moaning bunch of scroungers, and the moaning bunch of scroungers thinking all youngsters are bad-mannered and ignorant. (This rarely turns out to be the truth when the one talks to the other).

I always thank the driver, because the way they drive down here, its nice to get home alive !

I offer my seat to Ladies in general (more often than not) the exception being when I'm tired and fall asleep while there are empty seats on the bus. If I wake up to see ladies standing, too bad. I have had an experience where an older Lady stood next to me and bumped me repeatedly even when the bus didn't cause her to, until I offered her my seat!

It's common courtesy to give up ones seat for the elderly. Fortunately, I can afford a car so I tend to avoid public transport. The last time I travelled on a bus it stank of piss.

That happened to me one day - then the bus stopped, a fellow hopped off and the bus miraculously smelt better. I never figured out how that happened, though...

I'm not paying £4.50 return for a 6 mile round trip and standing up for someone who is on the bus for free. It's as simple as that. I do suffer from back pains sometimes, but this isn't the reason. I'm normally too engrossed in my iPhone or a book to care who else has got on or off anyway. I will stand up for a single parent with a young child, but again, only if I notice.

I've grown slightly bitter towards the elderly for the way that they like to generalise about the 'ignorance' of my generation, especially since I come across elderly people all the time who are pig ignorant themselves.

So when I'm in this situation, the temptation is always there to prove the stereotype right. But my warm-hearted nature will always prevail.

Sort of on topic but when i was in college i did a summer job at Tesco 2 summers in a row and you see all walks of life in there.

most people were pretty nice to you asking questions usually well mannered but i had 3 or 4 occasions where i was spoken to like shit or shouted at and every time it was by an elderly woman.

I respect the elderly of course, but i think respect goes two ways, these people clearly didn't respect me because i was in a menial job and they were of the opinion i owed them something because of their age. I found it quite enraging.

Not all elderly people are of that ilk obviously, but i was young at the time at it surprised me.

Hipster, I've seen exactly the same thing happening, and I know, (my wife worked in Tesco for a while), that you cannot say anything to them, in case you lose your job. I've never worked in the service industry, and my missus reckons I would last about 5 minutes.

doffcocker wrote:I've grown slightly bitter towards the elderly for the way that they like to generalise about the 'ignorance' of my generation, especially since I come across elderly people all the time who are pig ignorant themselves.

So when I'm in this situation, the temptation is always there to prove the stereotype right. But my warm-hearted nature will always prevail.

Keep it up doffcocker. Not every member of the older generation is pig ignorant. Some are and some aren't. It might seem old fashioned but I just don't understand why some people are rude or treat staff as inferior to them. Politeness costs nothing and most people will reciprocate.

I haven't been on a bus since I left school. But the drivers always seemed nice back then.

Keegan wrote:I offer my seat to Ladies in general (more often than not) the exception being when I'm tired and fall asleep while there are empty seats on the bus. If I wake up to see ladies standing, too bad. I have had an experience where an older Lady stood next to me and bumped me repeatedly even when the bus didn't cause her to, until I offered her my seat!

Maybe it wasn't your seat she wanted.

That's all I had that she can handle!

In general the bus drivers for First bus are some of the most unpleasant in the county - in fact where ever First bus are located in the country, the drivers are some of the most obnoxious going - must be part of their company training policy! Also, whilst the bus is at its terminus, why cant the driver just go up and down the bus tidying it up and making it a bit more pleasant for the next journey, instead of leaving them as just general tips where even mice and rats fear to tread! With regards to the older generation - they are not actually getting on for nothing as they have paid their fare, as well as us, through taxation. The bus company counts the number of elderly that get on their buses and then they get re-imbursed by the local council or transport body (in Greater Manchester that is Transport for Greater Manchester).



Where I am it is actually a pleasurable experience to travel by bus - clean buses (the driver basically given a bus for 12 months and has to look after them - cleaning etc etc and if they are not up to a certain standard then disciplinary takes place!!!), friendly driver - they say hello, goodbye, smile, help whenever - in fact they are some of the most corteous people around, and talk about being ontime - again if late or not running then they have to have a good excuse or disciplinary action is taken. Any nuisance customers - they are ejected off the bus immediately, or the driver can actually call the police and even handcuff the problem drivers until police arrive!!!

Guards (both train and buses) have powers to arrest, hadcuff and place in isolation any offender on public transport - in fact the double-decker trains do have rooms where they hold people under arrest!



Now why can't the same happen in the UK?

doffcocker wrote:I've grown slightly bitter towards the elderly for the way that they like to generalise about the 'ignorance' of my generation, especially since I come across elderly people all the time who are pig ignorant themselves.

So when I'm in this situation, the temptation is always there to prove the stereotype right. But my warm-hearted nature will always prevail.

You fell right into the trap of making a sweeping generalisation yourself.
Being old is shit. Everything hurts, your mates are dead, it can be lonely and nobody values your opinions any more so no wonder they are a grumpy lot.
Old age and/or death comes to everyone so even if an old person is a miserable/rude/smelly bastard, I'll always help in anyway I can in the vain hope that some kid will be kind to me when I'm past it.

I wouldn't call it a 'sweeping generalisation'.

I'm saying that from my experience, there are just as many ignorant, rude, inconsiderate people from the older generation as there are from my own.

Going off on another tangent, my grandmother could talk forever and a day about the disrespectful nature of today's kids, yet she is the rudest, most tactless, bad-mannered person I know.

Its a known fact , and if not, worth considering, that as you get older you become invisible. You are just 'there', have no worthwhile opinion, and are no longer considered usefull. As you no longer work, you are considered a drain on the nation's purse, even though you have been a useful and tax-paying member since the day you could work. If you can afford to be put into a home, it would seem that you are either ripped off over charges, or badly mistreated. I'm really looking forward to it (not).

I have great respect for older people as every one should.
Having said that i did get poked a lot when i was a lad by old buggers walking sticks.

As a lad i did used to think old people were aliens.

doffcocker wrote:I wouldn't call it a 'sweeping generalisation'.

I'm saying that from my experience, there are just as many ignorant, rude, inconsiderate people from the older generation as there are from my own.

Going off on another tangent, my grandmother could talk forever and a day about the disrespectful nature of today's kids, yet she is the rudest, most tactless, bad-mannered person I know.

Every generation, race, creed and gender has good 'uns and bad 'uns. I just don't like tarring everyone in a group with the same brush - it's lazy thinking.