Bus Drivers...

ChristOnAStick

I don't know about the rest of the country, but speaking from personal experience it would seem that Galway bus drivers are the most arrogant, uncourteous and bitter shower of **** on the planet.
And it's not exactly as if they have any reason to be. Bitterness would be justified in, say, a steel mill worker who engages in genuinely tough, physically and mentally testing work yet recieves little or no recognition or thanks.
But a bus driver? Sitting in that comfy seat all day, listening to the radio, being thanked by almost everyone who avails of your services.
A friend of mine was recently told to " take the adult ticket, sit the **** down and stop feeding me horse****", despite the fact he was appropriate age for a child's fare. Last year, a female friend of mine had a similar, but far more inexcuseable altercation with a driver. He also refused her a child's fare, so she muttered something as she was getting off the bus, only to have him follow her off and pin her to a wall.
The aforementioned are some extreme examples. But it is still hard to find a genuinely polite and courteous driver among the ranks.

Anyone have any other stories to share? I'd like to hear them.
Give us yer views on the matter also.

Did your friend report the assault to the cops?

ChristOnAStick

Yes, we wrote up a report and handed it into the bus eireann office. They told us the future wasn't bright for him, and I haven't seen him driving a bus since.

biko

My experiences are all good.
I get my adult ticket and sit the **** down.
Not a bother like

Fey!

I don't like the ones who stop randomly with no indicators or in the middle of junctions...

...and as for the ones using the taxi lane in Renmore............

ChristOnAStick

Yeah, I didn't think it necessary to touch on road etiquette... But that's another major issue.

leninbenjamin

there seem to be a few f*ckers, but you get that everywhere. most seem sound out, if just bored sh*tless 90% the time, but that's understandable. In general i've found Bus Eireann drivers to be a lot more pleasant/patient than the City Direct ones.

Robbo

Fey! wrote: »

...and as for the ones using the taxi lane in Renmore............

Taxi Lane?

You mean the Renmore bypass, surely?

Fey!

Fey! wrote: »

I don't like the ones who stop randomly with no indicators or in the middle of junctions...

...and as for the ones using the taxi lane in Renmore............

you do realise thats a bus lane, right? Unless you're being sarcastic

Fey!

Deleted User wrote: »

you do realise thats a bus lane, right? Unless you're being sarcastic

ah, yes. Sorry for causing confusion!

leninbenjamin

someone needs to invent sarcasm tags for the internet.

LadyMayBelle

Don' even start me on bus drivers..whenit comes to assisting people in wheelchairs, SOME are very helpful, but the rest are downright ignorant, and make a big fuss about having to put down the ramp....and then drive off at lightening speend before the person has even got their chair into a safe position..maybe they gets kicks out of it, but it Ive nearly broken my wrist on several occasions holding onto someone's wheelchair to help them

TerrorFirmer

I'm not elderly nor am I confined to a wheelchair but the amount of times bus drivers tear away from the stop while you're standing there waiting to buy a ticket, and nearly go flying down the aisle....in fact, once I did have the joy of witnessing a 15 year old kid go flying and ending up with his hoody wrapped around his head face down on the floor, about two meters from the doors...sorry there's no real point to the story, except I'm a bastard because I sniggered, and then outright laughed when an old, frail lady started sniggering as well.

Mrs OBumble

leninbenjamin wrote: »

there seem to be a few f*ckers, but you get that everywhere. most seem sound out, if just bored sh*tless 90% the time, but that's understandable. In general i've found Bus Eireann drivers to be a lot more pleasant/patient than the City Direct ones.

As a tourist around Ireland, I found just the opposite: Bus Eireann drivers were more likely to be grumpy, and also to "pretend" not to understand when I said "same day return" and so sell me the more expensive one-month-return ticket.

As a resident in Galway, I've found that the guys who drive the factory-run I catch are almost always pleasant and helpful, probably 'cos they have face us again tomorrow. The city drivers are more mixed. I especially like the way they always double-check with people getting on the #5 that it's going where they want (Ballybane or Rahoon) - I suspect they think most of us can't read!

leninbenjamin

JustMary wrote: »

As a tourist around Ireland, I found just the opposite: Bus Eireann drivers were more likely to be grumpy, and also to "pretend" not to understand when I said "same day return" and so sell me the more expensive one-month-return ticket.

oh, for going across the country Bus Eireann without a doubt offer the worst service, i wholeheartedly agree. I'd always go for a private company over them.