Bus Eireann drivers....GRRRRRR

Doom

Whats the story with bus drivers these days, they are replacing taxi drivers as the people with no driving manners. Twice in the last week a bus was pulled in collecting people, and I'm about half way passed they just swing out, one guy nearly hit the car and then flashes his lights at me as if i'm in the wrong:mad:

onemorechance

Buses have right of way when pulling out. If he had indicated before you started to overtake, then you were wrong. If you were overtaking before he indicated, then yes he was in the wrong.

biko

I pretty sure they're tired of cars just whizzing by and not letting them out when they have a schedule to keep.
If a bus indicates, or looks like it's about to take off, just stop and let them go first.

Doom

biko wrote: »

I pretty sure they're tired of cars just whizzing by and not letting them out when they have a schedule to keep.
If a bus indicates, or looks like it's about to take off, just stop and let them go first.

Guys read the first post, he was pulled in, I was half way past, he pulls out on top of me.......same rules of the road apply to all drivers, indicate, look, clear to do so then pull out......:rolleyes:

Anthony Walsh

I was in limerick on the Raheen to City centre bus one day and there is a cross road you go straight through, i think you turn left to get to Mary I, any way the lights were red and the traffic coming across us had right of way but the traffic was bad so obvious you can't stop on the yellow squares so the bus driver decideds to keep going and the traffic crossing over starts moving, and cars start beeping at him. He decided to stop in the middle of the cross road open his window and start cussing at one of the beepers. If he was in a rush he would have kept going. I think he was just looking to piss people off.

paddyland

One bus driver pulled out without looking or indicating, so automatically ALL bus drivers must be bad...

Run_to_da_hills

Difference between a taxi and a bus, a taxi is nothing more than an ordinary car, a bus is large, awkward to manouver and more blind spots. People should take all these things into consideration when approacing the rear of a bus.

On top of that there is always the danger of hitting passengers especially kids that might try to rush across the road in front of the bus.

I would suggest the OP calm down a bit and perhaps take the bus some day and watch what the drivers have to put up with every day.

Doom

paddyland wrote: »

One bus driver pulled out without looking or indicating, so automatically ALL bus drivers must be bad...

Please read the first post!!!!!! I said it happened twice, but i didn't say it was the same driver and for info it was two different times and two different buses and two different areas.....so it looks like bus drivers are generally bad and have bad road manners:P

paddyland

Two bus drivers pulled out without looking or indicating, so automatically ALL GENERALLY bus drivers must be bad...

Same thing...

Doom

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Difference between a taxi and a bus, a taxi is nothing more than an ordinary car, a bus is large, awkward to manouver and more blind spots. People should take all these things into consideration when approacing the rear of a bus.

On top of that there is always the danger of hitting passengers especially kids that might try to rush across the road in front of the bus.

I would suggest the OP calm down a bit and perhaps take the bus some day and watch what the drivers have to put up with every day.

I'm calm, I was talking about their road manners.....and what if i was a cyclist or mororbike driver and a bus hit me...i'd be dead. Defend bad driving then! A bus is a big vehicle and so they should take more care of other road users.

Doom

paddyland wrote: »

Two bus drivers pulled out without looking or indicating, so automatically ALL GENERALLY bus drivers must be bad...

Same thing...

Yes I do think bus drivers are bad, ever notice a bus on the main road, they are supposed to be limited to 80km/h, and they sure don't obey that one= bad drivers....the lot :pac:

centrewest

Doom wrote: »

Yes I do think bus drivers are bad, ever notice a bus on the main road, they are supposed to be limited to 80km/h, and they sure don't obey that one= bad drivers....the lot :pac:

not since Dec 08

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2008/en/si/0546.html

100k on dual carriageways & motorways

paddyland

Doom wrote: »

Yes I do think bus drivers are bad, ever notice a bus on the main road, they are supposed to be limited to 80km/h, and they sure don't obey that one= bad drivers....the lot :pac:

Ever notice the road traffic laws, buses are restricted to 100kph, not 80kph... Had another poster here a few weeks ago insisted that was wrong, even when presented with a link to the statutory law. If you want to raise an observation about a particular incident with a bus, by all means, we might learn from it. But if you just want to be another road rager who hates buses (or any other road user who isn't you) then don't expect to be taken seriously.

gbee

onemorechance wrote: »

Buses have right of way when pulling out. If he had indicated before you started to overtake, then you were wrong. If you were overtaking before he indicated, then yes he was in the wrong.

They have the same right of way as pedestrians crossing the road as the lights change ~ if someone is on the junction or in the bus's space, traffic at the junction or the bus CANNOT move off.

Also there is a problem with the indicating thingie. I know that SOME drivers put on the indicator as they pull in ~ then leave off and take in passengers and take fares.

To force this point I stopped behind one one day, just as you say, the irate traffic cop behind me had an aggressive word with the bus driver ~ but I must note that he no longer indicates out as he is pulling in ~ I think it is one of those 'tricks' that they use.

I also flashed one in the main street, and got the wave on hand out the driver's window ~ and no, it was not the flashers on and I only able to see one.

Buses do have right of way * correct * But buses have no EXTRA rights in obeying the standard road traffic regulations and the use of indicators, even if traffic does not give them their right of way, they cannot pull out into traffic, doing so is an offence.

Traffic is obliged to stop BEHIND the bus [but in their own lane, obviously] and allow the bus to pull out, failing to do so is an offence.

centrewest

paddyland wrote: »

Ever notice the road traffic laws, buses are restricted to 100kph, not 80kph... Had another poster here a few weeks ago insisted that was wrong, even when presented with a link to the statutory law. If you want to raise an observation about a particular incident with a bus, by all means, we might learn from it. But if you just want to be another road rager who hates buses (or any other road user who isn't you) then don't expect to be taken seriously.

more like hates the bus company in particular, rather than all buses

Doom

paddyland wrote: »

Ever notice the road traffic laws, buses are restricted to 100kph, not 80kph... Had another poster here a few weeks ago insisted that was wrong, even when presented with a link to the statutory law. If you want to raise an observation about a particular incident with a bus, by all means, we might learn from it. But if you just want to be another road rager who hates buses (or any other road user who isn't you) then don't expect to be taken seriously.

I don't hate buses, just their drivers;)

scully74

I agree with the OP, they're bad a the best of times, bullies in a big vehicle

AlekSmart

Doom,as a matter of interest didja get a look at the type of Coach it was ..?

Ticktactoe

scully74 wrote: »

bullies in a big vehicle

My experience with some bus drivers but mainly lorry drivers is the same.
I dont get mad about it tho, I just take it into consideration the next time im on the road and there is bus or lorry near me.
Driving is not solely about how you drive but how you drive while taking into account other vehicles on the road.

Zoney

scully74 wrote: »

I agree with the OP, they're bad a the best of times, bullies in a big vehicle

That's a laugh! When taking the bus it is now typical for at least a half-dozen cars to go past the bus while the driver is trying to leave a stop they've pulled into. This has a major effect on journey time when it happens at every stop. It is absolutely unacceptable for car drivers not to slow down approaching a bus who may pull out and stop to allow them to do so if they are indicating.

Cases of bus drivers pushing into traffic are a far far smaller issue and an issue that only arises in the first place due to the selfishness of many car drivers who put themselves first ahead of a bus-ful of people.

scully74

Zoney wrote: »

That's a laugh! When taking the bus it is now typical for at least a half-dozen cars to go past the bus while the driver is trying to leave a stop they've pulled into. This has a major effect on journey time when it happens at every stop. It is absolutely unacceptable for car drivers not to slow down approaching a bus who may pull out and stop to allow them to do so if they are indicating.

Cases of bus drivers pushing into traffic are a far far smaller issue and an issue that only arises in the first place due to the selfishness of many car drivers who put themselves first ahead of a bus-ful of people.

Thats bolloix! what about if ur a bike driver like the OP said, and if ur half way past the bus u should have a right....no you DO have a right to pass safely

scully74

Proof

testarossa40

scully74 wrote: »

Proof

Of what?

A. Enquiry determined the Luas driver was wholly at fault.
B. That's a Dublin Bus vehicle - not Bus Eireann's.

Wake up & pay attention down the back please... :rolleyes:

foggy_lad

onemorechance wrote: »

Buses have right of way when pulling out. If he had indicated before you started to overtake, then you were wrong. If you were overtaking before he indicated, then yes he was in the wrong.

since when??? busses must give way to other road users when pulling into any lane of traffic! this applies to all vehicles and cyclists pulling into a lane of traffic!

centrewest wrote: »

not since Dec 08

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2008/en/si/0546.html

100k on dual carriageways & motorways

only if the coach(does not apply to busses) is not designed to carry and not carrying standees

gbee wrote: »

They have the same right of way as pedestrians crossing the road as the lights change ~ if someone is on the junction or in the bus's space, traffic at the junction or the bus CANNOT move off.

Buses do have right of way * incorrect * But buses have no EXTRA rights in obeying the standard road traffic regulations and the use of indicators, even if traffic does not give them their right of way, they cannot pull out into traffic, doing so is an offence.

Traffic is obliged to stop BEHIND the bus [but in their own lane, obviously] and allow the bus to pull out, failing to do so is an offence.

if you pull up behind a bus that is pulled in at a stop you are entitled to pass that bus if you can do so safely, if the bus indicates to pull out from the stop you must allow it but if the bus pulls into the stop and immediately indicates to pull out while the driver boards passengers takes fares and calls the herald seller over you have the right to pass the bus as it is causing an unreasonable delay by failing to progress its journey! and the driver needs to be given a prolonged holiday for some retraining!

Doom

what I saw today only confirms that bus drivers are £$%&*£'s.... this morning i was on my way out of galway on the oranmore coast road behind the NO.20 bus, he threw his paper coffee cup out the window.....so i took his number and made a littering complaint to the council;)

AlekSmart

What I saw today only confirms that a bus driver is a £$%&*£'s.... this morning I was on my way out of Galway on the Oranmore coast road behind the NO.20 bus, he threw his paper coffee cup out the window.....so I took his number and made a littering complaint to the council

Excellent stuff Doom,and with a little luck your target will get a good stiff fine.
Once the cúpla adjustments were made for accuracy your post was spot-on.....Actions will always speak louder than words.

Personally I do not eat or drink when on duty as it`s the sure fire way to obesity and ill-health for any vocational driver,so once I factored myself and other non-feeding drivers out of your post I find nothing to disagree with.

Doom

AlekSmart wrote: »

Excellent stuff Doom,and with a little luck your target will get a good stiff fine.
Once the cúpla adjustments were made for accuracy your post was spot-on.....Actions will always speak louder than words.

Personally I do not eat or drink when on duty as it`s the sure fire way to obesity and ill-health for any vocational driver,so once I factored myself and other non-feeding drivers out of your post I find nothing to disagree with.

Sounds like you're trying to justify littering now, what next?

Vic_08

AlekSmart wrote: »

with a little luck your target will get a good stiff fine

Doom wrote: »

Sounds like you're trying to justify littering now, what next?

Sounds like you are incapable of understanding simple English.

parsi

Doom wrote: »

what I saw today only confirms that bus drivers are £$%&*£'s.... this morning i was on my way out of galway on the oranmore coast road behind the NO.20 bus, he threw his paper coffee cup out the window.....so i took his number and made a littering complaint to the council;)

Good stuff.

I hope you also do it for cigarette butt throwing which is a bloody pain in the neck.

AlekSmart

Sounds like you're trying to justify littering now, what next?

.....Maybe I should clarify ....Doom,well done on your catching a litter lout in the act.
You`ve done your civic duty in reporting the individual.

Whether this individual is a Busdriver or not is of no relevance whatever to the issue of throwing crap out of the cab window.

I certainly do not do it,nor would I condone it from anybody else Busdriver or Lord Mayor....is that clear enough ???

BenShermin

Now there's two minutes of my life wasted reading this thread:rolleyes:.

Doom

AlekSmart wrote: »

.....Maybe I should clarify ....Doom,well done on your catching a litter lout in the act.
You`ve done your civic duty in reporting the individual.

Whether this individual is a Busdriver or not is of no relevance whatever to the issue of throwing crap out of the cab window.

I certainly do not do it,nor would I condone it from anybody else Busdriver or Lord Mayor....is that clear enough ???

Bus drivers are generally AR*E holes in my opinion, if you disagree, I don't really care either....is that clear enough:D

AlekSmart

Bus drivers are generally AR*E holes in my opinion, if you disagree, I don't really care either....is that clear enough

Absolutely Krystal...nothing like a good clear unambigious statement to put non-busdrivers minds at rest...Onwards and Upwards I say !

centrewest

Doom wrote: »

Bus drivers are generally AR*E holes in my opinion, if you disagree, I don't really care either....is that clear enough:D

people who generalise are generally AR*E holes in my opinion
oops have i just generalised !

Run_to_da_hills

Busses

A current thread in AH for those that want to let off steam with out the strict moderation that is found in C&T.

AlekSmart

Bus drivers are generally AR*E holes in my opinion, if you disagree, I don't really care either....is that clear enough

A current thread in AH for those that want to let off steam with out the strict moderation that is found in C&T.

Shurely shome mishtake boss....:D

foggy_lad

i was on another bus eireann bus thursday night and the driver was on his phone from the time we pulled off the dual carriageway into naas all the way through the town with a ten minute break then for at least two miles out the kilcullen road!

he only once took the phone from his ear when a guarda on a motorbike was driving towards us and as soon as he had passed the phone was lifted back to his ear and the conversation continued!

while i do not need to know what happens when complaints are made to bus eireann i would like to think that a driver caught more than twice doing something completly unsafe and illegal would be dismissed without any further warnings or appeals.

AlekSmart

While i do not need to know what happens when complaints are made to bus eireann i would like to think that a driver caught more than twice doing something completly unsafe and illegal would be dismissed without any further warnings or appeals.

I`m a wee bit confused here Foggy_Lad...Is this particular Driver known to you ?
Is he the Bus Eireann driver who has been causing you so much grief or is this particular fellow a different one ?

If you have sufficient concern in this case you have several options.

1.leave the Bus at the next stop.

2. Approach the driver and tell him calmly that you are concerned about his use of the mobile phone whilst driving and ask him to desist.

3.Approach the Driver and tell him that you are reporting his actions to the Gardai and to his management.

4.If you have a mobile phone yourself do the reporting in real-time I can assure you the Gardai will take such reportage seriously.

I have little sympathy for the numbers of Truck,Coach and Bus drivers I see on a daily basis twittering away on hand-held mobiles.

The sheer extent of Hands-Free paraphernalia available is sufficient to make any such codology unnecessary.

However yet again,the ball is firmly in YOUR court.

No amount of posting on boards.ie seeking mass support for a Jihad against Bus Eireann drivers is going to add one iota to the strength or otherwise of your case.

The power here rests with YOU...Collect your facts with any supporting evidence and present it to Bus Eireann or the Gardai and follow it along from there.

Endlessly posting negative opinions of Bus Eireann and it`s staff on here may look and feel quite satisfying,but will achieve Zippo!

If you want to clean up the house you need to grab a broom

foggy_lad

Not known to me and all drivers mentioned by me are different drivers.

I can't help thinking that asking or telling a driver to stop using their phone would be met with a hail of abuse ending with me being put off the bus so I just remain quiet and email the details to bus eireann customer care later giving as much information as I can remember if I have not taken notes.

Like you I hate drivers using handheld phones for calls or texting while driving.

And just to clarify I have no issues with any drivers working for any company if they do their job at least to the minimum standard, but gossiping where passengers can hear or using a phone while driving is not professional and using the phone is just illegal.

AlekSmart

[QUOTE]I can't help thinking that asking or telling a driver to stop using their phone would be met with a hail of abuse ending with me being put off the bus so I just remain quiet and email the details to bus eireann customer care later giving as much information as I can remember if I have not taken notes.[/QUOTE]

Until you experience this "Hail of Abuse" personally then using the fear of it as reason not to make your view known to the Busdriver is a cop out.

Your complaint or observation,if accurate,is VERY serious In my opinion and reflects poorly upon the Driver concerned.

The attitude you disp[lay whilst remonstrating with a Driver in these circumstances is of great importance.

Remember,YOU occupy the moral high ground here and any Driver if he/she has a bit of sense will immediately realize that so use your strongly held principles in the manner which they are menat for...State Your Case when the incident occurs.

but gossiping where passengers can hear or using a phone while driving is not professional and using the phone is just illegal.

However as in the above case I would recommend you stick to clear unambigious facts rather than adding other somewhat vapourous observations such as the "gossiping" issue.

Any Bus or Coach Driver will be familiar with the "Chatty" passenger,who can and does often take up a lot of time during a journey with "Oul Talk"...It is,after all,what the Irish are world renowned for.

I find it distracting and discourage it from the get-go,an attitude which has,more than once,seen me reported for being ..."surly and unhelpful"..."downright rude"...."having a brusque attitude".

Many Drivers use it as a means of stress relief to chat away,or as you see it,Gossip, but that is somewhat a different item from use of a mobile-phone and you would be well advised not to start cooking up a stew of different complaints for your main meal.

Oddly enough I think you`d even be flummox`d on the Luas where even in the segrated cab,I regularly see Tram Drivers chatting (:eek:) with Veolia colleagues.....

But just to recap,if you have recurring issues with your Public Transport Drivers it is obviously a major issue for those PT Providers,BUT...to get those issues addressed will require Your Own direct input rather than any form of mass-public-discussion- boards campaign.

Good luck in your endeavours.:)

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

[QUOTE]I can't help thinking that asking or telling a driver to stop using their phone would be met with a hail of abuse ending with me being put off the bus so I just remain quiet and email the details to bus eireann customer care later giving as much information as I can remember if I have not taken notes.

Until you experience this "Hail of Abuse" personally then using the fear of it as reason not to make your view known to the Busdriver is a cop out.

Your complaint or observation,if accurate,is VERY serious In my opinion and reflects poorly upon the Driver concerned.

The attitude you disp[lay whilst remonstrating with a Driver in these circumstances is of great importance.

Remember,YOU occupy the moral high ground here and any Driver if he/she has a bit of sense will immediately realize that so use your strongly held principles in the manner which they are menat for...State Your Case when the incident occurs.



However as in the above case I would recommend you stick to clear unambigious facts rather than adding other somewhat vapourous observations such as the "gossiping" issue.

Any Bus or Coach Driver will be familiar with the "Chatty" passenger,who can and does often take up a lot of time during a journey with "Oul Talk"...It is,after all,what the Irish are world renowned for.

I find it distracting and discourage it from the get-go,an attitude which has,more than once,seen me reported for being ..."surly and unhelpful"..."downright rude"...."having a brusque attitude".

Many Drivers use it as a means of stress relief to chat away,or as you see it,Gossip, but that is somewhat a different item from use of a mobile-phone and you would be well advised not to start cooking up a stew of different complaints for your main meal.

Oddly enough I think you`d even be flummox`d on the Luas where even in the segrated cab,I regularly see Tram Drivers chatting (:eek:) with Veolia colleagues.....

But just to recap,if you have recurring issues with your Public Transport Drivers it is obviously a major issue for those PT Providers,BUT...to get those issues addressed will require Your Own direct input rather than any form of mass-public-discussion- boards campaign.

Good luck in your endeavours.:)

[/QUOTE]
my main problem after i am left at the side of the road after being turfed off the last bus is that of getting home! i know i can ring or contact bus eireann but they are not going to be any help on hearing their driver threw me off the bus and i would most likely have a very long walk to the nearest stop at which i could get a private bus!

as for the gossipping driver he was making claims about the competing private operator on the same route whilst the bus was stationary in carlow but continued his "chatting" all the way into dublin.

and since tha last complaint aired here i have been submitting such complaints directly to the relevant companies whether bus eireann or veolia, strangely i have never had any serious issues with dublin bus drivers except for one a number of years ago before all these QBC's and low floor busses.

AlekSmart

Posted by Foggy_Lad:

My main problem after i am left at the side of the road after being turfed off the last bus is that of getting home! i know i can ring or contact bus eireann but they are not going to be any help on hearing their driver threw me off the bus and i would most likely have a very long walk to the nearest stop at which i could get a private bus!

Interesting supposition here...how exactly do you know that BE are not going to be of help in this situation....firstly I would doubt very much that their Driver would throw you off for warning him off concerning the Mobile Phone issue.....He will know damn well it`s illegal and potentially career ending stuff.

There is also the possibility that the Private Coach driver may be chatting happily on a mobile too when he arrives which might leave one with even fewer options ?

As for the gossipping driver he was making claims about the competing private operator on the same route whilst the bus was stationary in carlow but continued his "chatting" all the way into dublin.

But was he having a conversation with an individual other than your good self or was he expounding to the coach at large ?

Strangely i have never had any serious issues with dublin bus drivers except for one a number of years ago before all these QBC's and low floor busses.

Why should that be "Strange" Foggy_Lad.....:) ?

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

Posted by Foggy_Lad:

Interesting supposition here...how exactly do you know that BE are not going to be of help in this situation....firstly I would doubt very much that their Driver would throw you off for warning him off concerning the Mobile Phone issue.....He will know damn well it`s illegal and potentially career ending stuff.

There is also the possibility that the Private Coach driver may be chatting happily on a mobile too when he arrives which might leave one with even fewer options ?






But was he having a conversation with an individual other than your good self or was he expounding to the coach at large ?




Why should that be "Strange" Foggy_Lad.....:) ?

bus eireann would no doubt in my mind side with their driver until given the chance to investigate which could take days!

and why wouldnt the driver put me off the bus for criticising his/her driving? who are his/her employers going to believe? them or a passenger who thay might say caused some trouble and had to be put off the bus?

as for other coach drivers i have had occasion to make complaints about other drivers to their companies and also posted about it on public forums.

the "chatty" driver was talking generally to only one or two people but whilst stationary in carlow he was stood at the top of the bus and could be heard clearly at least halfway down the bus.

i spent many a cold dreary morning waiting on busses in celbridge maynooth bluebell etc and the worst i had to endure was an occasional driver who looked as dreary as the weather but still probably better than i looked at 6.30am:)

AlekSmart

Bus eireann would no doubt in my mind side with their driver until given the chance to investigate which could take days!

Whilst I can see your implication,I disagree with how you are attempting to subvert a very logical due-process which is an inherent part of most disciplinary and complaint procedures.

Are you suggesting that the Company accept the veracity of every complaint without any further investigation ?

I would not see this as "siding with the driver" at all,but evidence of prudent complaint handling.

And why wouldnt the driver put me off the bus for criticising his/her driving? who are his/her employers going to believe? them or a passenger who thay might say caused some trouble and had to be put off the bus?

Unless your behaviour was causing upset,distress or inconvienence to others or your clothing and demeanour were offensive the Driver would have no reason to eject you from the Bus/Coach.

In addition if the offence was of sufficient import for you to progress further it would be sensible to seek corroboration from a fellow passenger perhaps ?

Even a mobile number which Bus EIreann could ring to confirm your account would go a great distance to keeping your complaint live.

It really does boil down to how seriously you view your own role in the process and whether you wish to take matters to their fullest conclusion.

The "chatty" driver was talking generally to only one or two people but whilst stationary in carlow he was stood at the top of the bus and could be heard clearly at least halfway down the bus.

This type of complaint is one with far less credibility and would,in my opinion,only serve to reduce the weight of your Mobile Phone complaint if submitted as some form of job-lot.

If the Driver was not directly addressing You,and it seems not,then any conversation with other parties,whatever the volume cannot be deemed to include you.

It was,again open to you or any other passenger to engage that driver on his topic and correct his viewpoint,again in a calm and reasoned manner.

PS: Only today I heard a similar tidbit of this Industry gossip from a non-Bus Eireann source...so your Bus Eireann driver could turn out to be well informed after all....IF the rumours are substantiated

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

Whilst I can see your implication,I disagree with how you are attempting to subvert a very logical due-process which is an inherent part of most disciplinary and complaint procedures.

Are you suggesting that the Company accept the veracity of every complaint without any further investigation ?

I would not see this as "siding with the driver" at all,but evidence of prudent complaint handling.

i am suggesting that i would not be well advised to ask a driver to stop using his/her phone if i wished to stay on the bus and if i called bus eireann just after being put off said bus onto the roadside they are not going to do anything at all to help but you had implied they would

Interesting supposition here...how exactly do you know that BE are not going to be of help in this situation....

if you know for fact that bus eireann would "get me home" please tell how one would go about getting this to happen!

Unless your behaviour was causing upset,distress or inconvienence to others or your clothing and demeanour were offensive the Driver would have no reason to eject you from the Bus/Coach.

and that will stop him/her ordering me off the bus? just like a much greater power like the road traffic act stopped him from using his phone while driving!

In addition if the offence was of sufficient import for you to progress further it would be sensible to seek corroboration from a fellow passenger perhaps ?

i have made my complaint and given contact details if bus eireann need to contact me, after that they have cctv apparrently in all coaches and on drivers so unless this is bull they have all the evidence they need!

Even a mobile number which Bus EIreann could ring to confirm your account would go a great distance to keeping your complaint live.

It really does boil down to how seriously you view your own role in the process and whether you wish to take matters to their fullest conclusion.

they have my contact details and i will if requested stand in an employment tribunal and give evidence of seeing the driver using his phone whilst driving

This type of complaint is one with far less credibility and would,in my opinion,only serve to reduce the weight of your Mobile Phone complaint if submitted as some form of job-lot.

If the Driver was not directly addressing You,and it seems not,then any conversation with other parties,whatever the volume cannot be deemed to include you.

It was,again open to you or any other passenger to engage that driver on his topic and correct his viewpoint,again in a calm and reasoned manner.

this was a seperate complaint regarding this different drivers unprofessional conduct and the chatting to passengers while driving. this driver has not been seen by me using a mobile phone while driving in fact i think he did but was using a bluetooth headset which he inserted into his ear.

PS: Only today I heard a similar tidbit of this Industry gossip from a non-Bus Eireann source...so your Bus Eireann driver could turn out to be well informed after all....IF the rumours are substantiated

well informed or not the front of the bus is no place to be broadcasting gossip.

AlekSmart

[QUOTE I have made my complaint and given contact details if bus eireann need to contact me, after that they have cctv apparrently in all coaches and on drivers so unless this is bull they have all the evidence they need!

[/QUOTE]

And there the case stands.

At this point the wheel has turned full circle as we are merely engaged in a tail-chasing exercise.

It`s up to the company to check the veracity of your claims and take whatever action is appropriate.

In the case of the mobile-phone usage you have very strong and credible grounds for action,not merely by the Company but also by the Gardai.

However,I remain somewhat nonplussed at your reluctance to engage with the Driver in person on such a serious road-safety matter.

There is nothing whatsoever stopping you from ringing 112 and reporting the mobile phone use as it is happening which would bring definite and strong action.

Well informed or not the front of the bus is no place to be broadcasting gossip.

However when you get back to putting forward your own opinion as a grounds for potential disciplinary action then it takes away in quite a serious manner from your overall credibility as a complainant.

I`d recommend sticking with the well-founded and substantiated complaints rather than focusing on a scattergun approach

challengemaster

AlekSmart wrote: »

There is nothing whatsoever stopping you from ringing 112 and reporting the mobile phone use as it is happening which would bring definite and strong action.

I think the mere fact that nothing will come of it is grounds enough not to...

Despite what you might think, the lovely people in AGS probably won't be too inclined to move an inch for a bus driver using a mobile while driving... IF there happens to be a patrol passing by that actually sees it, or something similar, you might be in luck. I wouldn't bother wasting your time/credit.

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

In the case of the mobile-phone usage you have very strong and credible grounds for action,not merely by the Company but also by the Gardai.

However,I remain somewhat nonplussed at your reluctance to engage with the Driver in person on such a serious road-safety matter.

There is nothing whatsoever stopping you from ringing 112 and reporting the mobile phone use as it is happening which would bring definite and strong action.

when was the last time you saw instant reaction from an garda siocana over someone using their phone whilst driving? i have often rang Carlow garda station to have no answer because there was nobody in the station to answer the phones on certain evenings.

AlekSmart

When was the last time you saw instant reaction from an garda siocana over someone using their phone whilst driving? I have often rang Carlow garda station to have no answer because there was nobody in the station to answer the phones on certain evenings.

Oddly enough This Very Morning on Leeson Street!!!!

Very swift Turn-About by Garda Car after spotting a young lady fully engaged in a mobile phone conversation....I would have really liked to be there for the resultant conversation between the two ladies !!

I`m suprised that somebody who,by their own description,often rings the Gardai has so little confidence in their response.

If you make that report with all the relevant information such as your Name,Address,Nature of Complaint,Bus/Route Number and Destination along with any other relevant details such as corroberative witnesses then your complaint will be acted upon.

The only situation I could envisage where it would not is if a person had been adjudged to be a Vexatious Complainant with a history of unsubstantiated allegations on a variety of topics,in that case it might well be the complainant who recieves the follow-up visit rather than the complained about ?

foggy_lad

AlekSmart wrote: »

Oddly enough This Very Morning on Leeson Street!!!!

Very swift Turn-About by Garda Car after spotting a young lady fully engaged in a mobile phone conversation....I would have really liked to be there for the resultant conversation between the two ladies !!

I`m suprised that somebody who,by their own description,often rings the Gardai has so little confidence in their response.

If you make that report with all the relevant information such as your Name,Address,Nature of Complaint,Bus/Route Number and Destination along with any other relevant details such as corroberative witnesses then your complaint will be acted upon.

The only situation I could envisage where it would not is if a person had been adjudged to be a Vexatious Complainant with a history of unsubstantiated allegations on a variety of topics,in that case it might well be the complainant who recieves the follow-up visit rather than the complained about ?

if you were stuck halfway between carlow and kilcullen at 9pm after being thrown off a bus how long do you realistically think it will take to get garda response to a call from yourself?


you are saying that bus eireann will help me get home when a driver puts me off the bus for complaining about his use of a mobile phone but i do not believe they would!

you then say contacting the guards

would bring definite and strong action.

this is not realistic or believable by any stretch of the imagination!

as for my previous calls(less regular than once a month) to the local station they were for a variety of reasons but most calls in the evening go unanswered due to staff shortages!

my complaint may well be acted upon but not as quickly as you would have people believe! it would take days or weeks or longer and this is no help to me if the driver in question decides to put me off the bus for daring to question his use of his mobile phone!

parsi

foggy_lad wrote: »

when was the last time you saw instant reaction from an garda siocana over someone using their phone whilst driving? i have often rang Carlow garda station to have no answer because there was nobody in the station to answer the phones on certain evenings.

A 999 call about dangerous driving is answered with alacrity. I did it once near Charleville (a private minibus veering madly) and it was dealt with swiftly.