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Nutters on the bus

Everlong1

One of the silver linings of the Covid crisis for me is the restrictions on public transport. It's great to get on a bus and have the seat to yourself and know that some random mentaller isn't going to sit down beside you and start trying to talk to you. This I think is an affliction particular to Ireland where pensioners in particular can't seem to resist the compulsion to talk to total strangers. I find it hard enough to talk to people I've known my whole life, never mind some coffin dodger who's plonked their musty old a*se down beside me on the bus and decided I'm the person who gets to hear their life story today.

I'm just back from doing the last of my Xmas shopping in town. There was some daft old bat in the seat behind me the entire journey moaning and complaining the entire way. She was obviously hoping someone would take her seriously and start joining her in talking sh*te the whole way home. And before yiz all giving out to me about the poor old lonely dear who probably has no one at home etc., this old bat didn't sound particularly lonely or isolated. She was just a typical cranky opinionated haridan who thought her particular hobby horses were so important that she just HAD to tell the first unfortunate person she saw. Thankfully, with seats being restricted to one occupant only she just had to be content with raving away to herself.

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Everlong1

Sardonicat wrote: »

I usually enjoy it when older people chat to me on public transport. I've heard the most incredibly personal life stories on buses and trains from some amazing people. You might learn something, OP.

They have books for that. Which I can choose to read or not, unlike being accosted by some old biddy on the bus where my choice is between a) ignoring her and being rude or b) forcing myself to trot out banalities until my stop arrives.

Just to clarify by the way, I'm not sexist. There's plenty of oul fellas who indulge in this carry on as well.

Oh, and another thing: I'm 56, so I'm not far off being a coffin dodger myself. Thankfully I'm not deluded enough to think that everyone on the bus wants to hear my opinion on the burning issues of the day. Or what I had for breakfast.

dxhound2005

Everlong1 wrote: »

They have books for that. Which I can choose to read or not, unlike being accosted by some old biddy on the bus where my choice is between a) ignoring her and being rude or b) forcing myself to trot out banalities until my stop arrives.

Just to clarify by the way, I'm not sexist. There's plenty of oul fellas who indulge in this carry on as well.

Oh, and another thing: I'm 56, so I'm not far off being a coffin dodger myself. Thankfully I'm not deluded enough to think that everyone on the bus wants to hear my opinion on the burning issues of the day. Or what I had for breakfast.

When you're explaining you're losing.

Everlong1

dxhound2005 wrote: »

When you're explaining you're losing.

Oh I'm not trying to win converts here. Just want to make myself clear and not have everyone assume I'm some young arrogant teenager with no respect for the poor oldies.

Sardonicat

Everlong1 wrote: »

They have books for that. Which I can choose to read or not, unlike being accosted by some old biddy on the bus where my choice is between a) ignoring her and being rude or b) forcing myself to trot out banalities until my stop arrives.

Just to clarify by the way, I'm not sexist. There's plenty of oul fellas who indulge in this carry on as well.

Oh, and another thing: I'm 56, so I'm not far off being a coffin dodger myself. Thankfully I'm not deluded enough to think that everyone on the bus wants to hear my opinion on the burning issues of the day. Or what I had for breakfast.

My conversations are never banal. Maybe you are just are boring boll1x with nothing interesting to say for himself and devoid of the skill and charm required to coax interesting stories from people who have lived decades longer than you and must have at least one interesting tale to tell.

Daragh1980

Everlong1 wrote: »

my Xmas shopping

People who write Xmas instead of Christmas = c*nts

dirtyden

Everlong1 wrote: »

Yeah I definitely should become another idiot who's happy to spend 5 hours a day stuck in traffic and who's so wedded to their car that the thought of a 10 minute walk to the shops sends them into a panic.

So you could not pass your test?

Sardonicat

Everlong1 wrote: »

Oh, and another thing: I'm 56, so I'm not far off being a coffin dodger myself.

Oh, now this explains it. These women are coming onto you, seeing as you are respectably within their age cohort, in the manner that was acceptable in their day, they're not moaning, they are being damsels in distress. Sure you must be gorgeous.

tayto lover

There’s an old lady living alone near me. She’s 96 years old. Her son is in Australia and her daughter lives in Co. Down and calls to her every weekend.
The woman is in good health. She loves to talk to people as she can be lonely and can’t really get out due to the Covid.
Every day she waves to me from her front door and I go over to talk to her for 5/10 minutes. She says it makes her day.

What are we turning into if we can’t bear a lonely old citizen a few minutes of a chat. It doesn’t weaken you or take a lot from you ffs but it means a lot to them.
Nice to be nice.

[Deleted User]

Everlong1 wrote: »

Who forced you to read it ?

had to double check but I knew without even reading your name in the OP you were the author of it.

Your post is an arsehole.

Zebra3

Everlong1 wrote: »

One of the silver linings of the Covid crisis for me is the restrictions on public transport. It's great to get on a bus and have the seat to yourself

Do you normally sit on someone's knee?

Everlong1

Deleted User wrote: »

had to double check but I knew without even reading your name in the OP you were the author of it.

Your post is an arsehole.

Considering how rarely I post you must REALLY like my work if you can recognise my style. The second line there doesn't even make sense. Or is that you want to call me an arsehole but are too chicken to say it directly in case you get banned for being abusive?

beachhead

CtevenSrowder wrote: »

Ranting and raving forum is that way --->>>

She must av got dee drink sumwhere.Or the GP is mixing sumting for her

punisher5112

What's the worst anyone has ever had on the bus???.

beachhead

CtevenSrowder wrote: »

Ranting and raving forum is that way --->>>

She must av got dee drink sumwhere.Or the GP is mixing sumting for her.Or she wanted a chat

[Deleted User]

Everlong1 wrote: »

Considering how rarely I post you must REALLY like my work if you can recognise my style. The second line there doesn't even make sense. Or is that you want to call me an arsehole but are too chicken to say it directly in case you get banned for being abusive?

Not too chicken, too smart.

Everlong1

Deleted User wrote: »

Not too chicken, too smart.

And yet not smart enough to recognise when someone posts something clearly not intended to be taken seriously.

Nigel Fairservice

I don’t drive so I’m always using public transport. I don’t mind older people talking me and I’ll always talk to them if they talk to me. I generally try to avoid conversations with others, more so because I’m happy in my own company. I’ll have my earphones in or I’ll be reading my kindle. If they talk to me I’ll try and suss them out quickly to see if they’re a bit mad. If it’s normal conversation I don’t mind chatting for a while. I had a great chat with a Swiss girl one time on a 10 hour flight from the west coast of Canada. We got on great and had loads to talk about so didn't notice the time go at all. Had a very interesting chat with a fella last year as well on an inter county bus journey. The guy, about my own age, had led an interesting life. More interesting than mine anyway. They are 2 that stick out in my mind.

I have encountered more nutters on planes than buses. One of weirdest ones was a fella on an Aer Lingus flight to London. He was connecting on to Bangkok, went very regularly from the sounds of things. Told me what he would be getting up to out there. Very odd guy.

Another guy on a flight from Seattle to Anchorage saw my Irish passport in my hand while boarding the flight. Told me he ran with Eamon Coughlan at Villanova university before I even sat down and invited me to stay with him at his house in Anchorage over the course of the conversation. Got very creepy vibes off the guy and was only giving one word answers to his questions to try and kill the conversation. The flight landed at 2 am local time and I bolted off the plane, didn’t even say goodbye to guy. There were no taxis outside the terminal building so I just stood outside waiting trying to figure out my next move, smartphones weren’t as common as they are these days at the time. A car pulled up in front of me outside the terminal building. It was your man again trying to get me to go back to his. I just walked back into the terminal building. Managed to find a pay phone and called a taxi to take me to my hotel.

Wanderer2010

biko wrote: »

It's a tricky thing having someone talking to you when you don't want it.
If they are old I usually will chat to them.
For you it can be 15/20 mins of discomfort, for them it could be 15/20 mins of the only human interaction they have all day.

Exactly. Err on the side of human compassion. Give them a small slice of your day, many of them are heading back to cold and empty flats or houses where they have nothing but the tv for company, and their spouse could be dead or their grown up kids too busy to visit them.
I must be getting old as I used to dread the oddballs on buses but really, they are human beings like you and I trying to make their way in the world. We will all get old, time spares nobody.

And to clarify, obviously the nutters who cause trouble on public transport are to be abhorred and should be thrown off straight away.

[Deleted User]

Everlong1 wrote: »

And yet not smart enough to recognise when someone posts something clearly not intended to be taken seriously.

Oh yes of course yes. Never heard that one before anyway.

Classic cycle of:

Make bad post

Receive backlash

Pull out the “guys it was a joke lol” card.

Gway out of that.

Everlong1

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh yes of course yes. Never heard that one before anyway.

Classic cycle of:

Make bad post

Receive backlash

Pull out the “guys it was a joke lol” card.

Gway out of that.

Oh God you've seen right through me. Yes I admit it, I'm totally gutted by the criticism my post generated from the crack Boards SJW squad. I'll NEVER post anything on social media again EVER.

Going off now to flog myself and say a decade of the Rosary. Happy Xmas everyone.

Daragh1980

Everlong1 wrote: »

Going off now to flog myself and say a decade of the Rosary. Happy Xmas everyone.

CHRISTMAS NOT XMAS

Sardonicat

Daragh1980 wrote: »

CHRISTMAS NOT XMAS

He should make it two decades.

dxhound2005

Everlong1 wrote: »

Oh God you've seen right through me. Yes I admit it, I'm totally gutted by the criticism my post generated from the crack Boards SJW squad. I'll NEVER post anything on social media again EVER.

Going off now to flog myself and say a decade of the Rosary. Happy Xmas everyone.

And your work here is done.

GT89

Anyone who sits beside someone on a bus or train whilst there's open seats available is a nutjob. Usually put my bag up on the seat until the bus gets busy.

gctest50

Daragh1980 wrote: »

CHRISTMAS NOT XMAS

The X is for Χριστός (Chrīstos)

Ever see that P x thing on candles ?

Anyway it's stolen from the pagans etc , Yule & Saturnilia

.

punisher5112

I'm confused and disappointed.... Really thought there would be more stories....

I have many but Yee probably wouldn't believe.....

JasonStatham

Everlong1 wrote: »

One of the silver linings of the Covid crisis for me is the restrictions on public transport. It's great to get on a bus and have the seat to yourself and know that some random mentaller isn't going to sit down beside you and start trying to talk to you. This I think is an affliction particular to Ireland where pensioners in particular can't seem to resist the compulsion to talk to total strangers. I find it hard enough to talk to people I've known my whole life, never mind some coffin dodger who's plonked their musty old a*se down beside me on the bus and decided I'm the person who gets to hear their life story today.

I'm just back from doing the last of my Xmas shopping in town. There was some daft old bat in the seat behind me the entire journey moaning and complaining the entire way. She was obviously hoping someone would take her seriously and start joining her in talking sh*te the whole way home. And before yiz all giving out to me about the poor old lonely dear who probably has no one at home etc., this old bat didn't sound particularly lonely or isolated. She was just a typical cranky opinionated haridan who thought her particular hobby horses were so important that she just HAD to tell the first unfortunate person she saw. Thankfully, with seats being restricted to one occupant only she just had to be content with raving away to herself.

Ah the joys of Dublin Bus travel.

wiggle16

Sardonicat wrote: »

I usually enjoy it when older people chat to me on public transport. I've heard the most incredibly personal life stories on buses and trains from some amazing people. You might learn something, OP.

I'm firmly in this camp as well. And people doing funny things too.

I remember waiting on O'Connell Street for a bus and an elderly lady with a cane asking me which bus I was getting on, when I told her which one she said "that's my bus as well, will you help me get on, I'm very bad on me feet." When we got on the bus she waved her bus pass and put on a posh voice and announced that I was her nephew and her travel companion but I did not have my pass with me, so the driver let me on for free. We chatted for the journey and she told me a few stories about her life, very interesting lady. Her stop was before mine - when I helped her off the bus she turned around and thanked the driver and told him "my nephew must stay on the bus as he must keep an appointment elsewhere, thank you very much". Pure character, everyone knew she was play-acting but she knew no one would argue with her.

John_Rambo

It's a short bus journey, not an eight hour flight. Pre-covid I'd always entertain an oulfella or oulwan chatting to me. You might learn something new. You'd have to be a right proper, full on dose to blank them.

Buy a nice merc, hire a driver & a taxi plate and don't pick up fairs.

Strumms

petes wrote: »

Earphones...problem solved.

I use buses about once every two years. Never had the issue the OP is referring to on buses but planes yes.... I’ve had awful luck on planes getting stuck beside yapping people. At least with a bus, maybe have to put up with 15 - 20 minutes... plane could be two hours, longer...it has been.

Planes, it happens ...When I was traveling solo for work I try get boarded with priority boarding , get sat down, headphones in, iPad open leaning towards the window, window seat... somebody approaches to sit in the aisle or middle seat, i smile and hi and get on with reading and listening.. somebody wants to ask me something, no problem, ill know within 2 minutes if the person is genuinely looking for help or just after an ear and you as a conversation center to pass the couple of hours....but my general demeanor is ‘ I’m doing something, comfy I’m in my own little world, thanks ‘... especially coming back, where mine and all of us be it from work or a holiday are tired... don’t want the... “ ohhh but I’ve been coming here with the wife for 14 years and the excelsior hotel is much better than that radission... the sort of individual with an answer to a question nobody even asked...

Earphones and phone on the bus, gaze out the window and loose yourself....