Really rude bus drivers.

peanuthead · 20-09-2008 01:26PM

Captain Ginger wrote: »

Right well as a daily bus user I have noticed a lot of drivers to be decent enough, I get the odd one who doesn't bother saying "you're welcome" but besides that I have to say most are decent enough, but last night was a right shock to the system.

I was in town getting the 45 back to Bray at night and realized I'd left my wallet back in the bar, went through my pockets and found most of the bus fare I needed (needed 2 euro, had 1.70). So I put that in and tried to explain to the driver what had happened, most of the time and she was not happy, looked at me like I was dirt and told me to ask others for the rest.

Now I'm a bit of an intimidating guy in some ways, I have a good few piercings in my face and smelt of beer at this stage, so I asked a couple of people who ignored me (and to be honest I don't really blame them). So I'm getting off the bus and the driver stops me and starts giving me abuse. I'm mortified in frount of the others and I try to explain most of the time I end up having to put in too much anyway and explain why people at 12:00am on a bus try to ignore me asking for money due to my appearance in a feeble attempt to excuse myself while constantly saying sorry, she still won't have any of it so I try to make a light hearted recession joke, she then put on an extremely obvious fake laugh and mocked me openly in front of the others.

I got off and walked the rest home.

Now I know I am in the wrong here for not having my full fare, but at the same time I really don't think I should of been treated like that and would be half tempted to lodge a complaint. I was as polite as could be and was sober.

Any of you had a similar experience?

Okay, I have an odd one, tell me what you think of this. I was in college, in UCD waiting to get the bus home one day. Was waiting on the no. 10. One pulled up, and once everyone else had gotten on the bus seemed really packed, so i was wrecked and decided to wait for the next one so i could get a seat.
These three boys come running across the grass to try catch the bus. They were young boys with skateboards, i would say they were about 12 or 13. They had obviously come up to skateboard and were now heading home. As two of the boys run on, one of them lags behind. The other two make it to the bus, and one boy stands on the edge of the doorway, to wait for the third boy. The driver sees this and proceeds to close the door nearly taking off the hand of the boy. The boy turned to him and was saying something. I would say something like, oh can you wait for my friend. The driver opens the doors again, and roars at the boy, go on then get your queer boyfriend then. The third boy, at the bus stop at this stage, was terrified and shocked, and hesitated a bit, to which the driver roared, "if youre getting on get on the fu**ing bus"
I could not believe what i was hearing and was staring at the driver at this stage. He noticed me and shouted out, "and what are you looking at?" I replied "You. Youre an ignorant pig" and he just drove off. I was shocked. I did report this, but a couple of weeks later I did see the same driver on the same route. I didnt get on the bus.

Toto Wolfcastle · 20-09-2008 01:36PM

I'm more worried about the fact that no one would give you 30 cent! And they ignored you? People are dicks sometimes.

Also lol at the person complaining about Dublin being called 'town'. We all knew what he meant! Hell, I call Cork city 'town' and I didn't get all mixed up.

abitlonely · 20-09-2008 02:00PM

It seems really mean that no-one would have 30c for you.
Myself, I'd be straight back to the bar looking for the wallet.
Most of the drivers I meet are decent enough, though they're almost
all of the bus eireann variety.
The following happened though and stunned me.
I was getting a bus eireann from Maynooth down the country and
a private bus, on hire, pulls up. I handed in a 10r for the 4.70 or so fare.
He asked me had I anything small! He didn't have any change at all
and said he couldn't take me as I don't have the fare. I offered to wait until
I was getting off to get my change, only to get a look as if i'd 2 heads.
Anyway, I had to wait the hour for the next bus :mad:

Overature · 20-09-2008 02:06PM

he left his wallet in the bar, he wasn't trying to skip paying the fare. god everybody who uses the bus regulary forgets there money sometimes

funk-you · 20-09-2008 02:17PM

jahalpin wrote: »

What happened the money that the OP had put into the box, did the bus driver keep it? It fo, then he should probably have called the police and have had her charged with theft.

Short paying bus fare isn't actually a criminal offence and the police should get involved, the only time the driver should even bother the police is if they , or their passengers, are in real danger of getting attacked etc.

Dublin Bus steels more money than any one elese in the country, their system for collecting your change is as un-customer friendly as possible, you can only get change from their head office in O'Connell Street during office hours and upto one o'clock on a Saturday. They should be required to open branch offices throughout the city which stay open until a reasonable time and open until around 6 on Saturday and Sunday. The staff are also very unhelpful and rude when you go into to collect your change, and they also make up rules to prevent people from collecting change receipts, which no provate company would ever get away with

They donate any unclaimed money to charity, they steal from no-one. You know before you board a bus that it's exact change only and it even costs them money to give you back change. A lot of countries with exact fare you don't get anything back.

-Funk

20-09-2008 02:27PM

Are ya serious? You get on a bus, underpay the fare and then wonder why you get abuse? I have to wonder about people in this country sometimes. It doesn't matter if you left your wallet in the bar, that's not the bus driver's problem. You could have at the very least told her you didn't have the full fare BEFORE putting the money in, and she could have decided whether or not to allow you on the bus. This is even worse than the person who got to the station late and complained that they got fined because they didn't have time to buy a ticket. Could you have a bigger sense of entitlement? Bus companies and train companies are not charities, it's up to you as a grown adult to get to the station on time and have the fare on you. That bus driver may well have had to pay out of her own pocket for the amount you underpaid. The fact you normally overpay is your problem, and isn't going to make any difference to her. Fact is: YOU left your wallet in the bar. Your fault. YOU decided to be cheeky and try to scam her. Your fault. YOU smelled of alcohol and look intimidating. Your fault. So basically this situation is 100% of your own doing, and now you feel annoyed because the bus driver was rude to you and strangers didn't give you money? Never mind the fact you inconvenienced the driver and put other passengers on the spoilt by begging for money. It's all about you. If I met someone with an attitude like yours, I'd probably be rude as well.

The OP should have been issued with a 1.70 ticket and allowed to board the bus.

He decided to get off because his pride had been hurt. He wasn't thrown off. The driver didn't steal anything.

I've had my fair share of experiences with horrible bus drivers, but this time I think it's the OP who was at fault. I'll save my sympathy for the wheelchair users or mothers with prams who regularly get left at stops because the driver can't be bothered to stop, the foreigners who get abuse for asking if the bus goes to the city centre and the hundreds of others who get hassle from bus drivers for absolutely no reason at all.

anonymousman · 20-09-2008 02:40PM

I saw a bus driver throw (physically) an old woman off a bus in the rain because she didnt have proof of age. More than half the bus got off at the next stop in disgust.

doonothing · 20-09-2008 02:48PM

I'd just put in the 1.70 and get off at my stop. At the last run of the day, I doubt the drivers gona do much.

Mr. Presentable · 20-09-2008 02:51PM

anonymousman wrote: »

I saw a bus driver throw (physically) an old woman off a bus in the rain because she didnt have proof of age. More than half the bus got off at the next stop in disgust.

Now that just sounds like b*****ks!

*adele* · 20-09-2008 02:51PM

[quote=[Deleted User];57319525]Are ya serious? You get on a bus, underpay the fare and then wonder why you get abuse? I have to wonder about people in this country sometimes. It doesn't matter if you left your wallet in the bar, that's not the bus driver's problem. You could have at the very least told her you didn't have the full fare BEFORE putting the money in, and she could have decided whether or not to allow you on the bus. This is even worse than the person who got to the station late and complained that they got fined because they didn't have time to buy a ticket. Could you have a bigger sense of entitlement? Bus companies and train companies are not charities, it's up to you as a grown adult to get to the station on time and have the fare on you. That bus driver may well have had to pay out of her own pocket for the amount you underpaid. The fact you normally overpay is your problem, and isn't going to make any difference to her. Fact is: YOU left your wallet in the bar. Your fault. YOU decided to be cheeky and try to scam her. Your fault. YOU smelled of alcohol and look intimidating. Your fault. So basically this situation is 100% of your own doing, and now you feel annoyed because the bus driver was rude to you and strangers didn't give you money? Never mind the fact you inconvenienced the driver and put other passengers on the spoilt by begging for money. It's all about you. If I met someone with an attitude like yours, I'd probably be rude as well.

He decided to get off because his pride had been hurt. He wasn't thrown off. The driver didn't steal anything.

I've had my fair share of experiences with horrible bus drivers, but this time I think it's the OP who was at fault. I'll save my sympathy for the wheelchair users or mothers with prams who regularly get left at stops because the driver can't be bothered to stop, the foreigners who get abuse for asking if the bus goes to the city centre and the hundreds of others who get hassle from bus drivers for absolutely no reason at all.[/QUOTE]

How was he being cheeky? Ok so he shouldnt have put it in before asking but he probably didnt do that try and trick her. If he had he wouldnt have explained. Why are you being so aggressive? Seriously,the guy didnt have the fare but instead of lying and pretending he thought he had enough he had the decency to explain. Wheres the attitude? The driver clearly didnt appreciate the honesty and ok it was her right to refuse to let him on the bus,but I really dont see where you're coming from. I think you need to relax a bit.

20-09-2008 03:18PM

How was he being cheeky? Ok so he shouldnt have put it in before asking but he probably didnt do that try and trick her. If he had he wouldnt have explained. Why are you being so aggressive? Seriously,the guy didnt have the fare but instead of lying and pretending he thought he had enough he had the decency to explain.

It was cheeky to put the money in and THEN tell her. I, and I imagine, most people, would ask politely if there was any way she could let me off the 30 cents. I'm talking about the guy's attitude on here. I knew from what he wrote about 'bus drivers not saying you're welcome' (WTF?) that he was going to come across as having a major sense of entitlement. As far as I'm concerned, nobody owes me anything. If a kind bus driver agrees to let me off a fare, or someone lends me some money, I'll be very grateful, but I don't EXPECT it like so many people on here seem to. It wasn't even as if the guy was mugged, he left his wallet in the bar of his own doing. I know it happens, and it's nice when people help, but the OP is coming across here as immature and self centered and it seems very likely that his attitude may have caused the bus driver to react like that.

anonymousman · 20-09-2008 03:25PM

nipplenuts wrote: »

Now that just sounds like b*****ks!

To elaborate; this bus driver on one of my buses is famous for being strict. He makes you say your destination rather than fare and makes you say please.

Anyway one rainy day on college green an old lady was in front of me, she flashed some card at him and sat down. He then shut the doors (all the lights went off) and stormed up to her and said "THAT IS NOT LEGITIMATE". They argued for a good five minutes and eventually she walked up to the driver booth and said "I'm going to report you and I'm not getting off... etc", he then opened the doors got out AGAIN and pulled the lady down onto the street got back in let everyone else on and drove really fast (in an angry way) up the road. But then a man went up and said that it wasnt fair he argued for a long time, and more people went up saying that they would report him etc etc etc and then the arguers got off the bus along with a few others.

OH AND, one of the people getting off called him a banker (with a w), he shut the doors in his face and made him apologise which he didn't. Was so awkward.

cocoa · 20-09-2008 03:28PM

[quote=[Deleted User];57319810]It was cheeky to put the money in and THEN tell her. I, and I imagine, most people, would ask politely if there was any way she could let me off the 30 cents. I'm talking about the guy's attitude on here. I knew from what he wrote about 'bus drivers not saying you're welcome' (WTF?) that he was going to come across as having a major sense of entitlement. As far as I'm concerned, nobody owes me anything. If a kind bus driver agrees to let me off a fare, or someone lends me some money, I'll be very grateful, but I don't EXPECT it like so many people on here seem to. It wasn't even as if the guy was mugged, he left his wallet in the bar of his own doing. I know it happens, and it's nice when people help, but the OP is coming across here as immature and self centered and it seems very likely that his attitude may have caused the bus driver to react like that.[/QUOTE]

wait, wait now... Someone comes onto a bus, politely and honestly explains they made a mistake, and you think this is justification for heavy abuse? Must make sure not to step on your toes...

20-09-2008 03:42PM

We're getting one side of the story here, that's my point. Based on the attitude displayed here, I'd strongly suspect that he had an attitude on the bus. Of course nobody should be abused, but this isn't a case of a bus driver going mental for no reason (as I have seen happen). He didn't make a mistake, he thought he'd put most of the money in and hope that she'd let him off, rather than doing the honest thing and explaining up front that he didn't have the full fare. If I were to get on a bus without the fare (and I'd have to be desperate - I'd normally just walk), I'd be extremely apologetic, acknowledge that it was my own fault and ask if there was any way I could bring the rest of the fare to the offices the next day. That attitude gets you 100 times further than someone acting like they deserve to be let on. I'm tired of people turning around and practically demanding 20 cents off me because they didn't have the fare. So many people have this attitude and don't even seem to realise it and then turn around and moan about how everyone else is stingy/selfish/mean. OP didn't get mugged, he left his wallet in the bar, 100% his own fault. Just because you're incapable of looking after your possessions doesn't mean other people should come running to help you. This has rubbed me the wrong way because I know people like this in real life, and they're really irritating. Help yourself and other people will be more inclined to help you. Most people will help someone who genuinely seems in need in a situation like this.

aidan24326 · 20-09-2008 04:58PM

doonothing wrote: »

I'd just put in the 1.70 and get off at my stop. At the last run of the day, I doubt the drivers gona do much.

Exactly. The OP's biggest mistake here was honesty.

In fact, if the fare was in a bundle of change, i.e lots of 10s 20s etc, just pop it in and say 2euro please, the drivers do not bother to accurately count it 95% of the time.

I pay 1.70 on the bus to get into the city centre, if I only had 1.50 in change (for example) I'd pop it in and say 1.70, have done this plenty of times (provided it wasn't a 1 euro coin + 50 cent coin) and never a problem. Dishonesty ftw people!

doonothing · 20-09-2008 05:08PM

I just can't understand all the commotion over 30c, from the OP bothering with the honesty, the driver not just letting it slide, the people who wouldn't give him 30c, and the posters on here thinking it's some massive ethical dilemma!
30c folks...

Mr. Presentable · 20-09-2008 05:29PM

doonothing wrote: »

30c folks...

Prevent 10 Africans from going blind!

Tar.Aldarion · 20-09-2008 05:56PM

People in dublin are getting worse all the time. woot.

June2008 · 20-09-2008 06:23PM

Once while getting the 145 back from town to UCD, was about 30 cent short so decided to pay the fare and wait until my stop, I know its wrong but usually never get caught. Anyway, pulling up to UCD so i press the stop button and stand up only for the bus driver to go speeding past my stop, ignoring all the people at the bus stop waiting for him! i exclaimed that i had pressed the stop button but he just abused me bout not paying the full fare!Would not let me off until the next stop which was a LONG walk back to college! At the time I was tempted to report him for false imprisonment but i guess most people here will think i got what i deserved!

Acacia · 20-09-2008 06:37PM

June2008 wrote: »

Once while getting the 145 back from town to UCD, was about 30 cent short so decided to pay the fare and wait until my stop, I know its wrong but usually never get caught. Anyway, pulling up to UCD so i press the stop button and stand up only for the bus driver to go speeding past my stop, ignoring all the people at the bus stop waiting for him! i exclaimed that i had pressed the stop button but he just abused me bout not paying the full fare!Would not let me off until the next stop which was a LONG walk back to college! At the time I was tempted to report him for false imprisonment but i guess most people here will think i got what i deserved!

Well, it wasn't exactly false imprisonment but I don't think the bus driver should have acted like that. If you had paid nothing, and somehow how managed to sneak on without him noticing, then maybe, but thirty cent isn't a big deal. Or, if he had a problem with it, he could have just refused to let you on. There was no need for him to act like that, especially considering the people waiting for the bus, who did nothing wrong, got fcuked over as well by him refusing to stop.

luckat · 20-09-2008 06:47PM

It used to be the norm that if you didn't have the fare, you could give your name and address to the driver, and she'd give it in when she ended her shift, and they'd send you a bill for the fare.

Happened to me a couple of times.

Heavens, people are very passionate about this.

I didn't notice any 'attitude' from the original poster; he was just baffled that the driver was rude to him.

Maybe he should have just put the €1.70 in and hoped for the best (dishonest, but I'd have done it, sweating); maybe he should have said it to the driver before putting the money in. But it's not a capital case that he didn't!

cocoa · 20-09-2008 07:06PM

June2008 wrote: »

Once while getting the 145 back from town to UCD, was about 30 cent short so decided to pay the fare and wait until my stop, I know its wrong but usually never get caught. Anyway, pulling up to UCD so i press the stop button and stand up only for the bus driver to go speeding past my stop, ignoring all the people at the bus stop waiting for him! i exclaimed that i had pressed the stop button but he just abused me bout not paying the full fare!Would not let me off until the next stop which was a LONG walk back to college! At the time I was tempted to report him for false imprisonment but i guess most people here will think i got what i deserved!

lol, personally i think it's kind of funny. 'you didn't pay enough to get this far, so I'm going to... bring you even further!!! buwhahaha!'

aidan24326 · 20-09-2008 07:14PM

cocoa wrote: »

lol, personally i think it's kind of funny. 'you didn't pay enough to get this far, so I'm going to... bring you even further!!! buwhahaha!'

The driver in that case was just being a d1ckhead. He'll surely end up as a nightclub bouncer one of these days.

LOL at the misplaced honesty of some of the people in this thread!

COH · 20-09-2008 07:18PM

I just dont get why the vast majority of people dont complain directly to Dublin bus.

SoWatchaWant · 20-09-2008 09:02PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2O0hfnOAbjw

If you were dealin with that all day...

20-09-2008 10:11PM

I hate bus drivers and Bus Eireann!
i never say thanks and always tear my ticket up messing the place like! there all a bunch of assholes like!

Lately they dont seem to have any 5cents left and think its ok to not give you your change! never accept that **** though!

Captain Ginger · 20-09-2008 10:23PM

Just to clear a few things up:

1) Although I was in the wrong I was extremly polite and didn't try to lie, I explained the situation and if I was asked to get off the bus I would of.

2) I couldn't go back to get my wallet because the bar had closed.

3) I would of asked people on the street for the 30 cents before I got on the bus but this was the last one so if I had missed it I had no way of getting home.

@[Deleted User] I assure you I had no "attitude" on the bus, I know better than being rude when I'm the one in the wrong, however her attitude was completly over the top.

21-09-2008 12:03AM

I'm just not getting your point here. What exactly did she say that was so bad/rude/abusive? Taking into account that no bus driver is going to be in the best form when someone puts in part of a fare and then tells you they don't have the rest. The fact you even mentioned that some bus drivers fail to say 'you're welcome' makes you sound rather oversensitive (or was that a joke?

) You were being pretty irritating and the driver reacted, as far as I can tell. It's not as if you got abuse over absolutely nothing. If I run for a bus and have to fumble around for change (usually have the right amount counted out at the bus stop), I get comments and sighs from the driver..... so what? It IS annoying. What I take exception to is the uncalled for abuse given to tourists and foreigners who are asking perfectly reasonable questions and get sarcastic comments back. Some drivers don't seem to realise that there's a whole world outside their stupid little route. Yes, of course it's obvious to them that Eden Quay is the city centre, but how on earth is a tourist going to know that? Especially if they speak another language and don't even know what a quay is.

Susannahmia · 21-09-2008 12:13AM

jahalpin wrote: »

Dublin Bus steels more money than any one elese in the country, their system for collecting your change is as un-customer friendly as possible, you can only get change from their head office in O'Connell Street during office hours and upto one o'clock on a Saturday. They should be required to open branch offices throughout the city which stay open until a reasonable time and open until around 6 on Saturday and Sunday. The staff are also very unhelpful and rude when you go into to collect your change, and they also make up rules to prevent people from collecting change receipts, which no provate company would ever get away with

I worked for Dublin bus a few years ago for a summer. I was told that all the unclaimed change goes into a separate account that Dublin bus actually cannot legally ever touch as it is not theirs, so I don't think they do steal it. Granted they are very un customer friendly and lol after working there I'd never bother put in a complaint but that is down to poor management.

jaffa20 · 21-09-2008 12:44AM

Some drivers are just twats. I hate when some drivers don't stop. I remember my friend was waiting on the 46 from town to go home once and when it approached he put out his hand and it didn't stop. He called dublin bus and demanded an explanation. They called the driver and he said there was nobody at the stop. He decided to get a taxi home for 50euro and sent the bill to dublin bus. He actually got a cheque in the post a few weeks later :eek: Sometimes it pays to complain and if i was the OP i would. Tut, women drivers

Really rude bus drivers.

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