One of the many things I love about you, is that you're not afraid to stir up some shit.

why didnt you just walk if it was 5 miles, you lazy sod..

crazy londoners..!!

WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT YOU FUCKER

WHAT A LOAD OF BULLSHIT YOU FUCKER

All in all, I think you were in the wrong although I can understand where you are coming from. So I would say a jury would come down 8-4 or 7-5 against you.

You have to remember that these buses often pick up huge amounts of people at the start of the route. So a half full bus pulls up at a stop and 65 people bundle onto it. As far as the driver is concerned, there are 15 people too many but it's totally impractical of him to say to the last 15, "ok, you can't get on" for all the arguments about "what about that lot who just got on?" that would ensue.

so the driver thinks to himself, there are 15 too many, I have to get them off. Which is where we get this situation whereby drivers let off people without letting others on.

You have to understand these practicalities and your misfortune to be waiting at an advanced point along the route.

Sorry, but that's just the way it is! :-(

Mr. Makepeace, stirring things up to make a difference is laudable, but you were putting your own safety in jeopardy, I think.

I can understand why you were pissed off, but I don't understand why you were so increasingly insistent on getting the bus ride, to the point you would face-off with a two-ton bus?

If the distance is not too far (like under five miles), I would have resigned by lot and yomped home instead.

Cheers from Hong Kong - Robert.

that is pathetic how can a driver like that guy in the pictures get a job on the busses when hes running people over and i cant get a job because i help too many people sorry to hear your story man id be well pissed off!!!!!!

that is pathetic how can a driver like that guy in the pictures get a job on the busses when hes running people over and i cant get a job because i help too many people sorry to hear your story man id be well pissed off!!!!!!

Go you, that stand against possibly the most annoying form of public transport is great

Dan

people like you make me sick.

i wish he had run you over.

you people who are against the guy are idiots,
he was coming home late at night and having paid his taxes plus fares expects a decent service to take him home,
I've seen this happen to many time, fair enough the bus is packed but I've seen it happy when the bus is empty what's the exuse there?
I always have to stand in the middle of the road to stop the bus, it' s not about walking home at that time of night if your damn tired and are unsure of the route.
The tube also in not open at that time, also cabs are too expensive, IF they pass by,
fuck the planet people are just gonna get more cars if this caries on, I know I am.

What a load of shit. Bus drivers do a difficult job and wankers like you make it worse. If the bus is overloaded its obvious to anyone that teh driver must let some off without taking more on. I lived in London for 19 years and never had these kind of problems. You must be exagerating it out of all proportion. Stop moaning and sort your life out. Poeple like you make me sick.

What do yo expect fuckwit!
The N77 will fill up with drunken lairy twats in the west end and not pick up until its dispelled its drunken cargo.
If you stand mid route waiting for it in Rastaville how to you propose to get on a bus thats full?
If i was you, you whingeing fairy, take your head from out of your arse and start walking you bone idle lazy snivelling shite.
What sort of cunt waits two hours for a bus?
Furthermore what sort of cunt waits for a bus at a bus stop for two hours in muggers paradise?
A prize cunt!

For information, I will gladly see you hauled up in court for 1) Breaching Passenger Carrying Vehicle regulations (You must never obstruct a PCV driver from carrying out his duties, whether you agree with them or not) and 2) Breaching the Data Protection Act (Taking a savable picture of a person, who is the primary subject of the picture, without their consent).

There's about £10,000's worth of fine there without me trying a bit harder.

I recommend getting some overtime to pay this off.

Please be so kind as to post your details so as I can progress this matter further.

D.B.

Hmmm, well, I can understand your frustration.

The driver letting people off and refusing to open the door is usually because of overloading. This has been pointed out above. This is something the conductors stopped, as drivers we are stuck in the cabs and have no power to stop it unless we get out, which we are not allowed to do, so overloading will continue.

I disagree with using bus as a weapon to push you out of the way but have you ever driven nights? No, didn't think so. It is possibly the worst duty time ever. You're under so much pressure to maintain times, that on most duties there isn't enough time to stop at the traffic lights, let alone bus stops. And please, do not insult me by saying, "If you can't stand the heat" because I challenge anyone to drive buses for a living with the 'ever so nice Joe Public' getting at you for the mistakes of a small minority. Bus driving would be a quality job if I didn't have to pick up people. :-)

Driver should NOT have sworn at you. He lets himself down there but if you had done that to me, the punch you expected from the burly gents would have been from me. However, you would not have got that far. I would have called the police.

Contravention of the PSV regs (as Das Boot says) is a criminal offence and there is nothing sweeter than watching a passenger who claims that they pay your wages being carted off in a meat wagon...!

I must say that taking the drivers picture....spinners do that day in day out so that's a grey area...however, you have not given the driver a chance to defend himself and have published his picture. You have made serious allegations against this driver that the traffic commissioner needs to hear. Don't worry, I can track the garage down for you from the reg and talk to the Garage manager myself, and I would be happy to do so. See, no matter what the driver did you have admitted obstructing a PSV, whether you take this down or not I have it saved. There is no proof of him hitting you in the pictures, it is an allegation that cannot be backed up. Blokey at the top said, "Wankers like you make the job harder..." I couldn't agree more. This story may be two years old but all the proof that is needed is here. All the best

Amanda

I am one of those dreaded and dare I say it, hated bus drivers.

I am also a member of the public with an occasion to find myself in a position of want for a bus.

Before becoming a driver I am sure that I would have had no hesitation in upholding your perception of the 'Dreaded Bus Driver'.
My views now have a different nature.

What needs to be explained is that when a bus driver approaches a bus stop that has hoards of people waiting to board, once he opens the door he has very little control as to how many will attempt to embark on his bus.

People tend to have no regard for eachother and will force themselves onto the bus, standing forward of the driver, bringing the capacity of the bus above the legal limit, not to mention a huge reduction in a drivers visibility on the nearside of the vehicle.

The driver at this point has a decision to make.

Does he continue or ask people to leave?

In my experience people refuse to leave.

Therefore when a driver reaches the next bus stop, he will let those off that wish to alight whilst not letting more on until he knows that his bus has the legal capacity to accept more.

This is what being a professional driver is all about.

I'm sure you would frown at those that have 7 or 8 people squeezed into a small family car unrestrained and possibly with children?

There is an issue with Health and Safety on any public service.

If the bus were to catch on fire for example, the ensuing panick on a packed bus would mean that passengers would be trampled, crushed and enevitably deaths will occur as the means of escape will be barred.

Especially if objects such pushchairs and suitcases blocking the ailse.

Hillsbourough should give you an idea what I mean.

Many people trying to escape from small exits all at once is not a viable option.

It is therefore the drivers responsibility to ensure the safety of his passengers even if it is at the inconvienience of those waiting at a bus stop further on in the route.

To conclude.

Why are buses late??

Well, members of the so called public standing in front of one holding it up, arguing with the driver, traffic, bus broken down, major incident or sheer numbers of people trying to board or alight a bus are all factors.

No driver I know makes a deliberate attempt to go slower than his timetable dictates as he stands to lose out in the end.

For example, if he is late he will have no stand time, although European legislation states that bus drivers can and should take a 5 minute stand time at the each end of their journey.

So when you see a driver who has arrived at the end of his journey and he leaves straight away, bear in mind he has forfeited his right to a break.

And just to elaborate, a bus driver gets a 40 minute lunch break, he/she does not get tea breaks of any kind.

A bus driver does what is asked of him by his controllers, employers and his own professionalism.

Just a cynical note, if you wonder why drivers always seem miserable, try saying thanks when you walk on the bus instead of giving the evil eye.

Or worse, completely ignore them as though a machine from Terminator is moving the transportation system.

I hope I have addressed at least some of your misgivings towards the ill perceived world of the Bus Operator?!

But yet after all that, I still feel for you, and I have some rather not so fond memories of myself waiting for the Devils transport !!

I am SHOCKED by the negative response to your post. I suspect all the comments must be from fellow bus drivers (at least the last poster admitted it!).
I totally sympathise with you as I have come across similar problems.
In my epxerience, I say thank you on my way in and get the evil eye back instead. I wish they had the terminator machine on their.

you had no right taking the bus drivers picture,the driver has a hard enough time doing his job,just remember this man has got more brains than you will ever have you daft stupid mare,the reason the driver stopped short of the bus stop and let passengers off is mentioned in the above comment.the driver must have had a bumping sore head listening to all the other piss heads on the bus,how would you like your picture put on the internet, and anyway what the hell are you waiting for a bus at that time in the morning?if youve got enough money to stay out till 3am and get pissed you should have enough money to get a taxi home, after all thats what taxi's are for. you dosey daft stupid mare.....

I think the solution is f*ckin simple - MORE BUSES!? HELLOOOO??

London Transport is a joke. I don't blame the drivers its not up to them. But, as a female waiting for a night bus is hellish enough without having to wait 3x as long as they say I should...

Its an expensive load of shit and the tubes are no better.

That's just the way it is?? Well it SHOULDN'T BE!! For god's sake we live in LONDON, all this is so SIMPLE to solve but obviously the budget goes out (among other total b*llocks) to paying for sodding temps that work in the Public Sector paid at least £13 per hour to cover other people's sick leave (on full pay because they stubbed their toe).

M

I am a p.c.v driver.

I do appreciate your frustration but you'll never understand untill you have driven a bus.

Before i drove a bus, i had similar views.
I would like to thank the people in the industry for pointing out the reality of our posistion.

Imagine you had to an average of 10-12 hours a day, contantly asked and almost expected to work your days off, short meal breaks if any!(meaning driving 5.5 hours before a break).
Stuck in a confined space, being watched constantly by cctv, from pretty much every angle.
Trying to meet your timetable, that was designed in a bid to be cost-effective to win the contract in fair competition?!!, they probably sent a muppet out in van to drive the circuit non-stop.
Then there is the raincoats that accuse you of wasting time and report you for slightly running early in school holidays and anything else they can dream of.
And there is the lovely drunken public that act like school children when they see a red bus.
I could go on for hours telling you the harsh realities and i think that alot of drivers could write a book.
Your issue should not be with the driver, and instead directed at the organisers of public transport in the united kingdom.

As a driver i would have ran over you (well moved you with the bus) its the drivers right to refuse you like it or lump it !
complain to his bosses but no you had to put other people out!

I HAVE JUST BEEN GIVEN A JOB AS A BUS DRIVER AND I SWEAR TO GOD THAT IF IM DOING THE N77 AND I SEE A STARFISH FACED WANKER LIKE YOU I WONT STOP. ILL TAKE YOUR PICTURE AND HAVE THE BBC CHASE YOUR WIFE AND KIDS BACK TO THEIR CAR AFTER SHE HAS PICKED THEM UP FROM SCHOOL.I SAY TO ALL CABBIES BUSSEYS AND TUK TUKS OUT THERE LET US UNITE TO STOP THIS PERSON FROM USING A BUS. WHY DONT YOU PUT A PICTURE OF YOURSELF ON THE NET AS WELL YOU GUTLESS SPINE

Unfortunately, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Why are you making such a fuss over one experience, if you're in wandsworth going to merton road it would take you no longer than 1hour to walk - it's a 10 min car journey so the same on a bus. give the drivers/public transport a break they carry millions of people everyday and is the oldest public transport system in the world and is relativly good, busses that run 24/7 are fantastic even if they are sometimes a little late.

you are like a bacteria infecting the human species you like to complain about everything because your life probably has no exitement in it so remember this
whatever job you do and get a hard time doing it remember that you are one of the shits giving yourself a hard time

I am a Bus driver and it is the most stressfull job i have ever done.

I worked in an office but this job is really hard work!

There is some nice people out there but some people are rude and it is not just kids even though they are the worst.i get sworn out most days and have been punched! i would not drive a nightbus because too many drunken idiots.

I also bring the job home and my wife has to put up with my moaning and the money isnt that great for the hours we do i start at 0448 in two weeks time, tomorrow i start at 0611 and dont finish until 1730.

Yes there is bad bus drivers where i work there is some bad drivers but we are only human beings and we do our best and we like to go home as well.

Anyway hope the next time you get a bus it is easier for you to board.

You're a idiot. Why stand in front of the bus? Why take the drivers picture? You caused so much havoc. The driver made the biggest mistake allowing you to travel after all that commotion.

I was a bus driver in London. Thank goodness I left London altogether. It was the worse job I have ever done in my life. I am now working as a nurse and when ever I get stressed I just remember what I was doing back in 1988 to 1990 and everything seems great. It was hell on earth doing your job as best you could and being spat on, punched and verbully abused all the time. I would recommend cycling as I did in london when living there. It is far faster and better for you.

Im sorry to hear of your nightmare journey on the N77.

I regularly use night buses to travel from my girlfriend in Tottenham, North London to my place in Croydon, Surrey. I normally use 3 night buses, the N279, N159 & N213. My journey normally takes just over 2 hours and i have NEVER experienced any problems. I have had to stand on vary rare occasions when the N159 has been busy coming out of the west end but in all i can say it is a very good experience. I have had to wait for a few buses during my time but its never been any more than 20 mins max.

Its no good having a go at the driver either as they are only doing their job, (well done to each and every one of you guys and girls).

Im also sure that the routes & timetables are worked out with a person who drives a car on a sunday evening !!.

In all the night bus network in London is excellent and i just guess you did have a bad night according to your account but im sure it is the exception rather than the rule.

I am a bus driver in East London and because of people like yourself I now take a zero tolerant approach to loadings. It says 83 passengers and no standing upstairs on my bus and thats what I insist on or the police get called. Weve had two drivers recently warned by the police for overloading schoolkids at my garage. Passengers expectations really need to change.

I LIVE UP NORTH AND WE HAVE THE SAME WANKERS UP HERE MOANING IF YOU ARE 2 MINS LATE YOU SHOULD TRY AND DO THE JOB KNOBHEAD THEN YOU WOULD SOON CHANGE YOUR MIND AND YES I AM A BUS DRIVER

Nice one...I hate when buses do that

I have to agree with Matthew,
your a prat, you dont have a clue about the job,
if you did that in front my bus you would not be here today, my bus weighs in at 20 tonnes unladen,
with a Passenger mas at 113 at say around 35 + tonnes with a full standing. there would be no way of stopping it if some numpty walked out in front of it like you did.
next time plan your journey better, get a earlier or later bus, or just walk.

This thread was started nearly four years ago!

I applaud the way you stood up for yourself and am glad that you eventually got on the bus. I always use London buses as I prefer them to the Tube.

Most bus drivers in London hate their job and would rather be doing something else, but what annoys me is how most of them take this out on the passengers.

The term 'scratching' is well-known amongst London bus drivers. This is the technique of one bus closely following another so that they can share the load from alternate bus stops (or the one behind makes sure he doesn't overtake the one in front so that he doesn't have to take many passengers). Ever waited ages at a bus stop then three turn up together? Thought so! That's usually because they're 'scratching' and it works for the drivers' convenience NOT the passengers.

Well done Paul for taking a stand and protesting that the timetabled number of buses was not running. I think you need a car in London, especially at night in order to have a decent quality of life in this low-quality life city.

I have encountered very few bus drivers in London who could be described as even one of the following: polite, helpful, cheerful, respectful, empathetic or happy whilst they're working. I have to say that it almost seems that these qualities are disqualifiers for bus driver job interviews. The ones that can smile, say please or thank you are very rare.

The most common utterances from bus drivers I encounter are along the lines of "Oi, you there in the isle, get out the way/move down" and such. The very idea of saying, for example, "Excuse me everyone, can you move down the bus please" appears to be out of the question.

A driver on here complains that people don't say thanks when they get off, well I do and I never get any acknowledgement at all. But this is a problem with London in general; buses, shops, cinemas and pretty much everything else are bursting with bad manners and general ignorance. This isn't to say that the perpetrators are bad people, just that, unfortunately, this is the way a lot of Londoners operate.

A prime example of this ignorance is the terrible driving of a lot of bus drivers. I'm a fit and healthy young man but I've almost gone flying a couple of times thanks to the nutter at the wheel. I always cringe when I see those of more advanced years hold on for dear life as Ayrton Senna heads into the chicane.

With regards to the original post - the law is the law is the law and the law is an ass. I don't think you were wrong - despite all the naff defences being offered on here, legal or otherwise. You exercised your right to protest and self expression. It's just a shame that it wasn't for something more worthwhile.

I agree with all you did. This problem is not restricted to only night buses. I find the way they drive, on the whole, is terrible. I see women and kids flying all over the place on buses due to the ignorant sod behind the driving seat. I have witnessed many buses, both day and night, not stopping. I had a simular experiance where, like yourself, a rather large ruby playing type grapped me by the throat on a packed bus after I complained by standing in front of the bus. the bus driver kept nugging the bus into me. I did finally get on where this bully boy grabbed me by the throat. He gone a cracking righthander from me. He then backed off in pain and shock. Pitty he did'nt have the gut's to see what was really going on.
I reported the bus driver to both the bus company and the police. The bus company apologised and said the man had been reprimanded. The police said there was nothing they could do. I then wrote to the police commissioner at Scotland yard.
A week later a Cheif inspector call me and apologised, saying he had spoken to the officer who said he would not take it futher and was sorry for the way it had been delt with. I thanked him and said I did not want to pursue it.
It is my right to expect a proper service, courtesy. I don't want to be patronised. I just want a polite mode of transport. For though on this forum who see fit to slag off those of us that argue for a decent service...Grow up you soft git's. it's a pity you don't have the bottle to stand up for what's right. If not for yourself, for those who suffer and can't due to people such as yourself.
Shithouses, thats what you are.

just had a glance through replys and want to say that buses N381 &188 come to mind they are quite happy to drive past a single woman at the bus stop very late at night when the bus is almost empty also agree with above comments about appalling driving. Complain why shouldn't we after all we pay for this service no passengers and they'd all be out of a job

The C10 also comes to mind, there is a fat bus driver with glasses and a tash at Canada Water who left an 80 year old woman at the bus stop.

He had only just closed the doors and was still in the bus stop and still would not let her on. He remained there in the bus stop for about 3 minutes behind a queue of buses at the red traffic light. How would he feel if someone had done that to his mother/grandmother? How on earth does he sleep at night? Disgusting behaviour

You guys are scaring me away big time!!!, I was just about to move to London for a job on duble decker but now I am afraid. Now days you have to go after a Job, and I see that my redundancy is geting closer and closer here in Dublin, but with the stuff I just have read, I have sekend thougts about london bus jobs. Is it realy that bad???
What would the other drivers do in my position, here are some details.
I have a job full time 40h on 24h basis 8h peer day. Earning 530 euro/week and taking home around 470euro/week with is 390 - 400 Pounds Sterling. My wife has 400e/week or 340 pounds. One bed appartment cost us 900e/month with bils (750pound). Is it worth to move to London ?

Hey Paul,

I am currently producing a radio report on night buses. Your story is very interesting and I was wondering if I could interview you in order to get your comment on 1)the people's reactions on your blog 2)follow up of the story as I see some people eager to make you pay for your stand-off.

Please feel free to reply to me.

Many thanks

It must be a miserable job to do. That would explain why these tend to be complete shits. Taxi drivers seem to enjoy there work (independence and more money). But yes, I am afraid London bus drivers are rubbish in every way.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY!
What a lot of fuss about nothing!
I came across this website by accident and I was amazed at the all the commentry. It appears that even after all this time, this is still a contentious issue and why not, it is much the same now as it was then. Young lady, you have stirred up a hornets nest and no mistake!
It is easy to tar all bus drivers with the same brush, just as it is equaly easy for us bus drivers (yes, I'm one of them) to tar all passengers with the same.
Like many of the drivers that have already posted their comments, I used to think the same about bus drivers, until that is I until started working in this delightful job more then two years ago. It will probably come as no surprise to anyone reading this, that a lot of drivers have come from all walks of life. Mine was very different and it took a lot of getting used to. While we are about it, just how safe is your own job at present? As bad as it appears on this blog, there are a lot worse jobs out there. The varying shifts take a lot of getting used to, but the pay isn't too bad - of course that depends which company you are working for and that is probably a subject on another blog somewhere - 'nough said!
As bus drivers, we sometimes have to wear a very thick skin and just have to get on with it, but that thick skin can be worn down very thin some days, believe me (and I think you do!).
It was a very unfortunate incident and probably best just put down as experience.
We do have i-bus now which does make things a bit better, although no system is perfect.
Just to clear up a fact about "scratching" and all that nonsense written about it on an earlier posting. It is when a driver is running "early" and needs to lose time at a bus stop or two. This only happens at certain times of the day, usually when the route get less busy between the "rush hours". Now what usually happens is when there is a liklyhood of one bus catching another, therefore causing them to run together - the driver will be told to wait at a stop for two minutes in order to regulate the service. I'm sure many of you out there have heard that nice lady announce that fact over the loud speakers.
I'm sure there will be more commentry to come, but for now I have better things to do!

That's it, after jacking in bus driving in London Jan' 1998. Wx Garage, 16, 32, 113, 189, 316, I have decided not to approach my former employers for my job back. This thread has my mind made up.

I had a somewhat similar experience to yours when a bus stopped off the official bus stop to discharge its passengers because the driver felt he was overloaded (he actually stopped across a side road). There was room at the back of the bus but the sheep sorry passengers were all clustered at the front so he couldn't see this. However he refused to open the door to let me tell him this but because of the traffic he could only crawl along the road as I walked along beside him knocking on the door. He finally deigned to speak to me and tell me he was full and taking no more passengers. I decided to report him because of his attitude as courtesy costs little. The company agreed that yes there was room, yes he should have been more courteous, and yes I was right that he shouldn't have been using his mobile whilst the bus was moving, as the security tape showed when they viewed it. The last point I only brought up because of his behaviour.
I think the key to so much of this belligerence is communication. If he had just engaged with me and told me why he wouldn't let me on board I wouldn't have taken it further as I know the drivers get grief and hassle everyday but no excuse for bad manners.

It's interesting to read all the comments, especially from bus drivers.

I usually cycle everywhere in London and never use the bus but in the last few weeks I've been getting the bus quite a lot.

I think a massive problem is passengers are not told what is going on.

For example a bus terminating early, ie it terminates before the stop you want to get off. The bus just says it terminates at blah blah...and that's it. The first time this happened to me I just got off and had to pay another single cash fare to continue my journey, which meant I payed double what it should have been. Why didn't the bus tannoy just say you could get a ticket from the bus driver that lets you continue your journey on another bus? It's not as if the driver has to make the annoucement themselves.

Re a bus being full up. The obvious answer is a sign saying “full up”, like a “not in service” when the bus is not in service. If buses don't have a sign then why don't the driver just say “sorry, full up”?

I have agree with the comments about the bad driving: sudden hard accelerations that send people flying around inside the bus (one day a passenger's going to killed), coming up to a red light but still accelerates and then slams on the brakes just before the lights, etc etc. Actually this is how most people drive, but bus drivers are supposed to be trained professional drivers, haha.

London Bus drivers are on the whole a great bunch who diligently do their job, but a small number are truly terrible.

I came across this website because this morning I had a nightmare driver and I wanted to look online to find out about other people’s experiences. This is my story, pretty minor really but here you go: A bus driver on the C2 route sailed past a stop and I was waiting to get off. I asked him why he didn’t stop. He then told me that I needed to push the bell . I said I didn’t think that was needed because it wasn’t a request stop and then he started to call me all these names and he become aggressive, opening his cab door and trying to intimidate me. I asked him to calm down but he got more and more angry, swearing at me. I ended up filmed him getting all heated up and he didn’t seem to care, sticking his fingers up at me and calling me more names.

I agree with the commenter above – if the guy had just said “Sorry mate, I missed that one” it wouldn’t have been a problem at all – everyone makes mistakes, you just want to be treated like a human. I appreciate that bus drivers have a tough job and many passengers are rude and obnoxious, but why not treat your passengers with a little courtesy?