Angry Nigel the 185 bus driver man (Lounged)

[Ants]

Anyone on the 185 last night (around 9.30)heading to ED? I bet you've dealt with this bus driver before. I've decided to leave the pub to find I'll have angry Nigel the bus driver cheufeuring me. He does his usual trick of kicking someone off the bus for waving their travel card to fast at him then sending everyone back to re-swipe their cards. He won't move till everyone is far enough back until transport cops make him. Has an argument with a new person at each stop, still refuses to move until he's satisfied. People are getting pretty upset with him, then we reach Camberwell where he's decided he not going any further. Someone's activated some emergency switch and he's to scared to get out and fix it so now the whole bus is screaming at him. I got out before the riot started and walked the rest of the way. I used to find him entertaining until I was stuck on a bus with 8 pints in me I needed to get out! Useless old git needs to get out of public service job before he upsets the wrong person.

[MitchK]

To be honest, if I drove a bus I think I would be miserable. Especially in South London. They really do attract the lowest of the low, especially at night.

[Ants]

Yer, he's a clean cut old guy, looks like a retired accounts payable clerk who's wife left him and now has no one to beat up when he gets home. I'm not going to be the first to make a complaint about him.

[bon3yard]

Sounds like some kind of alternative cabaret. Pay your pound, step right up. It cant be an easy job but I've found in dealing with the public that a smile and a few kind words go an awfully long way to oiling the gears and making a rubbish job moderately enjoyable.

[kford]

Sounds like a Viz cartoon

[Horsebox]

MitchK Wrote:

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> They really

> do attract the lowest of the low, especially at

> night.

Ya, totally agree. I'm usually picked up by one of the private fleet and at a push might jump in a cab. On the very rare occasion that one does have to take PT, OMG! It literally is the dregs of society. Shocking, really. Can our MP not make this a priority issue?

[cdonline]

Is this the same miserable git that used to work on the N12 bus route? Sounds like him. A welcome scowl, always followed by some problem with seemingly every passenger.

[carolyn]

Ants, may I ask why you don't want to be the first to mke a complaint? Ho will anything change for the better if you're unwilling to speak up?

[Applespider]

Then again there are also nice bus drivers like the one driving the 185 this morning who was about to drive off but opened his doors again to let me on when he spotted me running along. I did make sure to smile and say thank you. The smile and the kind words go both ways - bus driving can be pretty thankless.

I'm however one of those freaks who quite likes hopping on a bus rather than a cab. I'd far rather have the option of people watching/reading a book than making conversation with a cabbie and paying for the privelege of listening to their rants. And perhaps I'm on different buses but the majority of folks on them seem perfectly normal as opposed to the dregs being suggested.

[Cassius]

I like buses because I can afford them - however if anyone would like to give me a taxi allowance I am sure I could learn to like them again. The last cab I caught from the West End cost me a tenner - so that probably means it was about 15 years ago!

[Dragonfly]

Hi I'm trying to track down Angry Nigel...any suggestions on the best way to do it?

Thanks

[Siduhe]

Dragonfly Wrote:

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> Hi I'm trying to track down Angry Nigel...any

> suggestions on the best way to do it?

> Thanks

I think you forget to start your post with "Regional Forum Template"? ;-)

More sensibly, send someone down to the bus depot that serves the 185 route and ask around - I think East Thames Buses operates out of Mandela Way in SE1.

[copleston_charlie]

"Then again there are also nice bus drivers like the one driving the 185 this morning who was about to drive off but opened his doors again to let me on when he spotted me running along."

I've always thought, wrongly as it turns out, that this would be the 'basic level of behviour' you'd expect from a bus driver - letting people onto the bus.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Now, you say that CC, but when you are one of the people on the bus, and you have waited for an extra couple of minutes at several bus stops as the driver does the "right thing" and you start to think "hang on, surely the bus driver's job is to get the people on the bus to their destination and keep some sort of adherance to the timetable"

However in truth I'm usually more upset by a diver pulling away, leaving me behind than I am taking an extra 15 mins on the Walworth Rd

[bigbadwolf]

I usually find non British bus drivers are by far the best, as in they usually let you on when waiting for the lights and hang about if they see some one running for the bus.

[Sue]

So how do you tell they aren't British?

[Mick Mac]

They drive on the wrong side of the road.

[Sue]

:))

[KalamityKel]

bigbadwolf Wrote:

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> I usually find non British bus drivers are by far

> the best, as in they usually let you on when

> waiting for the lights and hang about if they see

> some one running for the bus.

So you mean you approve of breaking rules/laws and generally annoying other passengers? ;-)

[Jimbob]

i,m down in kent fairly often, and occasionally use the bus if i,ve had a few scoops, people down there still say thank you to the driver when getting off the bus.

[BlueOne]

I had such a bad experience with this guy one morning that I did actually write and complain. I gave the exact time, the stop and a description of the driver, but they claimed they were unable to ID the driver from the details given.

Basically I just missed a 185, so was the very first person at the stop, waiting patiently for the next one. The bus pulled up and there was the usual 'every person for themself" rush for the door. I tried to get on with as much dignity as I could, only to realise that the bus driver was shouting: "get off my bus! get off my bus!". I was looking around to see who he was shouting at, and I realised it was me!

He had decreed: 'NO ONE AFTER THE LADY IN THE RED COAT", but since I couldn't even see a lady in a red coat, I presumed it was OK. It then dawned on me that there was a lady in a red coat behind me, but that he specifically wanted ME to get off the bus. He actually shouted: "I will not move this bus until you get off".

I actually PLEADED with him to let me stay on, as I had been waiting fifteen minutes. He stood his ground and commanded me to get off. At that point I called him a f*cking cnut and flounced off the bus in tears.

For the record I am a rather respectable looking middle aged woman, not normally an abusive hooligan, and I have never seen ANYONE kicked off a bus despite witnessing some unbeliveably antisocial behaviour.

Most humiliating experience of my life.

[Salsie]

Oh my God! I never knew other people had experienced him too! A few months back i got on the bus at Denmark Hill, showed him my travel card and then moved on. He called me back and asked me to show him again so pressed it against the window - not good enough - he made me pass it through to him at which point someone else stuck up for me and then he gave it me back and told me i had ot get off and he was going to refuse to take me! I refused and the other guy who very nicely stood up for me got off the bus out of principle! What made it worse was some w*nker on the bus proceeded to tell me it was my fault as I dont have an oyster (I have a paper as thats all you get at denmark hill) and I must I dont undertsand the psycological problems bus drivers - he's met people like me before - and said he could tell i was some high powered career woman who probably speaks to everyone i deem lower than me like this!!! I actually work in a very non high powered job, was very polite initially and dont have anyone working below me... ahhh it makes my blood boik even now so i totally sympathise with everyone else!!!

[Mick Mac]

YES SALSIE - I have had the same experience - this guy makes you hand over your annual travel pass. Then he makes you hand over your photo card. He is a complete jobsworth.

One evening he was so arrogant, I just called him a wanker and got off and waited for the next bus - he seems to like this though - I think he likes to wind people up.

Personally I don't like to be called back from the end of the bus for him to check my ticket again and don't like him giving the appearance that I'm fare dodging. I really can't stand the guy.

[will dex]

Who knows what the standard is for london bus drivers. Some very good, some very poor??

[Mick Mac]

Yes Will Dex - thats him! Why do you have a photo of him?