angry 185 bus driver - the sequel? (Lounged)

[lenk]

James Wrote:

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> I love the way certain people rush on here to

> defend rude bus drivers. Ah, the poor little

> working classes, how can we expect them to do

> their jobs properly? Diddums.

>

> Whereas if the middle-class person serving you

> your olives in the East Dulwich Deli was rude

> you'd be on here straight away moaning to

> everyone. Why the double standard?

I would never think of moaning on the internet about either - I'm not that spineless that I wouldn't say something in-situ, Mr Class Crusader

[Gimme]

Who says the people serving olives at East Dulwich Deli are not working class?

And how would you tell?

Is it cos they speak proppa?

Or is it because you think that no self-respecting working class person would be seen dead serving olives in a deli?

[James]

What I'm saying is that it's a bit patronising defending crap bus drivers in a bleeding-heart-liberal "oh it's such a tough job" way. How do you know? Who on here is actually a bus driver?

It smacks of the usual "I'm so pc and understanding" posturing that's so often in evidence on this forum.

Here's a thought - how about we expect EVERYONE to get on with it and do their job properly, and if they're rude, we complain? Revolutionary.

[KalamityKel]

I am speaking from a bus driving family... that do ya!

[sophiesofa]

What do you think that because we're in ED no bus drivers can live here?!

[James]

Your entire family drive buses? Well that would explain how you jumped in so rashly in defence...

I was brought up selling olives like the rest of my (working-class) family. Gawd bless 'em.

[KalamityKel]

rashly? oh plz! James we've had our differences in the past but come now lets just all be friends :))

[James]

I'm not sure I could be friends with someone from a family of bus drivers. The shame! ;-)

[KalamityKel]

Never said I drove a bus now did I? :p

In all seriousness though, just as are many other jobs, the life of a bus driver is not easy. Yes it's unfortunate to come across the odd norty bad tempered ones there are also many quite exceptional and fab ones. Just chill man!

[SeanMacGabhann]

James - you aren't so slow to push the PC button when it suits you. When you gave it the large one about the treatment of gay people and a lot of people piled in to argue with you, I don't recall when I defended you, you taking the line "but you're not gay, you don't understand"

Nor is it posturing to, as a grown adult, compare selling olives in a deli for 8 hours and sitting in a stinking hot cab all day, dealing with some of the very worst possible human behaviour and not have SOME compassion??

Not that I'm defending this particular driver mind..

As for buses stopping short of their destination. It IS frustrating but it isn't necessarily the anti-passenger tactic portrayed. When traffic snarls up and all buses start to take an extra hour to reach the end of the route, it makes sense to turn some of them back the other way to pick up the passengers going the other way who wouuld otherwise be waiting an extra 2 hours

What else.. oh yeah. If a bus dumps you in Camberwell and you live in ED... rather than complain about the end of the world... just have a 15 minute walk.. it'll calm you down and you;ll be home

[lenk]

I defend the right of a bus driver to suffer from misnthropic rage from time to time, similarly If I worked in an olive shop in ED I'd probably explode every 5 minutes at the idiots who came in.

Any job that brings a person into direct exposure with someone who is ready and willing to rush off and start a 15-pager on here rather than bring their gripe up there and then.

...That's who I feel sorry for. Leave class out of it.

[James]

Not sure I get the gay analogy Sean - I do not recall ever saying that gay people are allowed to be rude to people because they are gay and straight people wouldn't understand!

[SeanMacGabhann]

True you didn't say that - but you jumped for a "PC" accusation too quickly as well

[Administrator]

Could keep this on topic please?

[James]

I do think there is a PC thing behind it. I am not saying we are going to hell in a handcart or anything (I can't bear the "it's PC gone mad" brigade) but I do find it weird when people make special allowances for people... bad service is bad service. I have worked in customer-facing jobs before and I wouldn't dream of treating people like that; if I did I would expect to be reprimanded. You're being paid to be polite and it doesn't cost anything!

[lenk]

I've never been nice to anyone in any customer-facing job I've had. I usually found ways to steal from my employer and once locked about 6 month's filing in a drawer and threw the key away. I didn't see it as being paid to be polite, not once. If I drove a bus I'd be a complete bastard.

[Gimme]

People in service industries need to remember that customers are the people who pay their wages. No customers, no wages. What annoys people most are those idiots who have no comprehension of customer service but still keep their jobs. Or where they cannot complain about poor customer service and get any action taken.

The difference between the East Dulwich Deli and the 185 bus is that if someone working in ED Deli was rude and unpleasant, it is easy to get action taken (if it hadn't already been noticed by their boss), whereas with the 185 bus, this guy sounds like he's been providing poor customer service for a long time with no easy way to complain and no action being taken. If he was likely to lose his job or be suspended for being a total a*se to customers, he probably wouldn't do it or wouldn't be there.

On the other hand, if everything was perfect and everyone was nice and smiley in an American sort of a way, we'd all get bored and have nothing to bitch about.....

[lenk]

At one point The Pigeon Detectives were technically paying my wages (amongst other people), it didn't mean I had to like them.

You don't choose the service industry, it usually drags you in kicking and screaming.

[woofmarkthedog]

James Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

>

> Whereas if the middle-class person serving you

> your olives in the East Dulwich Deli was rude

> you'd be on here straight away moaning to

> everyone. Why the double standard?

--------------------------------------------------

Quite, but are they not serving you their olives, which at that point they still own! until such time as you pay, then they become your olives .

[Loz]

If I drove a bus I'd be a complete bastard.

Some, meaner than I, may suggest the bus is optional... :))

[AuraCaught]

Dear God....

Will someone please describe this driver for me.....

If it helps to illicit a response... I'm gay, disabled, olive eating, upper middle class, who if I was richer would always use taxis!

[Zebedee Tring]

About three years ago I made a complaint to Transport for London about a driver on the 37 route who was very rude to me and among other things told me to eff off. TfL dealt with my complaint and indicated that they had taken disciplinary action against the toerag in question. So it is worth complaining if a bus driver is rude to you.

[HonaloochieB]

lenk Wrote:

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> At one point The Pigeon Detectives were

> technically paying my wages (amongst other

> people), it didn't mean I had to like them.

Understandable enough, I bet it was chicken feed.

[lenk]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

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> lenk Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > At one point The Pigeon Detectives were

> > technically paying my wages (amongst other

> > people), it didn't mean I had to like them.

>

> Understandable enough, I bet it was chicken feed.

see me afterwards

[LibraCarr]

Hi,

If you need to complain about a driver or service you need to note the time, location and registration number (which is displayed at the front of the passenger area of the bus) That helps the company to identify who is the driver at the time.

Regards,

Libra Carr.