Grumpy Old Man – Back On The Buses

I wrote recently about the fun and games on my recent bus ride to the Spurs so you can imagine my impending joy that I had a return journey to look forward to once the game was over! I had a beer with a few friends after the game so delayed my journey and hoped that most of the passengers from the game would already have left as there is always one person who wants to bend your ear about the game!

When I arrived at the stop, there were about 6 people waiting and the sign showed me that my bus was due within a few minutes so stood in the covered bus stop and could see the bus heading our way. This area is pretty busy and there were a number of people standing around behind the stop chatting, but as the bus arrived, as a body, they all seemed to drive forward to get in front of the people waiting at the stop.

Now I’m 61 which is not that old, but an oldish couple in front of me were nearly shoved over by two young lads pushing in from the side in their rush to get a seat on an almost empty bus. Thankfully the driver saw their actions and actually ordered them off the bus until the queue had gone down. They wanted to object , but this huge West Indian man in the queue said something to them which I did not catch and they both sheepishly got down and waited till we were all on before boarding!

So the journey started eventfully, but then seemed to go quite well as people got on and off without problems which is not usually what happens when I travel. I spoke too soon as there is a section of dual carriageway with a request stop in the middle and you do need to let the driver know well in advance that you need the bus to stop.

So we hit this stage of the journey and the bus starts accelerating through the gears when the two same boys wander down the stairs and, as the bus was approaching the stop, they pressed the bell expecting the driver to make an emergency stop to let them off. The driver ignored the request and shouted to the boys that it was too late and to get off at the next stop. I just sat and waited for the next step in this incident as you could see that it was not over.

The bus started slowing down ready for the next stop and you could sense the two boys were biding their time before they said something and as the bus pulled to a stop, they started on at the driver, but he did not open the door to let them off which put them at a disadvantage. They shouted at him to open the door, which he did, but not the door to get off, but the door from his cab! As he stood up he must have been well over 6ft 6″ tall and build like a brick outhouse and he slowly walked towards the boys!

Now I was not sure what he was going to do, but the two boys, who must have been in their mid-teens, were looking  rather worried. He stood in front of them and gave them a lecture about manners and respect for their elders and betters and if he saw them acting like idiots again, he would get their names and talk to their parents to teach them some manners.

He had a deep booming voice so all of us on the ground floor heard him give these two their comeuppance and, as one, we all applauded him. He smiled, a full mouth of big white teeth, bowed towards us and walked back to his cab where he opened the door and the two boys flew out of the bus and ran off towards their home, I assumed.

Sadly, the rest of the journey passed without incident, but I don’t think anyone would have tried anything after seeing the driver’s reaction to the misbehaving by these lads! I was one of the last off and congratulated him on the way he dealt with them and he just smiled and waved me off!

Any of you had a driver like this? He made the journey back fun! Let me know below please!

[GARD align=”center”]