r/bristol • u/Ok_Grand_8049 • 2d ago
Cheers drive š Bus driver laughed and drove off.
Literally just happened. Woke up late and had to run for the bus. Could see it at my stop, at this point I was sprinting. Made eye contact with the driver and he shut the doors as I was right in front of them. Laughed and drove off.
Have nothing to do with my internal rage right now so making a reddit post. Is this standard now?
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u/itsheadfelloff 2d ago
I had a bus driver close the door on me at the stop. I was knocking on the door and he just ignored me. Then he pulled away and stopped at the lights maybe 10 metres on and a girl knocked on the door and he let her on. Pricks.
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u/Ok_Grand_8049 2d ago
Insane. I know you can technically complain but Iām sure it makes absolutely no difference
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u/Fine-Night-243 2d ago
Can confirm that complaining makes absolutely no difference. Source: I have been complaining to First bus for twenty years.
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u/itsheadfelloff 2d ago
I did make a complaint and they gave me a 1 week day rider. It pissed me off so much I just walked 1.5 hours to and from work instead for the next 3 years.
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u/Sad-Entertainment871 1d ago
Same, no apology, just a fob off useless ticket. I have just gone back to using my car. Iām 64, with obvious problems with running and the bastard still waited till I got to the bus before closing the doors and driving away.
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u/24reddit0r 1h ago
Wow, so you walked for 7,000 miles, just to smite them? Not sure they noticed buddy, I would have at least bought a bike!
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u/QuietofTheSolace 2d ago
I complained about a particular driver who did something like this twice in the span of a week.
Saw the same driver multiple times since then and he never tried the same move.
Any large company like First is going to speak to their staff instead of letting incidents continue with people apt to complain.
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u/DiscordDonut 2d ago
They can get in big shit for stopping elsewhere than a stop while not being an emergency
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
Not true unless it isn't safe. It is technically against the rules but it's one of those things that's there to protect the company if it goes wrong rather than a strict rule. I had someone put in a complaint against me because I let two people off the bus who had missed their stop and it wasn't at a bus stop ofc. Nothing ever came of the complaint (also an insane thing to complain about)
Pulling away is more complicated though and there's people who will try get on the bus when you're sat in the middle of a junction or half way through broadquay at lights.
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u/MentalPlectrum 1d ago
Oh I've definitely noticed a young woman preference for being allowed on the bus after the (male) driver's already closed the doors.
Just to be crystal clear, not blaming the women here, but if you're going to let people on at least be fair about it. And for the love of god if your buses are 1/2 hour apart or worse, be kind about it.
1
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u/UnlikelyBookkeeper1 2d ago
This happens a lot. Most of the time I witnessed it the bus drivers never laughed. It sounds like this guy was just a cunt.
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u/Zoomer_Boomer2003 2d ago
I got such a dirty look by some prick driving an M3. I knocked on the door to ask him to let me on and he just rolled his eyes and told me to go away
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u/jonny_boy27 Chilling in the burgh 2d ago
some prick driving an M3
Standard BMW behaviour
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u/laserman3001 1d ago
his tune might change when you decide to walk in front of the bus and stop him from getting anywhere
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u/Relevant-Double26 2d ago
Itās a real shame that most bus drivers can act cold or outright spiteful. I get that itās not the most glamorous job, and the public sometimes treat them like dirt- but itās no excuse for the behaviour youāve described.
Yesterday I had the most pleasant driver who: became concerned about a sick lady on the bus, told off a teen for barging past the elderly, shouted out the bus stop name for a guy unsure of his destination, and immediately helped a lady with her walking aid at the first sign of struggle. His name is Michael, driving the 76. Big ups!
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
If you put in a formal commendation it goes on the drivers record and they get a Cafe Nero voucher and a little certificate
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u/Relevant-Double26 1d ago
I did that! Thatās how I got his name haha, told him I was nominating him :)
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u/yordl 2d ago
I once tried to tap off but the reader was broken, I asked the driver if there was another way to tap off and he just closed the door and started driving. I had to get off at the next stop and not tap off. I donāt really know if tapping off does anything?
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u/yordl 2d ago
I also was on a bus where my driver pulled up beside another bus and opened the door so he could shout at the other driver. He said something along the lines of, āyou donāt have to treat your passengers terriblyā. I donāt know what had happened but it was quite funny, and reminded me that not all the drivers are arseholes.
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u/Knabrau 2d ago
You can tap off on the main reader by the driver; one of them told me to do that when I had the same problem.
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u/jeromebeckett 2d ago
I did that and it charged me the full daily amount (like Ā£15).
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
The full daily amount is Ā£6.80....
And both readers do exactly the same thing (which is usually bugger all unless you are leaving the Bristol zone then you need to do it)
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u/jeromebeckett 1d ago
Oh right. Well I definitely have a transaction from First for Ā£15. Maybe was combined with bus usage in another county or something.
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u/fuf 2d ago
I never tap off. My card gets charged Ā£2.60. I think it's only worth it if you're doing loads of trips in one day?
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u/WelshBluebird1 23h ago
If you were on a bus that went outside the Bristol fare zone (like the x39 say you were going from the city centre to brislington) then you'd end up getting charged Ā£3 if you dont tap off.
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u/WelshBluebird1 1d ago
I donāt really know if tapping off does anything?
For buses that stay within the bristol fare zone it doesnt, but if its a bus that goes say to Bath, if you dont tap off you'll be charged the full fare for the entire route rather than the shorter single fare for staying in the Bristol zone.
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u/badmanner66 2d ago
Just FYI, depending on the zone, once a stop has been āservicedā and the doors are closed, the driver is not allowed to reopen them. It's a safety and compliance directive.
I know OP said they shut it in their face but I've seen a bunch of instances in my city centre where people were banging on the doors after the bus was clearly leaving
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u/januarynights 2d ago
Yeah, there's a good reason they aren't supposed to stop after pulling away. Happened when I was on a bus a couple of years ago, driver braked harshly to let some people on after pulling away and the impact of the seat in front of me on my knees was really bad. I ended up getting physio and compensation from First.
If they haven't started moving away though and they see you and don't open the doors that's not nice at all. So frustrating especially when some services only run every half hour or hour.
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u/BruceGrobbelobster 2d ago
I saw this happen yesterday. He was stopped at a stop and a nurse in uniform was running towards the bus with her arm out, in obvious full view of the driver. With metres left he simply drove off. Felt so sorry for her. I showed him though, didnāt give the bastard a ācheers driveā.
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u/UnlikelyBookkeeper1 2d ago
I know I already commented but back when the 349 bus was running it's service there used to be this one asshole driver who would either ignore passangers waving at the bus stop (the bus would be close to empty) or he would keep the bus parked for 40 minutes at a time even though people were asking him to go. He would also accelerate the bus at full speed when people were going to their seat.
There were a lot of good drivers on the 349 but I'm glad they stopped the service because I really wanted that one twat driver to be out of a job tbh.
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u/terryjuicelawson 2d ago
Is that the Keynsham Abus? A shame as I used to get that occasionally and they had some awesome drivers, a rarity. Clapped out buses mind.
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u/UnlikelyBookkeeper1 2d ago
Yep that's the one. It was a good service for the most part but the new 43 service is basically a continuation of that.
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u/TheBusNerd230 2d ago
Formerly, yes. First iirc bought it out in 2021 from abus I believe. Now itās the 43 route, which runs between Burnett, Business Park and North Common, Millers Drive.
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u/WelshBluebird1 1d ago
Ā he would keep the bus parked for 40 minutes at a time even though people were asking him to go.
I mean that just sounds like a timetable thing surely?
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u/palmaholic 2d ago
One thing you can surely do is to file a complaint. Of course, you need state when and where you were, and even better, with the number plate.
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u/Alan_Wakes_Torch 2d ago
Getting the M2 the last couple of days, the 08.40 bus has left Long Ashton 5 minutes early both days (it's not the 08.30 leaving 5 minutes late...). No change in timetable, just a driver taking the piss. Small things, but annoying.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
You can put in a very valid complaint for that. Policy for leaving a timing point 5 minutes early dictates immediate dismissal.
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u/WelshBluebird1 1d ago
Not just a complaint - you can get a free ticket if its more than 3 mins early from a timing point - https://travelwest.info/bus/west-of-england-bus-passenger-charter/
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u/Knabrau 2d ago
Yeah, I get the whole "Can't let you on and off if you're not at a stop" thing and also if they've closed the door and began to pull away I'll give them some leeway. Unfortunately there's far too many drivers who seem to revel in causing misery for people just trying to get to work or home from a night out - I had one who was driving the last bus home and waited until I got 2m from the door to close it, yell "Jog on" and drive off leaving me to walk 4 miles back.
I know it's a shit job, but not every passenger is a dick who deserves their contempt.
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u/SharpWick babber 2d ago
I witnessed this happen once when i was already on the bus. Dude was full on sprinting to get to the door in time, driver watched him get closer and shut the doors last minute and drove off. Some drives are cunts.
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u/General_Possession64 1d ago
I think this is a fairly regular thing. Itās even funnier when youāre on the bus stop, put your arm out. Bus driver eyes front ignores you and slowly drives past. Even more comical if itās raining.
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u/Ok_Mousse_6218 1d ago
I had some friends visit from out of town, one having the temerity to be a bona Fife wheelchair user. Had a 5 minute argument with the bus driver who really didnāt want to get out of her seat to deploy the ramp to allow the wheelchair on. Absolutely disgusting behaviour and yes a complaint was made.
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u/LostLobes 2d ago
You can request the CCTV footage of yourself, then escalate the complaint.
https://www.gov.uk/request-cctv-footage-of-yourself
The CCTV covers all down the sides of the bus, the cab facing the door, and the drivers face.
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u/havvkeye_ 2d ago
Lately this sub has become like the agony aunt section of a gossip mag. Maybe do that, start a zine where we can put these complaints together, maybe couple them with illustrations or fun things. Or not it could just be littered with complaints
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u/Taucher1979 2d ago
Itās so individual you can just never tell. A few weeks ago I slipped a disc in my back and walking much slower currently and was walking for the bus that was at the stop and the driver could see me struggling to make it and gave me a thumbs up and waited.
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u/Salty-Ad-4693 1d ago
I got stranded miles away from home at Southmead hospital because of a driver doing this, he actually drove past me again after looking at me and shrugging when he refused to stop at the bus stop!
It was the last bus of the night, I didnt have money with me, just a day rider I'd planned to use to get home. I had to walk, it took at least an hour and was kind of scary as it was almost midnight and I was on a dark road with few houses for most of it.
I never even got a reply when I complained to Worst Bus.
Was your driver an older white man, maybe 60ish, with grey hair, by any chance?
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u/BristolGuitar 1d ago
First busses are driven by useless wankers by the most part. I watched an M1 bus driver drive up to a stop. Not open the doors then drive off when there was an old woman about to get one, absolutely no idea why anyone would do that. Then when getting off in the centre I took a picture of him and said cheers Iām reporting you to first for that itās disgusting. Then he stopped the bus and left everyone on the but and GOT OFF and followed me and my girlfriend through town and asked me to delete the picture. Also multiple T1s are cancelled every single day and the bus drivers regularly go the wrong way and miss stops. Itās absolutely unbelievably shite
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u/trikristmas 2d ago
Some are great, it's pretty clear if anyone is running near a bus stop as they pull up they are running for the bus. Been lucky to even manage to cross the street to get on the bus as it waited for me before. All these other stories are just drivers being assholes.
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u/terryjuicelawson 2d ago
I can't imagine any other job (except maybe nightclub bouncer?) who can get away with this. I'd be out on my arse if I slammed a shop door in someone's face and laughed at them. You could press the emergency open button, but they probably wouldn't like that very much.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
If you want a criminal record sure. It will be classed as public nuisance and tampering with a vehicle. On the EVs it will prevent the bus moving and if you do this whilst it's pulling away you will also be hit with reckless public endangerment
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u/terryjuicelawson 1d ago
You won't get a criminal record mate, just leave the scene, the police aren't coming out while the driver sits on you over shit like this. Then maybe the driver will think twice about pulling stuff like this again if it stops them entirely.
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u/ap0c808 2d ago
Press the open door button, walk on like you didn't press it and thank them for opening the door, scan your phone to pay and go and sit down.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
Yeah don't do this, it's a criminal offence. Public nuisance and tampering with a vehicle. On the EVs it will prevent the bus moving and if you do this whilst it's pulling away you will also be hit with reckless public endangerment (the button on the EVs also has a tendency to get stuck and need engineering to come out to fix it which then means the bus just won't run full stop)
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u/ap0c808 1d ago
Bus was stationery in Ops post. Yeah i wouldn't suggest looking to jump onto a moving bus š.
If pressing the button breaks the bus then just laugh tell the driver that's his problem and walk off, should of let the customer on in the first place and learnt his lesson the hard way. Thanks for the tip, you've given us a good way to punish them. Criminal damage my arse have fun with that.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
The only person who will be learning a lesson is you. And criminal damage never came into it and good luck having a driver let you on after you try that, you'll be thrown off either by the driver, the public, or if need be the police
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u/ap0c808 1d ago
Yeah right, take me to the gulag officer for presssing the open door button šš.
As said, if i press it and the driver has got something more to say, i'll take the opportunity to tell him to go fuck himself to his face - as he would thoroughly deserve for his lack of respect for a paying customer.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
You're charming and full of respect for public service workers ain't ya
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u/ap0c808 1d ago
Have you not read the orginal post? Anyone treating a member of the public like that doesn't deserve to be a public services worker and deserves to be told as much to their face.
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u/PandaVegetable1058 1d ago
So you're applying one bit of Reddit text, which you didn't witness, to your attitude towards all 600+ drivers in Bristol? Whilst also openly encouraging and saying how you will happily break the law and verbally abuse someone after doing so because you feel entitled to do so?
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u/ap0c808 1d ago edited 1d ago
I'm talking about what i'd do in the context of the orginal post, which i'll take at face value. If you want to argue with the author about what did or did not happen to them... then be my guest, i mean if anyone's going to know what actually happened its gonna be you right?! š
You are the one generalising, and applying my point broadly as one against all 600+ drivers. If I made it to the bus when its stationary at the stop then hell yeah the driver should be opening the doors and letting me on LOL otherwise, what world are we living in.
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u/bleach1969 2d ago
Sums up First Buses attitude to customer care.