SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Firstly, before the flak begins to head this way, passengers with genuine complaints are of course perfectly entitled to make them - but please stick to the actual facts.My gripe, and I had to listen to them for 44 years, was with those who wilfully exaggerate their complaints to the operator, or in public debates go to incredible lengths to tell a good story. Unfortunately the bus industry is easy game for folks to say what they like as the incident, real or exaggerated or invented, has already gone. There is nothing worse than the endless "music hall" digs about "You wait for an hour and then three come at once". Often when bunching, annoying admittedly, occurs it is caused in no small measure by the failure of too many passengers to "play their part" in enabling reliably punctual running. Its no use running up to the doors of a bus already late due to traffic, after the scheduled time, and then board with no money or pass ready or anywhere near ready. If a late running driver fails to stop for "runners" and others the unjust remarks inside the bus can be heard - "How mean, he must have seen them running" - and then they go home and write a letter to the media complaining that their bus had them late for work.The operators are guilty too of appalling double standards - "IF YOU WISH TO ALIGHT RING THE BELL ONCE AND REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THE BUS STOPS." Can you IMAGINE if those on the back seat upstairs of a single exit giant were to do that - desirable though it may be ideally, I doubt if an early morning journey would be completed by lunchtime on typical allowed running times.This morning on Radio Leeds I had to suffer the worst twaddle from a bloke who travels from Rawdon - he should consider working from home and writing fairy stories. Roughly this is what he said to Ms Green :- If they get ahead of their schedule they often pull into a SIDING and sit reading or drinking coffee for TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES !!" (There's better to come) He continued, with a mishievous chuckle, "ONE DAY THE DRIVER RAN ACROSS THE ROAD TO A FILLING STATION FOR A WEE !! - WE JUST WANT TO GET TO WORK." This remark of course means that as long as HE is on board the bus can run as early as it wants and blow everybody else. I wonder if this malicious person would believe that drivers are expected, quite legally which is immoral, to work five and a half hours non stop (plus signing on time if bringing the bus out of the garage or returning it there) without a toilet break or a drink. I wonder how many office, shop or factory workers would tolerate this. Believe me, I've sat in utter agony(and health danger) many a time - jogging up and down on rough roads without any hope of visiting a toilet and I can tell "MR RAWDON" that he wouldn't like it !!So, to any passenger who has a genuine complaint - and of course there are some - of course complain, but accurately and truthfully please, and before ringing in or writing kindly familiarise yourselves with the definitions of "TAXI" and "OMNIBUS" - there is a difference - and for Mr. Rawdon "SCHEDULE."    

Hi Blakey. I'm a passenger but a pet hate of mine is when people are moaning that the bus is late then when it comes they get on and only then start to rummage through pockets, handbags or whatever to get the fare out, so holding the bus up even more. I also cannot see why people argue with drivers when the bus is late as it is probably not their fault and even if it was those drivers would not be bothered. Drivers must get fed up with the constant ringing of bells, sometimes due to people's hands catching the bell but often seemingly because they seem to feel the need to do so!    

Blakey,You're pushing at an open door there for me.Folks are all to quick to moan about everything, but I stop them dead:"Don't bring problems to me unless you also have a workeable solution to it".Many folks go through life vehement about apparent failings of others whilst oblivious to their own, be it the self-employed builder running two jobs & so delays you by 2 weeks or a public sector 'meerkat' filling a suite for the pension. There are good bus staff who'll know of less good etc, same for all of life.Over 18 years I've nothing but praise for No1 staff, one driver was quite rude when I was just out of hospital (and so slow) on Infirmary Street but, hey.The one thing that irritated me a month or so back was a passenger, Asian type lady with full headscarf showing her bus pass....So either it had a photo of a headscarf and could be anyone ..orit had a photo of the/a woman and so the headscarf showing it could have been anyone.Agree with Leo on his points

Leodian wrote: Hi Blakey. I'm a passenger but a pet hate of mine is when people are moaning that the bus is late then when it comes they get on and only then start to rummage through pockets, handbags or whatever to get the fare out, so holding the bus up even more. I also cannot see why people argue with drivers when the bus is late as it is probably not their fault and even if it was those drivers would not be bothered. Drivers must get fed up with the constant ringing of bells, sometimes due to people's hands catching the bell but often seemingly because they seem to feel the need to do so!     Hi Leodian - yes I too am a very frequent bus passenger out of choice, but as I spectate the unbelievable antics of some of the less co-operative passengers I despair more every day. Much as I loved the job, and I did, I wouldn't want to do it any more nowadays. Without any doubt the worst route in Leeds for "acting the goat" is the 56 - which has always been extremely busy even when it was simply Bus Station to North Lane, but now it "cops it" big style right from Whinmoor to Moor Grange. The number of students in their third year in the same bedsitter who run up, late, to the bus and gasp "Do you sort of go near the train station" and then get off again to wait for the 19 which they know is what they need.Yes too, not only do the drivers get sick of the non stop bell ringing but so do I as a passenger. Of course the bus bodybuilders are in no small way to blame for this for two reasons.Firstly the "BUS STOPPING" signs are too small, are in ridiculous "hidden" places (pale blue on a smoked glass staircase in some latest buses). Then, in this era of space travel and advanced science, all that's needed is a microswitch which ensures that when the bell has rung ONCE it won't ring again until the doors have opened at the stop and closed again - as our meerkat friends say in the adverts "SEEMPLEZZ"

"Don't bring problems to me unless you also have a workeable solution to it"..."Asian type woman (sic) in a headscarf" Go on then "enlighten" us with your solution.

Jogon wrote: The one thing that irritated me a month or so back was a passenger, Asian type lady with full headscarf showing her bus pass....So either it had a photo of a headscarf and could be anyone ..orit had a photo of the/a woman and so the headscarf showing it could have been anyone. Something that soon won't be a problem on a variety of Metro cards as in the transfer to plastic contact cards they are set to become transferable so they won't have/need photos http://www.m-card.co.uk/home/#Agree with all other points so far and would add another pet hate of people ringing the bell for the terminus stop and not by accident which is easily done.

I've amended the title of this thread, please don't use ALL CAPITALS IT'S LIKE SHOUTING.I've also moved this thread to General Chat because it's not really about transport but just having a grumble!

We'd have the most fantastic water and sewage systems that operate perfectly if people didn't insist on building towns, cities and houses where they like. :-DKnow what you mean, that fumble for change when they get on the bus drives me mad. Mind you the plethora of fares and rovers and riders and short hops and urban tickets and family tickets, off peak, on peak, blah blah doesn't help the public make sennse of what they should be paying or even if the ticket they've bought is valid on another service.3 slugs in Stanningley bottom this morning. That was an experience!    

Cardiarms wrote: We'd have the most fantastic water and sewage systems that operate perfectly if people didn't insist on building towns, cities and houses where they like. :-DKnow what you mean, that fumble for change when they get on the bus drives me mad. Mind you the plethora of fares and rovers and riders and short hops and urban tickets and family tickets, off peak, on peak, blah blah doesn't help the public make sennse of what they should be paying or even if the ticket they've bought is valid on another service.3 slugs in Stanningley bottom this morning. That was an experience!     It's the damp weather that draws them out. It's a pity that hedgehogs are hibernating.

Leodian wrote: Cardiarms wrote: We'd have the most fantastic water and sewage systems that operate perfectly if people didn't insist on building towns, cities and houses where they like. :-DKnow what you mean, that fumble for change when they get on the bus drives me mad. Mind you the plethora of fares and rovers and riders and short hops and urban tickets and family tickets, off peak, on peak, blah blah doesn't help the public make sennse of what they should be paying or even if the ticket they've bought is valid on another service.3 slugs in Stanningley bottom this morning. That was an experience!     It's the damp weather that draws them out. It's a pity that hedgehogs are hibernating. Go on Leo,ill pat you on the back for that one!!!Blakey,this isnt restricted to the buses im afraid.The trains experience exactly the same thing.Your example of people complaining when the bus pulls away was mirrored on this site a few years ago.There was a moan made on here by someone who bought a ticket to London KX at Wakefield station on a last minute whim to go to London.He bought the ticket from the ticket office, walked out onto the platform only to see the train doors shutting and the train about to depart.He complained that the doors should have been held for him to get on, and furthermore if the person in the ticket office KNEW it was about to leave then they should not have sold the ticket.I ask you, what happens to peoples common sense?