8 November 2017

Contradiction

Years ago I was waiting at a bus stop on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, As the bus approached, I could see that two passengers were moving along to the driver's perspex cab. That meant the bus would be stopping so I didn't bother sticking out my arm.

When I got on the bus ready to pay my fare, the driver said, "If you want a bus to stop mate, you should stick your arm out!"

"But I could see two passengers were getting off here."

"It doesn't make any difference, You've still got to stick your arm out."

"Oh!"

Two weeks later, I was standing at the same bus stop. A number 88 appeared and once again I could see that a couple pf passengers were approaching the bus's exit door. Nevertheless, I stuck my arm out, remembering what the bus driver had said several days before.

When I mounted the bus ready to tender my fare, the driver spoke to me.

"Didn't you see that there were people getting off?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's obvious isn't it? When people are getting off a bus it's going to stop so there's no need to stick your arm out!"

27 comments:

  1. If you let the bus company know that you were given two sets of instructions they would be able to write a procedure and have all the drivers on the same page!

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    Replies
    1. In an ideal world I believe you would be right Kylie.

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    2. I was taking the piss :)

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  2. I remember the 95 to walkley very well.......that and the 52 over crookes! A bus that reminded me of learning difficulty ambulance

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    Replies
    1. I am surprised they let you on a bus given the state you were in upon leaving "All Bar One".

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  3. Next time put your leg out and trip the bus....

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    Replies
    1. I fear that your advice could lead me to death Lee.

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  4. So what you need to tell us now is what you did the NEXT time you were in the same situation . . .

    When I'm given conflicting instructions, I always try to explain that a different person gave me different info. And, yes, it always makes me look like a blamer and a whiner :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The NEXT time I was in that situation I walked instead of using the bus.

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    2. Well, you sure showed them! :)

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  5. That's what you call not being on the same page!

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  6. A bit like the last blog - different people have different views on how things should be done.

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  7. Here, it is enough to just stand at the bus stop, and the bus will stop. I guess if someone stuck out their arm, the bus driver would feel threatened and call the police!
    So far, when I have been travelling by bus in Yorkshire (which is regularly the case), I have just done the same - waited at the stop until a bus came along, and then get on it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have been most fortunate ma'am. Perhaps bus drivers are magnetised by your beauty.

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    2. Easy YP, you don't want to be accused of anything.

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    3. What? You mean like being a nice guy?

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  8. You just can't win.

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  9. It's really all about power trips. The bus driver has none in his usual relationship to his riders, so when he can reprimand a member of the public in a way that doesn't expose him to any kind of repercussions from either the tax payers or his supervisors, of course he's going to take it. So, yelling at you for signaling or not signaling is his way of exerting his very limited authority.

    In 10 years, all the buses will be self-driven and you won't have to deal with bus driver egos.

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    Replies
    1. I guess that is the right way of looking at the contradictory experiences. As for driverless buses, I am not so sure. Only yesterday there was a collision between such a bus and a truck in Las Vegas.

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  10. LOL -- you just can't please some people! I always stick my arm out. If it's redundant and unnecessary, well, I'm the one doing the extra work!

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    Replies
    1. But what if the bus driver berates you for sticking your arm out?

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  11. Sounds like the battle I've had for years with the riding lawnmower repairmen. "Well, why didn't you drain the gas tank for the winter??" "You should NEVER drain the gas tank!" Harrumph.

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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