[jambutty]

Originally Posted by SPUGGIE J

At one time I am sure that a child had to surrender their seat to an adult as part of the conssesion to getting half fare. Whether this is still true I aint sure but to have these pensioners standing while they sit seems to be a disgrace and yet even when asked they wouldnt move nor even offer a seat because they wanted to be with their mates.

That would have been in the days when all buses had a CONDUCTOR. I don’t think that it was an official policy though, just a directive from some conductors. In fact some adult passengers would shame a kid into giving up their seat even though the kid was a total stranger. It wouldn’t happen today. I remember a conductor telling me (not asking me) and other kids to give up their seat to an adult or pay the full fare. It was the same tale when we were having a crafty fag in the upper saloon. Words like, “Put that fag out or pay the full fare” would batter our tender earholes. The conductor would also make three kids occupy one double seat regardless of how full the bus happened to be.

Those notices would read something like this:
Seating Capacity 83
Upper saloon 45
Lower saloon 38
Lower saloon standing 7

The conductor would make people get off if there were more standing than was allowed.

Today with just the driver, that sort of control does not happen and the general public are wary of saying anything. As useful as CCTV might be it cannot stop irresponsible behaviour, only record it for possible future action.

I think that this lack of respect for elders started in the sixties.