I am in a really bad mood
 

Right Let me explain my day.
It started off fine Got my high score back on space invaders (sorry sparkologist)
and i had to go to town and do a bit of shopping so i looked to see if less was online as we normally go for a quiet pint and chat in the railway on a sat anyway there he was in the games section so i contacted him and told him to meet me in the railway at 12-30pm .
i did my bit of shopping and on the way to the Railway thought i would nip into B&M's for some chili-con-carne sauce as it was very nice and i had just enough for a jar of that and a few pints with less anyway got there and no sauce so carried on to the Railway and had a few pints and a good chat with less about if we won the lottery and the world cruse we would take accyweb members on.:D
We finished our drinks and i told less i had to go back to town for some sauce so we parted there.
I went to the market but no sauce so went for the bus.
while waiting for it to arrive i got talking to a old lady there she was saying she lived in Blackburn and came over to Accrington once a month to shop on the indoor market as it got her out and about (she was on her own) at 94 she was going great
the bus came and the Que got on i was behind the old lady when it got to her turn she started looking through her bag but could not find her NOW card she said to the driver "i have lost my NOW card" all he said was if you don't have a card you will have to pay full fare, it was obvious she was well over sixty and a pensioner and would hold a pass god she was 94 she said i don't have enough for the fare, he said will its not my fault she started crying so i said for god's sake i will pay its only £1-50.
talk about jobs worth ............:mad:
(if i had put on this site what i though of him i would have had to ban myself):D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Some people!:mad:

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I agree that its ridiculous and well done mick :D:D

Im just wondering how she got to accy without the card?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

good on you Mick your good deed for the day done
and the lady has a nice tale to tell

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

she had her card but lost it in Accy

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

yeah that is horrible but all the transdev buses have camera's on them nowadays, they also have a lot more inspectors getting on and off through the day, if an inspector got on and she didnt produce her pass the driver would get into trouble, the same goes for kids over 11 who dont have a pass to prove their age, they can get in trouble for that too, my bro-in-law cant and wont even let Reece on without his pass (if he doesnt have it he has to pay full price and he's only 11) and thats his own nephew, although he knows his age they still arent allowed to do it, dont blame the driver Mick, blame the company, the driver was only trying to do his job

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

So if i had not been behind her and paid for her ticket,flashytart she would have to walk ?
dont be stupid they can bend the rules if need be.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Mick please dont take it that way, i wasnt being nasty, i was just telling it as it is

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

http://www.lancashireunited.co.uk/contact/index.asp


take it up with the company, i'm sure they would love to answer your questions on 'bending the rules'

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Well done Mick, it all goes to show that there are people in our society who are still prepared to do a good turn, and not doubt that old ladies oppinion will have changed towards the younger gerneration :thumbsup::angel:

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Drivers should be allowed to use their discretion to some extent. They're humans not robots.
Nice one Mick.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

how the hell do you suggest they use their discretion when the buses have several camera's on them and an inspector could get on at any moment?
whats so disreet about thaqt?
so its ok to risk someones job is it? what if it where your job that was at risk?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I wasn't saying that the drivers should 'be discreet'. Discretion as in using their own judgment?

I was making the point that drivers should be able to use their own judgment in all too common cases like this without fear of losing their jobs. Like you said it's Transdev's fault.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

you are right shaker, yes of course they should be allowed to use their own judgement BUT unfortunately they cant, i wasnt being nasty towards the old woman, its just not fair on her, i was merely making a point

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

That's three-quarters of a pint you just wasted!

Some folk have too much money!

P.S. Well done Mick.
karma on it's way.

:D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Im sure the bus driver could have bent the rules she was 94! and would have had a long walk home by the sounds of it if she had made it that far probably would have collapsed by the side of the road. He would not have lost his job over letting the woman on the bus if the inspector came on if he had then i thing it would have made a fine story for the press! absolutly stupid, If that was his nanna getting on the bus im sure it would have been a different story. I think its just him being hard faced!

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

well done mick, its crap but at many firms now mummiboo ya bend the rules yer out, not saying its right, saying its fact.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I can see both sides - one that the driver could see that the lady was a pensioner but also its a case of either him letting the lady on but also a chance of him losing his job and before you say well theres a few other bus companies you do realise they do talk each other.... and not officially either, in fact if the driver had let her on and the inspector had got on the bus and said to her wheres your ticket and your nowcard and she cant produce them then the inspector by rights has the authority to suspend him there and then, and the driver will then go in front of the bosses. He could actually get charged with stealing from the bus company - and how many bus companies are going to take on someone who got sacked from a bus company for stealing - no mention of what it was. The bus driver was right in saying that because she hasnt got the card then she has to pay the fare. Agree with you cashy as well - if you bend the rules you are out nowadays.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Well done Mick

I can't belive this is prompting any discussion at all, have we lost all common sense and decency in this country. . Examine the facts in this case how can anybody defend this nonsense either from the Driver or the company.

I'd love to see transdev trying to discipline their driver and the driver take the case to an employment tribuneral

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

That is so weird Mick cos I actually think I know the lady you are talking about, she is one of my ladies that I support, it might well not be her, but I don't think there are many 90 odd year old ladies who live in blackburn and go to accy once a month.

good on ya mick, karma on its way

as for the driver.. I can understand his fear of losing his job, but if it had come to that a story by the telegraph surely would have done more harm to the bus company

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

it must have been fate that you couldnt get the sauce you wanted :

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I think the driver should have let her on. Any inspector complaining about that should be under a bus not on it.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

He made do with the other kind of sauce Lisa, it comes in pint glasses :D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I think that is awful ... and lets hope the driver never gets old and in trouble eh?? Poor lady crying!! what a bloody shame.

I wanted to send you Karma mick .... but guess what! I have to spread em :D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

In this the Driver could have used his descretion, let the lady on the bus, recorded the card through the machine (The Company then get paid) and if an Inspector boarded to check the bus, the driver could explain the circumstances to him before he commenced his check.
No Inspector worth his salt would report the driver for that.

A Revenue Inspector is just that....making sure that the company has not lost any money............In this case money will be paid to the company so no offence commited.

Possibly a new driver ?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Don't worry about it, mate. You know it's only a matter of time, just as i know it's only a matter of time... I will be top of that leader board :D:D:D

Btw... what was the original post about? Just by nicking my Hi-score, the red mist descended and I lost the plot... What were you whinging about? :confused:

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

It's not right that a 94 year old lady is treated like that. If Mick hadn't paid her fare what would she have done?

I do feel sorry for her being reduced to tears like that. :(

However, I can see what Flashy and Cashy are saying. The driver doesn't make the rules and once you start making exceptions where does it end?

The inspector wouldn't have made an exception if he got on the bus and the lady couldn't produce her card. The driver would have got into trouble and maybe lost his job.

It's a tough one.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Sorry but there is no excuse for any inspector to rebuke a driver for allowing a 94 year old woman get reduced fare. I think it is a disgrace that these rules are being enforced so rigidly. Surely it was obvious the poor lady was entitled to reduced fares. Well done Mick karma on the way.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

You're quite right, Bernadette, but the fact is that they do.

As Flashy said, it's not just the elderly, they do it with children too, even when they're in uniform they won't let them on at reduced fare if they haven't got the card.

I'm not saying it's right but it's the way the bus company operate.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

you obviously have no experiance of tribunals by making that comment.:rolleyes:

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I think Mick should get onto the papers bet they would love a story like this.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Are we starting a poll now re who he'd like to be stuck in a lift with? :rolleyes::D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Lmao!! and what he had for tea!! and what his favourite aftershave is hhahaha

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I don't think some of our members read the post's before commenting.
The driver would not have got in trouble had he let the lady on the bus
Top marks for Mick paying for the lady but he need'nt have done so.
If this story had to appear in the papers the driver would be in trouble anyway.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

the driver may not have got into trouble had he let the lady one bus but he refused to let her on at all, and even made her cry.

In the circumstances Mick did have to pay the fare (being a decent human being) as the driver refused the lady, not being ageist but i am pretty sure an elderly lady doesnt need the stress that the driver caused, when he didnt need to! the driver should be in trouble and so should the bus company as have either said that there are no circumstances in which a oap can get on the bus without a card or have not explained their policy to the driver properly.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Well If I had a choice of being diciplined or letting a 94 yr old lady walk back to Blackburn . well i know which it would be, No job is worth such heartless crap!! esp this day and age.
Wonder how that driver would have felt if this poor old dear had been mugged due to him leaving her stranded at the bus stop?

Well done Mick your an angel in disguise. Karma on its way.


Take it you did nt have chilli for tea then:p;):D lmao

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

How can the driver record her card when she had'nt got it?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I didnt know that you worked for Transdev Royboy.
How do you know that the driver wouldnt get in trouble?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

When he came home and told me I couldn't believe my ears. This man is just plain nasty. I'm sure if he was worried about his job then he should have used his common sense and asked for her name and address then she could have taken the card to Blackburn when she got it sorted.
Don't think his bosses would be so bad has to reprimand him for helping a 94yr old woman. Whats this world coming to?

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

He records the card by pushing a button....recording the card..not the number.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

I think you know that I was an Inspector on Blackburn Transport.
A lot of the drivers from Blackburn Transport were taken on by Transdev.
The code of conduct for drivers does not change overnight.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Mick was the one who witnessed the incident.
I don't doubt for one minute that Mick paid the fare.

It seems that you...without the full facts...are taking on the roll of Judge, Jury and executioner.
Write to the Company...........They will no doubt take your case on.
Witness statements are taken from people on the scene who know the facts, not from
someone who think they know what happened.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

That was just stupid and heartless of the driver, I'm sure he wouldn't have got into trouble for letting her on without her card, especially when she's clearly over 60. Bloody daft.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

:eek: i read the first part of your comment and cringed - i wondered what was coming next lol :D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

so yer sure of that are ya? wish i had your experiance.:rolleyes:

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Why shouldnt the code of conduct change overnight? The routes did and not for the better!!

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

The nowcards are chipped and are read by a reader on the bus. When you get your ticket the number of your pass is on the ticket. When the reader is not working which is quite often especially on the manchester one - the ticket doesnt have your number on but he asks me if im disabled and when you get the ticket it says disabled.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

If the bus driver was so worried about letting the old dear on without her card why didn't he offer to pay her fare for her.......It's what I would have done......by the way Mick good on you, always knew you had it in you :)

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

A lot of bus drivers dont carry much money either - maybe enough for a brew when its the turn around etc. That way they dont get it mixed up with the bus company's money.

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Why do they put their own money in that little black box too?? :D awww how nice of them :D

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

and for the person who wrote a message on my karma saying 'i'm obviously clueless' thankyou, its much appreciated....till you get the hard facts right i dont think your eligable to judge anyone, i wouldnt have wrote what i wrote in this thread unless i was 100% sure of what i was writing was correct, so up yours :)V

Re: I am in a really bad mood
 

Quite right, Busman.

Karma on its way.:D