the bus guild
By Elizabeth
@Poppylicious (11133)
May 22, 2017 1:11am CST
I don't know about where you live, but around these parts the bus drivers like to acknowledge each other, even when they work for competing companies. Often this acknowledgement comes in the form of a brief nod, a smile, or a simple little wave of the hand.
But occasionally they really push the boat out and make ridiculous hand gestures. Just a few minutes ago a bus driver greeted my bus driver with a thumb in the air. My bus driver responded by making the sign of the Devil. Or somesuch, but definitely as though he's a fifty-five year old member of an aging heavy metal group.
This got me thinking about whether it's a secret sign. Maybe there's a Bus Drivers Guild, a Masonic Bus Lodge type of thing, where they learn secret hand gestures so that they can communicate without the need for a pesky radio.
I wonder if they have to wear special underwear.
9 people like this
10 responses
@Essjayd (1568)
•
22 May 17
If they're on the same routes
they see the same drivers every day.
I'm a delivery driver we usually wave
or acknowledge the drivers from other
companies that are regularly doing the
same route. Motorcyclists here usually
acknowledge each other with a nod or
a wave as well.
3 people like this
@Fleura (29236)
• United Kingdom
22 May 17
Oh yes motorcyclists often acknowledge each other here too - I used to ride a bike for 10 years. Mostly it is the all-year-round old-fashioned sorts who are friendly, the ones who just get their fancy bikes out to have a blast in the summer don't bother - or don't know.
People with certain types of car also often wave to each other if they meet another driver of the same vehicle, such as Citroen 2CV or Morris Minor
2 people like this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
22 May 17
@Essjayd Oh, I get that. It's the secret hand gestures which I'm having a ponder about. :)
3 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
22 May 17
I haven't yet asked a bus driver to expose his/her underwear, so I have no idea about this. What about Scottish bus drivers? Do they wear any at all?
It seems that there may be several Lodges in the BDG. In our area we have Stagecoach (for bus drivers who are training or have trained for a thespian career?) and Whippet (for canine supporters, presumably).
The ultimate bus driver's signal is when two buses travelling in opposite directions on a strictly two lane road (the narrower the better), temporarily stop their vehicles (thus holding up all traffic) next to each other, open their little sliding windows and exchange pleasantries (or perhaps secret information).
3 people like this
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
23 May 17
@Poppylicious The Whippet company also have the occasional whimsical message on the signboard of buses not in service. I can't now remember any examples, unfortunately, but I remember that they have made me smile.
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
22 May 17
Scottish bus drivers only wear underwear if they're not wearing their kilts. I like the Whippet Puppy buses. Not that I've ever been on one {Stagecoach is far more convenient and superior} but they're so cute and tiny!
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
22 May 17
The type of underwear they wear may be dependent on how long they must drive before they get a comfort break. I wouldn't be surprised if the hand gestures were a secret code as they compare to make sure that none of them is being more punctual than absolutely necessary. One really punctual bus driver can make all the others look bad. The Brotherhood of Bus Drivers requires that all members carefully protect the reputations of all.
3 people like this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
22 May 17
Oh, that's true. I hadn't considered that. I'm going to look more closely in future, see if I can't spot a pattern in their communication. :)
1 person likes this
I do not know if they wear special underwear, but I have noticed that the bus drivers always exchange "special signs" when they see another.@Poppylicious (11133)
•
22 May 17
I wonder if these signs are international and can be understood by all bus drivers in the whole world. But then, I also spend a lot of time wondering if English born and bred cats can communicate with, say, French born and bred cats. I think some very irrelevant stuff sometimes!
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (459639)
• Switzerland
23 May 17
@Poppylicious This is something that would be interesting to know. About cats, when the German speaking family of my neighbor comes to visit with their cat, I will check what happens with Willy, the Italian "speaking"cat.
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
22 May 17
Oh, that's a thought. There may be one rogue driver just merrily flinging his underwear out of the bus windows every two hundred metres or so!
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
22 May 17
@Poppylicious Or the initiation route goes past those bushes...
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@Poppylicious (11133)
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22 May 17
And the only way to know is to become a bus driver. Piffle!
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12638)
• Ireland
22 May 17
@poppylicious I hear they have a very sharp crease ironed into their under things but that might just be an urban myth since they never get so see or show underwear while driving. Or I hope so anyway.
3 people like this
@Poppylicious (11133)
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22 May 17
I can definitely confirm that I have never seen a bus driver's undergarments.
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@Poppylicious (11133)
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22 May 17
There's one particular bus driver whose underwear I don't mind thinking about. But *ssshhh* don't tell Husband!
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