Have You Ever Been Refused Entry Onto Public Transport?
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
February 19, 2012 2:06pm CST
I've just got back from staying at my Mum's for the week and - on the whole, it's been fine, apart from the spook in there "making" the curtain-rail come down in one of the bedrooms..amongst other things!
Anyway, me and Mum had to travel by bus to a place called Dunelm Mill which sells allsorts of home furnishing products. We picked both a track-pole and a pair of curtains and proceeded to catch a bus back home, bearing in mind we were about 5/6 miles away.
I gave Mum the track-pole whilst I was about to pay for my fare on the bus and the jobsworth on there (female driver) told me we couldn't get on the bus "with that" pointing at the track-pole.
I asked why not and she told me that I could "have someone's eye out with that." No matter what I said she wouldn't let me on the bus, even when I asked how we were going to get back home. I also got angry, told her to "piss off" and shouted out "Health and Safety gone bloody mad you stupid b!tch!" whilst the bus set off..without us on it of course.
Mum was a bit upset at this point and was about to order us a taxi (which would've cost about £12) when I spotted the next bus coming. I asked the male driver if it was company policy not to let people on with curtain rails to which he replied, "If you're careful with it, I don't see why not" and proceeded to let us onto his bus.
When I got home I was still fuming about the earlier incident and rang Blackpool Transport who told me the woman was in the right and the man could get "reprimanded" for letting us on his bus. Why? Because the curtain rail wasn't in three parts and it was 6ft long!
"What difference does that make?" I asked.
"It's just Health and Safety..you're not allowed to take anything on the bus that's 6ft+ long as it could be dangerous!"
I refused to give the driver number of the guy who let us travel and hung up at that point.
What is your view on this? I'm on the side of the male driver as I felt he was using his common sense..and I wasn't the only person (judging by other buses we've been on) that was allowed on with such items.
Oh, and no, I didn't poke anyone's eye out with it, although I was tempted to test the female driver's theory..on her.
Anyway, me and Mum had to travel by bus to a place called Dunelm Mill which sells allsorts of home furnishing products. We picked both a track-pole and a pair of curtains and proceeded to catch a bus back home, bearing in mind we were about 5/6 miles away.
I gave Mum the track-pole whilst I was about to pay for my fare on the bus and the jobsworth on there (female driver) told me we couldn't get on the bus "with that" pointing at the track-pole.
I asked why not and she told me that I could "have someone's eye out with that." No matter what I said she wouldn't let me on the bus, even when I asked how we were going to get back home. I also got angry, told her to "piss off" and shouted out "Health and Safety gone bloody mad you stupid b!tch!" whilst the bus set off..without us on it of course.
Mum was a bit upset at this point and was about to order us a taxi (which would've cost about £12) when I spotted the next bus coming. I asked the male driver if it was company policy not to let people on with curtain rails to which he replied, "If you're careful with it, I don't see why not" and proceeded to let us onto his bus.
When I got home I was still fuming about the earlier incident and rang Blackpool Transport who told me the woman was in the right and the man could get "reprimanded" for letting us on his bus. Why? Because the curtain rail wasn't in three parts and it was 6ft long!
"What difference does that make?" I asked.
"It's just Health and Safety..you're not allowed to take anything on the bus that's 6ft+ long as it could be dangerous!"
I refused to give the driver number of the guy who let us travel and hung up at that point.
What is your view on this? I'm on the side of the male driver as I felt he was using his common sense..and I wasn't the only person (judging by other buses we've been on) that was allowed on with such items.
Oh, and no, I didn't poke anyone's eye out with it, although I was tempted to test the female driver's theory..on her.4 people like this
10 responses
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
19 Feb 12
Could be that she had gotten reprimanded for doing so, or she was new and rule ridden... or just rule ridden and a trifle power mad... or maybe someone did poke her or a rider on her bus... who knows... maybe she was just having a bad day...
you got home and discovered that the bus company has stupid rules - huh?
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
19 Feb 12
I would have been tempted to give her a poke as I left the bus, or before she shut the door, whatever. Just so I could have justified her not taking me in.
2 people like this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Feb 12
Take it from me, she was a jobsworth..in your words, "power mad" and the women at Blackpool Transport are notorious for it. The language they use when they change drivers is something to behold as well. The passengers are incidental. They would love to actually drive their bus and not pick anyone up, which is why (I think) this particular jobsworth wouldn't let us on.
3 people like this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
Unfortunately, she's surrounded by plexiglass (or whatever it's called) so I'd have a job..I'd persevere though!
2 people like this
@p1kef1sh (45681)
•
19 Feb 12
Blooming jobsworth is what I think. I do understand the need to ensure that people carry things safely, but I'd sooner someone with a curtain pole than some of the huge backpacks that some folk try to stow away on buses and trains. My daughter was refused entry onto her bus to work because she was holding a Starbucks coffee. She wrote to the company and they confirmed that they did not permit take-away coffee because people often don't finish it and then leave it to roll around the floor of the bus spilling coffee everywhere. However, the driver had been quite brusque and they company sent her two go anywhere travel cards as a consolation. Perhaps you could try that and get something back for your trouble?
2 people like this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Feb 12
I can't because the policy was actually to prevent me from getting on the bus due to Health and Safety. The woman I spoke to on the telephone looked through the rules and told me that - due to the track-pole being 6ft long, the woman driver was right in refusing me entry onto her bus.
Needless to say, I refused to "grass" on the male driver who let us on as his number is on the bus ticket. No way was I going to divulge that information. The guy used his common sense, like I said..which is what I would've done in his situation. Stuff Health and Safety I say!
When I mentioned all this to Tom, my nephew the other day he said, "All you had to do was to ignore her and sit down as you had money for the fare. If she threatened to throw you off she'd be late with the bus!"
I didn't want to risk that though. She really was a jobsworth and couldn't be bothered letting us on, simple as that.
I felt better swearing at her even though it didn't get me anywhere!
Needless to say, I refused to "grass" on the male driver who let us on as his number is on the bus ticket. No way was I going to divulge that information. The guy used his common sense, like I said..which is what I would've done in his situation. Stuff Health and Safety I say!
When I mentioned all this to Tom, my nephew the other day he said, "All you had to do was to ignore her and sit down as you had money for the fare. If she threatened to throw you off she'd be late with the bus!"
I didn't want to risk that though. She really was a jobsworth and couldn't be bothered letting us on, simple as that.
I felt better swearing at her even though it didn't get me anywhere!1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
19 Feb 12
As a former school bus driver, I would have used some common sense. Could it be but in a rack?Could it be held up right? Could it be layed on the floor in the back? If you were some kid, I might have turned you down. Since you are an adult, I probably would have allowed it, with the option of putting you off if you got rowdy and careless with it.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Feb 12
I'm always an angel..you know that
but sometimes I get very, very angry, usually when someone agitates me in a negative way. Also, it's extremely rare inspectors come onto buses now to check tickets and such-like. No-one on the bus we were allowed onto complained either as we were sat, good as gold, with the track-pole inbetween us, upright on the floor of the bus.
Didn't hit anyone with it either.
but sometimes I get very, very angry, usually when someone agitates me in a negative way. Also, it's extremely rare inspectors come onto buses now to check tickets and such-like. No-one on the bus we were allowed onto complained either as we were sat, good as gold, with the track-pole inbetween us, upright on the floor of the bus.
Didn't hit anyone with it either.@GardenGerty (169479)
• United States
20 Feb 12
It was not too bad. My bus was never over full unless we were going on a class trip. Then there would be teachers and helpers on board. I tried to be light hearted and interesting. I would tell kids not to stand up and do things that would hurt them because if they did get hurt I would have to do paperwork and I hated it. It was a different approach from yelling or nagging and it amused them.
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Feb 12
So if I want to travel on public transport over there, I shouldn't go with you? 
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
23 Feb 12
Well, it depends on whether you need "protection" or not!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
I know, it's ridiculous isn't it? I do know that paint isn't allowed on buses either..just in case the lid comes off and it goes all over the bus. What are the chances of that happening? Ever tried prising open a paint tin..it's not easy at the best of times!
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17242)
• China
20 Feb 12
Now that the male driver let you get on his bus,it went to show that thay haven't had the rule in which passengers aren't allowed to take anything that is over 6ft on the bus. Obviously,they did it as they like.What was called health and safety was just a pretence with which they decked themselves out and intimidated people.Fortunately you didn't give them the male driver's number.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
I know what you mean. People tend to use their discretion or - better still, their common-sense, when dealing with health and safety issues. After all, I've never heard of anyone hurting someone with a track-pole before. I'm sure it would be on the news if they had!
@changjiangzhibin89 (17242)
• China
21 Feb 12
It is only 1.8 m long and you can put it on the bus aisle.Maybe they think better safe than sorry.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
20 Feb 12
no I never got refused but I never ride a bus with anything other than my bag
I can't afford a car so when I need to shop I will get a ride with someone otherwise I will go by bus there and get a cab to get home
just like there a cab is way out of my budget, I only use it once a month or lesser and sometimes I can share with someone else waiting for cab if they happen to go the same direction
I can see you're upset about it and I can see her point too, as apparently company policy she had to do her job
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
Health and Safety gone mad, like I said. From what I've seen during the week, I would say that most drivers let such items on 9 times out of 10. This particular driver must've had PMT or something.
@maximax8 (31042)
• United Kingdom
20 Feb 12
Before I passed my practical driving test I had to take a bus then walk over to two different supermarkets. The bus I needed was a small one and I needed to get on with a folded babies buggy and four shopping bags. One time I put my arm out and the small bus didn't stop for me. I was shocked and complained to the driver in the next bus. I took that large bus and then had a longer walk home after I got off from it.
My disabled son is now four years old and my daughter is two years old. We often go to my son's hospital appointments in Bristol. Recently we went up for an appointment. Coming back home the train guard rejected us when we tried to board the train. He said he hadn't got a wheelchair ramp. We had to go to a different platform and take another train. It is annoying when a train guard rejects my son as a passenger due to his wheelchair.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
Did you complain about the two incidents? I do hope so. The last one, in particular, is shocking. I really do think that some guards, etc, can't be bothered helping out disabled passengers so come out with the excuse about not having wheelchair ramps.
I'm so sorry you had to change your travel plans. I think it's appalling how your family were treated.
I'm so sorry you had to change your travel plans. I think it's appalling how your family were treated.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
20 Feb 12
i hate to say it,but i kinda agree with the guy.
it's not a fault on you,it's that there's always some idiot in the past that ruins it for everyone else and does injure somebody.
that's like the buses here-i can't bring my well behaved cat in a carrier on the bus
(and therefore am forced to get a cab and pay more),but someone else can bring their flock of ill behaved monsters on the bus who promptly run up and down the aisles bugging people.
the kids need a leash more than my cat.
the kids need a leash more than my cat.@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
The guy who let us on you mean? I do too. Very kind man!
@millertime (1394)
• United States
20 Feb 12
I could see them denying someone entry on the bus if it was actually something long enough to be really unwieldy but if it was just 6 ft long, I don't see that as a problem. After all, that's about the height of a person. So what if a guy 7 ft tall wanted to ride the bus, would he be denied since he was over the "dangerous" length?
Some people just get too carried away with stupid rules and have no common sense. The female driver was concerned with what "might" happen and even the person you rang up on the phone stated that it "could be" dangerous. Well, if we all lived our lives with what "might" happen or "could be", etc., we'd never leave our houses. It "could be" dangerous.
My immediate thought when I was reading about your encounter with the unreasonable and unthinking female driver was that you should just wait for the next bus as odds are that you wouldn't get two idiots in a row, and that was ultimately proved true.
I know how you feel though. I've had to deal with unreasonable, illogical, unthinking people many times. As a matter of fact, I work for a government agency and I think they invented that type of thinking.
Some people just get too carried away with stupid rules and have no common sense. The female driver was concerned with what "might" happen and even the person you rang up on the phone stated that it "could be" dangerous. Well, if we all lived our lives with what "might" happen or "could be", etc., we'd never leave our houses. It "could be" dangerous.
My immediate thought when I was reading about your encounter with the unreasonable and unthinking female driver was that you should just wait for the next bus as odds are that you wouldn't get two idiots in a row, and that was ultimately proved true.
I know how you feel though. I've had to deal with unreasonable, illogical, unthinking people many times. As a matter of fact, I work for a government agency and I think they invented that type of thinking. @Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Feb 12
Haha! Say no more!
I was told over the telephone that if the track-pole had been in 3 parts and boxed I'd have been let on the bus. My feeling on that is it would be easier to bash someone over the head with a shorter object, boxed or not.
The world's gone mad but at least ONE driver saw sense..bless 'im!
I was told over the telephone that if the track-pole had been in 3 parts and boxed I'd have been let on the bus. My feeling on that is it would be easier to bash someone over the head with a shorter object, boxed or not.
The world's gone mad but at least ONE driver saw sense..bless 'im!