Who hates Public Transport

alanthemanc
alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
edited 30. Jul 2012, 06:35 in Community Chit-chat archive
I was unfortunate to have to travel into Manchester by bus today..... never again if I can help it.
The thing was ancient, and a half hour journey took 1 hour, and every hump and bump was felt on the rock hard seats.
Then the 17 year old mothers with kids got on with their offspring, I can't discribe the nightmare with the pushchairs.
Then some smelly pensioner who hadn't had a wash for a month got on, and what, with the warm weather, it was revolting.
Then the driver did an emergency stop on Oldham St, and sent 2 of us flying, just good luck there were no injuries.
Then the return journey started, and youv'e guesed, we bumped into the 17 year old mums again, and the whole charade started once more.
By the time I got home, I was traumatised, and couldn't help thinking that in this day and age, public transport has to be better than this.
Whats it like where you live, I appreciate that London is very good.
Alanthemanc

Comments

  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    well to be honest the main people to use the busses here are oap s as it so expensive for every one else if there three of you it cheeper to get a taxi but on the whole it not a bad trip went to chesterfield the other week and that takes a hour 15 min but was interesting lol
    val
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Alan

    I am sorry to say I just avoid it at all costs :oops:

    Sounds like an awful journey there - trust you to get the 'smelly' passenger next to you :roll:

    The world is mad mad I tell you!!!!!! and I for one am scared of the general public....

    So I tend to keep well away.

    d080.gif

    That and the :oops: fact I get travel sick

    Love

    Toni xx
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It's years since I managed to get on a bus. Sounds like I'm not missing much.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Frog / Sticky
    We are light years behind other country''s regarding public transport. The Amsterdam tram system costs about £2 all day, the Manchester Metrolink costs £6 per day, and is always breaking down, and I mean every day.
    I'ts not a pleasent experience on public transport, the driver of the bus even had the heaters on full, said it was because it it was broke , and couldn't turn it off. Alanthemanc
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ah, Amsterdam! Now you’re talking, Alanthemanc. A few years ago we had to get on a coach to a hotel for the night owing to a flight problem. The lady driver took one look at me, shot out of the coach and said “Wait please. I make the bus kneel for you.” And she did. Then she helped me on board, insisting that I take my time. At the other end, she made us stay seated until she had run into the hotel to fetch a wheelchair for me. (Mine was still at the airport.) Now that’s service.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Buses? Ye gods. You have to stand to wait for them (IBC removed all bus-stop seats replacing them with sloping metal bars that really hurt the sacro-iliacs and at the same time removed the timetables due to repeated vandalisation) then when the behemoth eventually arrives it's packed to the gunnels with the 'great' British public. Trains? Wrong sort of snow, wrong kind of rain, wrong sort of sun, wrong types of rails, meanwhile you can pay through the nose for the privilege of standing throughout your whole journey. Whilst fending off the ubiquitous drunk. Daisycar rules. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 8,899
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Alan.
    i have'nt used buss's for years the drivers cannot even wait for the people to sit down.
    i use dial a ride they are lovely you phone up the day before with the times you want and they come and pick you up and take you to where you want to go then pick you back up and drop you where you want shopping as well.
    it's a very good service and not very dear.
    i use shopmobility as well
    take care
    joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • bubbles
    bubbles Member Posts: 6,508
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I think, or at least they look, to be ok around here, but I feel nauseated at the very thoughts of struggling onto a bus, going round every village in creation, swaying and bumping around, not to mention any feral people that may get on board. I would just be a dithering, blubbering, sickly wreck. :shock: Thank goodness for our mobility car and my OH doing the driving. Counting my blessings for sure.
    XX Aidan (still known as Bubbles).
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Alan

    OMG that sounds like the journeys from hell, good on you for getting back unscathed!!
    Reminds me of three things:-

    1. In Portugal we got the bus one day to another resort and I was okay sat near my dad but my sister got stuck near this tramp guy and she was whispering to me "his feet are making my stomach churn"....URGH!!
    2. My auntie got on a bus and typical driver never waited till she sat down (she isnt great on her feet) and he took off, she fell over in the bus, sprained her ankle and he told her she never asked him to wait until she was seated.
    3. When my mum and dad got married they went on honeymoon to Newquay and my mum got off quite far down cos the conductor told them it was a toilet stop (they didnt have loo's on trains back in 1950's) so she got off and me dad was sat waiting for her, saw her approaching, then saw her running along the platform! The conductor thought they were all on but not her and they had to halt the train again to get her back on...Dad says its fastest she's ever ran in her life!..

    Elainex
  • Turbogran
    Turbogran Member Posts: 2,023
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Alanthemanc sorry about your horrendous journey. I'm in London and although our buses are reasonably comfortable I wouldn't say public transport is that good we still suffer the Mums with ther buggys who think it is their right to block the disabled wheelchair area with thier buggys. and the downright rude people who tell you that if you use a rollator as I do or wheelchair that you should not be out mixing with the public. I use the bus most days and some people amaze me how clueless they can be. I get round this by politely or in some cases not too politely reminding them that they may have the same problems one day. hopefully your next experiance is better for you.
    Stay positive always👍xx
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Carol

    Thats awful that people speak to you like that, i mean its not as if you use your rollator for fun is it?....Mums im afraid are terrible, well some are, its like you see them coming on the pavement, two buggies abreast with other kids to manoevre round....Should get a medal for negotitating that hurdle!!

    Elainex
    Turbogran wrote:
    Alanthemanc sorry about your horrendous journey. I'm in London and although our buses are reasonably comfortable I wouldn't say public transport is that good we still suffer the Mums with ther buggys who think it is their right to block the disabled wheelchair area with thier buggys. and the downright rude people who tell you that if you use a rollator as I do or wheelchair that you should not be out mixing with the public. I use the bus most days and some people amaze me how clueless they can be. I get round this by politely or in some cases not too politely reminding them that they may have the same problems one day. hopefully your next experiance is better for you.
  • Turbogran
    Turbogran Member Posts: 2,023
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I used to get very worked up and upset over it Elaine but It wasn't doing my pain levels ect any good so I decided that I would try let what they say wash over me and being a person who dosn't take kindly to being spoken to in that way to just give back as good as I get as polite a manner as possible. Must admit my being polite dosn't always work. :oops: Still never mind eh :lol:


    Carol

    Thats awful that people speak to you like that, i mean its not as if you use your rollator for fun is it?....Mums im afraid are terrible, well some are, its like you see them coming on the pavement, two buggies abreast with other kids to manoevre round....Should get a medal for negotitating that hurdle!!

    Elainex
    Turbogran wrote:
    Alanthemanc sorry about your horrendous journey. I'm in London and although our buses are reasonably comfortable I wouldn't say public transport is that good we still suffer the Mums with ther buggys who think it is their right to block the disabled wheelchair area with thier buggys. and the downright rude people who tell you that if you use a rollator as I do or wheelchair that you should not be out mixing with the public. I use the bus most days and some people amaze me how clueless they can be. I get round this by politely or in some cases not too politely reminding them that they may have the same problems one day. hopefully your next experiance is better for you.
    Stay positive always👍xx
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hubby and I have no choice as nei ther of us drive,we have a disabled bus pass with companion,we still get angry as bus drivers usually move off before we have chance to sit down,yes public transport is a nightmare but some of us dont have a choice.Mig
  • alanthemanc
    alanthemanc Bots Posts: 512
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Elainebadknee
    Yeh, hit the nail on the head. I'm sure the bus did not have an M.O.T., they are just expanding the Metrolink to Oldham/ Rochdale, and Ashton, but the thing is so unreliable, comuters are pulling their hair out with frustration.
    They seem to do things better abroad regards public transport, even those trains you see in India packed out are at least on time.
  • jillyb1
    jillyb1 Member Posts: 1,725
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hate buses , ours have 1 designated wheelchair space per bus but they're usually taken up by chavy young mums with multiple babies . Avoid them like the plague ! Jillyb
  • fowls48
    fowls48 Member Posts: 1,357
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Crumbs know how you feel , we get peeps on their phones speaking loudly in a foreign language ,then you gets the twats whom like to share their music with you , After a days work thats the last thing you need to be hearing .So i went back to driving the car . :(