My AIM Is True
This Tuesday morning just gone
Hammersmith
Cliff says: Hey
Cliff says: Busy?
Iain says: yeah
Iain says: seems like always these days
Cliff says: Ah well - was going to tell you how I started my day shouting at bus driver
Iain says: tell me anyway
Iain says: i need a distraction
Cliff says: This bus was coming up to a stop, got snarled in traffic about 70 yards before and opened the doors and let people out.
Cliff says: The lady at the stop started hesitantly making her way towards it, knowing that if the lights changed and she wasn’t by the stop, he wouldn’t pick her up
Cliff says: So she steps 2 paces away from the bus stop, the lights change, and he shoots the stop
Cliff says: THEN
Cliff says: he gets caught in traffic and stops 30 yards past the stop and the lady knocks on the window.
Iain says: oh man
Cliff says: I see the whole thing and I rock up, stand in front of the bus and knock on the windscreen and say “You missed the stop. Let her on.”
Iain says: good on you dude
Cliff says: I was there for two minutes in front of it arguing, saying let her on, writing his number down, saying I was going to report him for letting people get off before the stop and being unreasonable.
Cliff says: I took his badge ID, got out my phone, pretended to take a picture of him and the number.
Cliff says: What a cunt, though. Seriously.
Iain says: wow
Iain says: yeah, totally
Iain says: why do they have to do that?
Cliff says: I was really angry - going “Come on, man, just open the fucking door.”
Cliff says: “You missed the stop anyway and you’re going to get reported if you don’t open the door right now.”
Iain says: thing is, what would he lose by letting her on?
Iain says: nothin
Cliff says: Exactly. What a sadist. And he’s happy to get reported and have all his passengers know he’s a cretin and I’m right and she’s going to be late for work? That’s fucked up.
Iain says: did he let her on?
Cliff says: No - the lights changed and I stepped off the road and he left.
Iain says: what a cock
Iain says: him, not you
Cliff says: We were both shouting at him saying “Come on - you missed the stop.” We agreed to report him, and I have.
Iain says: good
- Thanks to Iain for saying it was fine for me to post this. Friends and readers who write in can rest assured that I’m not going to publish any private emails or conversations without your approval. Bus drivers can rest assured that I don’t often bang on their windscreens and swear at them in the street.
November 10th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Good for you! Report him to the local rag too - they’ll have a field day!
November 10th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Cheers Sooz.
A friend of mine said “You’ll know you’re going to be on camera for abusing a driver.”
Good. Now wind it back to that part where you let the passengers off in the street and then shot the stop.
November 10th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
You would have been quite useful in Tianamen Square…
Excellent tale though, angry, chivalrous, and sticking it to an utter c*nt (as it were). A perfect trifecta in my book…
November 10th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Power to the PEOPLE!
Seriously, you know how this stuff works, use the media to your advantage and the cunt’sw despair. Nail his ass to the wheelwell and run the bus over some potholes. Give him his due.
November 10th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
Cheers Angry and Ed. Who’s with me? Sooz?
We’re in charge now and we’re taking no prisoners!!!
And the correct change.
November 10th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
HA! You’ve already GOT exact change! KISMET!
November 11th, 2006 at 8:09 am
Related problem in France (uncaring busdrivers) but different symptom: they pick you up but once they’ve got you on they won’t let you off. Not wise to strangle speeding bus-driver from behind!