Window Seat: Seriously uncool bus driver makes passenger (me) lose it

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      I’ve used this space once before as a bit of a soapbox to relay details of a complaint I had against a Vancouver bus driver, and I am loath to turn Window Seat into a personal bully pulpit for this sort of thing… But just one more.

      As I type this I am still fuming at the unhelpful, unfriendly, and just plain uncivilized behavior of a late-night driver on the #135 route eastbound to SFU Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

      I had finished a tiring Tuesday-deadline, morning-to-morning shift at the Straight and taken a #14 Downtown after midnight, bound for home in East Van.

      After a quick stop for a coffee at a 24-hour joint on Hastings near Homer Street, I jumped on the express 135. Normally, there are no seats available on this bus earlier in the day or evening, so I usually take a trolley. But at that time the 135 is half empty, and it gets to Nanaimo Street much faster. So on I went.

      Because there are far fewer stops on this bus, I am in the habit of looking up frequently to check my location. While I was so engaged, I saw the familiar storefront of the Japanese restaurant my family and I frequent at the Nanaimo stop. My stop.

      No one was getting out at the back of the bus where I was, and I rushed to gather my two bags, directly in front of the door, and jumped up. It didn't take me more than two seconds; the bus was still stopped and not moving.

      I tried the doors but there was no response. I rattled them back and forth and yelled up at the driver. They still didn’t open. People were looking at me now. Then the driver started inching away. I yelled really loudly at the driver then to open the doors and that I wanted to get out. Everyone was looking at me now, from the front of the bus to the back. Nothing. The bus was away from the curb completely now, but still moving slowly.

      So I ran up to the front, yelling all the way. The driver acted as if he was deaf. I asked him to let me off because that was my stop; he didn’t answer. I said, “Can you please let me off here?” pointing to a regular trolley stop coming up on the next block. Nothing. Stone face.

      There was no traffic on Hastings; it was empty. He was also obviously in no hurry, not speeding to make up time like drivers sometimes do. You can always tell. I actually fleetingly wondered if he was enjoying the situation.

      Then he said he would let me off. I said, “Here?” He said, no, at his next stop. Which was across from the PNE.

      I asked why he didn’t open the doors back at my stop. He asked why I didn’t get out at my stop. I explained, frustrated now, that I tried but the doors didn’t open, the light wasn’t on, and I was yelling my head off for him to open them.

      He said he didn’t hear me. I replied that the whole bus heard me. He said it was too loud at the front to hear anything (this was at 12:52 a.m. on a deserted Hastings Street on a dead-silent bus). I then asked him why he didn’t see me when he checked his interior mirrors before he pulled out. That’s when he ticked me off big-time. “Those are for checking traffic,” he replied.

      We were at the next stop by then. I walked back to the second set of doors and, just as I exited, I yelled that he should try checking his interior mirrors once in a while; that was what they were there for. And I tacked on an epithet that I’m not proud of and can’t even remember. It might have been asshole or even fucker. I honestly can’t remember. But I realized right then that I’d given up the high ground.

      Then I flipped him the bird from the sidewalk, but he wouldn't have seen that, of course, being so busy checking his mirrors for traffic and all.

      So I apologize to the other passengers for subjecting them to that parting jolt. But I will never, ever apologize to that asshat driver who knew exactly what he was putting me through by not merely opening the door when he first heard me yell and knowing full well how far the next stop was on that express bus. And he did hear me. Of that I have no doubt.

      Then I walked home, cold, alone, and dead tired, a kilometre-and-a-half back down Hastings at 1 a.m.

      And I imagined the driver, perhaps chuckling to himself, thinking he’d won whatever little game it was that he was playing.

      I guess that makes me the loser.

      And why not? I did end up losing my cool, after all. So I won't make a formal complaint to TransLink. They would probably just say something about it being against the rules to stop an express bus between regular stops (even though I’ve seen drivers gladly do that for passengers many times over the years on that same run).

      I know several transit drivers personally, all of them good, or even great, guys (and one fantastic gal). But not everyone has the temperament to drive a bus and deal with the public day in and day out.

      Maybe this guy is one of them.

       

       

       

      Comments

      12 Comments

      June

      Mar 6, 2013 at 4:27am

      At that hour, you are allowed to request stops that are not regular bus stops. He should have at least
      obliged to that request if he really didn't hear you originally.

      Lily

      Mar 6, 2013 at 7:45am

      I've had that experience on the 99 Express. The driver doesn't open the back set of doors, ignores the passengers polite pleas that turn to nasty cries to open the (far) back doors and then drives on to the next stop. This is not merely inconveniencing for riders, but it can be a matter of public safety, too (especially for female riders). I agree that driving a bus is not an easy job -- the 'public' are a tough bunch. But, taking out that frustration on passengers who just want to be able to get down at the stop they requested isn't helping us build better community.

      Gary Young

      Mar 6, 2013 at 8:11am

      The driver was wrong and out of line. They make a lot of money, wear a uniform and like to be in charge. The only thing missing is a gun.. remind you of another situation?

      RP

      Mar 6, 2013 at 8:59am

      As I see it, bus drivers main tasks are:

      1.Driving

      2. Opening the doors

      And yet nary a bus trip seems to go by without at least one, "Back doors please!" Usually having to be repeated at least three times before they are activated.

      Maybe they actually can't hear so well way up front there, but how they can constantly forget to open the damn doors is beyond me. Why isn't it automatic?

      Hulk

      Mar 6, 2013 at 10:03am

      Hulk smash puny bus driver!

      Meathead

      Mar 6, 2013 at 10:48am

      This is why I avoid the 135 like the plague...

      Worst.
      Drivers.
      Ever!

      Martin Dunphy

      Mar 6, 2013 at 12:47pm

      June:
      If that's true, I'm glad I didn't know it last night. And now I have a "Hello, Newman" scenario possibly awaiting me the next time I get on a 135.

      Bat Girl

      Mar 9, 2013 at 4:13pm

      Dear Martin: i'm shocked at the complete lack of sensitivity and awareness this bus driver is clearly void of. wtf? how did he obtain a licence? how did he pass the test? was this a bus with an eye in the sky? he's actually putting you at risk for you healthy and safety, particularly in that area and that time of day/night. my god. a trained monkey would be more practical, compassionate and effective and do a much better job than that. omfg. i believe basic job requirements for a passenger bus driver include good sight and hearing abilities. un-fucking-believable. this is not a bus driver. this is a zombie not a driver. anyone would have flipped him the bird and duly called him a fucker. you still have every right to complain with the company. this is unacceptable. omfg.
      unfortunatley i have heard other horror stories, however, yours is the best of the worst. (if that makes any sense.)

      Tosscobble

      Mar 21, 2013 at 8:38pm

      I'm so glad I found this; it makes me feel a lot better about my bus driver encounter earlier today.
      As the bus pulled up to my stop, I approached the back doors. I waited for the light to go green and pushed on the doors but nothing happened. I double-checked the light was green and pushed again. By now there was another passenger waiting to exit behind me. I pushed one more time before calling out "backdoor" - the driver didn't even turn his head! Me and the other passenger stood there for a few seconds waiting for some kind of acknowledgement from the driver (none came) before we had to admit defeat and walk to the front of the bus to exit. Being a fairly shy and timid person, it was horribly embarrassing having a busload of people watch you struggle with the door and the driver doing absolutely nothing to help.

      ralf kraptout

      Apr 3, 2013 at 10:20am

      Why are you pushing on the back door? The last buses I drove had an electric eye at the top. You didn't need to touch anything, just wave your hand and the doors opened. People reefing on the door just locked the door. It's the door's way of trying to save your life.

      After 30 plus years of "back door please" being yelled (from Brill gates to GM pressure plates to handles to electric eyes) I can say that almost a year and a half into the pension I don't miss a bit of it.