talking to a brick wall

[jedimaster]

why are people so damned ignorant?

i was running a rail replacement coach service on saturday night
(preston to carlisle express)
and as always i had the sign in the window displaying the stations-
preston-----------carlisle (pretty simple one would think)
i was approached by a couple who asked me if my coach was going direct to carlisle -(hmmm okay i thought)
i replied yes that's right this is the direct service. and they continued to board.
just after passing lancaster the lady of the couple came down to me and asked if i was stopping at penrith.
to which i replied no i'm sorry but this is the direct service to carlisle
i don't believe there is a service to penrith.
but the driver who got off the coach at preston said he was going to penrith!

funny! i was the driver who got off the coach at preston.
i'm sorry my dear but he can't have told you that because this is the direct service to carlisle as it quite clearly states on the front of the coach and as I aslo told you at preston!

after about 5 minutes of this she resumed her seat.
but then her partner approached me with the same question!
here we go again.

but the driver who got off said...........
but no he didn't
are you calling me a liar
yes
well that's just not on does the other driver work for this company
yes
well who was he
me
oh!
well is there any chance of you dropping us off on the sliproad to penrith
i'm afraid not
why not it's not out of the way
no i agree it's not out of the way and i can understand your problem however this is a rail replacement service and i am only permitted to stop at the designated railway stations
but what's the problem it's not out of the way i don't see a problem
the problem is that if i drop you off anywhere other than carlisle railway station you are not insured if you have an accident and i'm not prepared to drop you off on a motorway sliproad unload your luggage in pitch darkness and leave you and your partner in the middle of the said motorway sliproad (how dangerous) but when we get to carlisle there will more than likely be a connection to penrith. if not get hold of the rail staff and they will provide a taxi if there is no connection available
but i don't see the problem it's not out of the way
and round and round it went for about 10 minutes with the same response
but it's on the way!!!!!!!

it wasn't untill another passenger sat right behind me told him to shut up and sit down and that why the hell should i put my job at risk just to please him. with that he eventually went back to his seat.

why is it sooo diffficult to explain the simplest of things to people
do they just not listen or are they just being ignorant or the sake of it

i must point out that this is a regular ocurrance but thankfully by a minority of people.

[chav1]

shoulda kicked him off the bus

[WillowTheWhisp]

It would never occur to them to ask a train driver to stop at Penrith because it was on the way would it?

[entwisi]

jedi, I took a picture for you to print out and stick up on your bus for when you get this type of passenger That way you can just redirect them!

[grego]

It must be so annoying, my Dad drives buses and as had similar experiences, he had to transfer his passengers onto a different bus once because one old lady refused to get off!

[cashman]

Originally Posted by chav1

shoulda kicked him off the bus

agree,jedi i commend you for having the patience, i would never make a bus driver.

[panther]

my fella used to do it on coaches and buses, and the stories he used to come home with....some people are so stupid...lol

who do you drive for jedi, if you dont mind me asking?
you may know me fella!

[WillowTheWhisp]

Busman comes back with some fun stories sometimes.

[SPUGGIE J]

I have used rail replacement buses and the first thing I do is, no offence to you jedi is ask any of the station staff to confirm stops and destinations. This way if there are any cases of misinformation then the blame lies with the train station staff not the bus/coach driver who is "filling in" so its easier on them. Their job is hard enough as it is without passengers who dont have the sense to have the most upto date info available bending their ears as they are trying to drive.

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by panther

my fella used to do it on coaches and buses, and the stories he used to come home with....some people are so stupid...lol

who do you drive for jedi, if you dont mind me asking?
you may know me fella!

don't mind at all

i drive for fraser eagle

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by entwisi

jedi, I took a picture for you to print out and stick up on your bus for when you get this type of passenger That way you can just redirect them!

pmsl

however i'm not sure it would work as it seems that it's the simplest things that are the most confusing to these people.

[jedimaster]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

It would never occur to them to ask a train driver to stop at Penrith because it was on the way would it?

precisely willow this is exactly the point that they seem to miss.
the coach is not a coach but in effect the train and stops at exactly the same places as the train does

[panther]

Originally Posted by jedimaster

don't mind at all

i drive for fraser eagle

no my fella used to drive for robinson coaches,
you would know andy dyson then

[katex]

Originally Posted by chav1

shoulda kicked him off the bus

That poses a further question Jedimaster, how do you stand with insurance, etc., if you are in a position whereby there is no alternative but to throw a passenger off a bus for being obnoxious ? After all can't throw a passenger off a train ?

[cherokee]

well all i can say jedi is that you must have the patience of a saint......
well done you for sticking your heels in ... some people dont seem to realise the dangers that a slip road holds let alone have an inabilty to understand the word no...