These little incidents happened yesterday which was a Saturday. Saturdays always bring children out, into town for a day out with friends. First little tale happened in Preston on the way to Torquay. Three boys aged about ten got on the bus, the first boy asks for a child return to Torquay. £1.95. Second boy also, an other £1.95. The third boy asks for a single to Torquay. I ask him, "Aren't you going home?" in the hope that I can sell him a return ticket. His two friends also tell him to buy a return ticket but he has the one pound 15 pence for the single ticket and says,"I'll have to break into a fiver to get a return." I point out that a some stage he will have to change the fiver so why not now. It isn't the fact that he will spent 35p more buying two single tickets that bothers me but what happened in the next story. He did end up with a single ticket by the way.
Later I was going up Fleet Walk heading for Brixham, this is the 'wrong' way for Brixham but we are on a diversion. I might have mentioned it before. There was a crowd at the stop mostly young children but no one put their hand out so I started to move out to continue up the road. Then a little old dear stuck her hand out. At this point I was only doing 5 mph but I was blocking the road. She was on her own and had her Around Torbay pass in her hand. So I stopped, blocking the road but I would be away in ten seconds before anyone came the other way. NOT A CHANCE. She wanted Newton. I explained I was going to Brixham. But the Newton bus usually stops here she claimed. Yes it will said I getting a bit desperate. Wait at this bus stop for a twelve with Newton Abbott on the front. Slowly, and slightly puzzled she got off but the crowd of children had now noticed I had Brixham on the front of the bus and one of them asked "Do you go to the Big Tree?" I did and I foolishly admitted I did. What a mistake to make. Eight of them got on and all wanted single tickets and none had the right money and I wanted a big hole to open up below the bus. Remember earlier I mentioned that I was blocking the road. I got on the radio and broadcast to the whole of Radio Stagecoach Devon in a voice edged with panic, "Don't come down Fleet Street. Some idiot has blocked it." Everyone heard me except the next 12 coming down Fleet St. He had his radio turned down or maybe he was listerning to Radio FirstBus. He came round the bend and saw who the idiot was that was well and truely blocking the road just as I sold the last child single (£1.55) to the big tree. If the little darlings had bought return tickets I would have been on my way well before the 12 coming down had arrived. He now had to reverse 30 metres, not a good thing to do in Fleet St in the middle of a Saturdy afternoon. So mums and dads, when you give your little darling some money to out on a Saturday tell them to buy return tickets. Please. You know it makes sense.
Last story happened in Paignton in the evening. Three girls, mid teens, done up to the nines, going for a night out. First girl, oldest looking of the 3, "Child single to Newton." Never a child thinks I. The hard stare,"Are you sure you are of an age that qualifies you for child ticket?" She was fifteen but everyone always though she looked older. An other girl also said she was 15, her birthday was later this month. The third girl, who looked the youngest, admitted she was 16. Well I did ask, child return Newton, pressed all the right button came up as £3.95. An adult return to Newton is £4.00 which is a Day Rider. The actual return ticket is £5.90 but any fare of £4.00 and over and we sell the passenger a DayRider. All that hard staring and even if they had been 16 it would have gained the company just 10p. At least they bought return tickets.
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