First I was heading into Torquay through Kingskerswell (of the "we need a by pass now," fame) when I spotted 4 people at the bus stop. None of them gave any indication that they wanted a bus but as part of my job is to mind read I decided that they were all too shy to put out an arm and pulled into the stop. My mind reading abitlities had let me down once again, they were just having a chat and just happened to be standing at the bus stop. After what seemed like for ever (15 sec) I managed to rejoin the flow of traffic wondering why one of these nice ladies could not have either waved me on or shook their head to save me stopping. I also knew that for the rest of the day any one just standing at a bus stop and not showing any interest in my approaching bus would watch my bus disappear into the distance.
At the Harbour a male passenger boarded the bus and demanded a single to Paignton. I pressed the right keys on the ticket machine and it gave me the fare, £1.85 and the passenger his ticket. He them removed from is pocket a yellow county wide pass and announced that he had a pass. This means that his fare should have been 92p and that I would have to annul the ticket I had given him and produce an other. Some one in the office has to check all these annuled tickets just to make sure some one isn't making a little extra on the side. I asked the passenger if in future he could announce in advance of his demand that he had a pass and if it wasn't too much trouble to actually have the pass in his hand when he asked for his ticket. "Oh Yer," He bellowed, "I've been here 16 years and never been told that." 'Well you have now,' making a mental note to make him pay full fare next time he got on the bus and did not show his pass until I had issued his ticket. (I can too).
Three stops up the road by the Grand Hotel a young lady had her arm out in the universally recognized signal that you want the bus to stop. Yes I know that not all bus drivers recognize this sign but I do and I pulled in. Young lady placed a small bag on the platform and walked away saying that she was going the answer her phone. It took me about 1.735 seconds to get out of my seat, remove said bag, close doors, return to seat, check mirror, give pull out signal and pull out. I don't mind waiting while mum pushes baby buggy with a toddler in tow and a weeks shopping onto the bus or even Doris running for the bus but not while you answer your phone. Either you want to catch a bus or you want to answer phone.
Later on in the day I came round the roundabout in Lymington Road and standing 30 feet from the stop was a man with a phone held to his ear. I slowed down in case he wanted the bus but he gave no sign that he did so I continued on. There were parked cars just past the stop and I had to wait for on coming traffic, I was now blocking the road and he came running up, phone still pressed against his ear. Maybe he was frightened his ear would fall off if he moved his phone. He hammered on the door but I shook my head indicating that he could not get on the bus now. His chance had gone. I don't mind blocking the road to load passengers when I don't have a choice but once again either you want the bus or you want to answer your phone.
On my last trip, coming out of Paignton who was at the stop with his arm out? The gentleman who got on earlier at the Strand. A quick intake of breath ready to make him pay full fare for not showing of pass. A nice little end to the day. And what did he do? He got on the bus with his pass open in his hand and said, "A County Wide single to Shipey Lane please." He even had the right money ready in his hand. Damn.
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