Big bad wolf

Is everyone afraid of bus drivers? 

When I get on a train and I see the train guard coming my way - doesn't bother me. 

Taxi drivers can be borderline, but mostly ok.

But bus drivers! Just plain scary.

It's something which I only really think about from time to time, I  probably catch the bus about twice a day and I'm not constantly fretting about it. But over the years, experience has taught me that you don't want to mess with a bus driver because they can get maaaad.

You can generally tell an angry one when you first get on, a few indicators are gruffness and surly handling of the coins. If there were no warning signs at ticket-stage you'll soon be able to tell by the way they drive. Some of them barge that bus along like its a mini rather than a huge clumsy mass of metal: ACCELERATE - BREAK - everyone is falling all over the place, the poor ones who missed out on a seat are all staggering around and having near misses on each corner.  If you still haven't been able to get a feel for the driver through their driving style then try going a bit further than you paid for, enough said.

They're not all bad though, obviously it's silly to generalise an entire profession. It's like saying that all construction workers are sleazy, or that all lawyers are greedy (not true), you get the point.  But maybe I'm so used to the fear that it's impossible to shake.  This post was inspired after a bus ride yesterday when the driver made a joke as I gave him my money. I was so taken aback that he had adressed me, (a bit beyond the usual take ticket, say thanks, move along, exchange), that I automatically thought he was growling me, and his grin was that kind you see on a jokey maniac. When I realised he was being friendly it felt so unsettling, like seeing your mum fall over or something, unfamiliar and jarring.  He must of thought I was a shaky leaf because I just babbled something nonsensical and rushed to the nearest seat. 

So maybe my predisposition to assume that bus drivers are mean sets the tone for how I interact with them, no rose tinted glasses here.  But hey, a bit of fear is healthy for a person in authority. I have a set of bus rules for this very reason: stick within the stages, avoid bringing messy food onboard and avoid avoid avoid twenty dollar notes, we all know how that ends up.

xx