BritinBritain
Per Ardua Ad Astra
Another route I was on was the 25's from Victoria Station to Becontree Heath.
While waiting at Victoria Station for the time to start the route back to Becontree Heath a woman mutton dressed up as lamb, came from the direction of the train station entrance with a porter pushing a trolley with lot of luggage. The porter quite rightly expected a tip, the woman (who had so much gold around her neck and on her arms, it was a wonder she could stand up) became very abusive, rude and insulting telling the porter she doesn't give tips and told him to "go away little man". If looks could kill, the look the porter gave her she would have been dead as a door nail.
She approached the platform of my bus and in the same vein as she spoke to the porter, snapped her fingers at me and my conductor ordering us to put her luggage under the stairs and don't dare damage any of it, then she proceeded upstairs to smoke. My conductor went to pick her luggage up and I told him, “Leave it where it is. Who the hell does she think she is, I will not be talked to like that by her or anyone.” My conductor was worried we'd get into trouble, I told him I'd take full responsibility.
When we arrived at Beacontree Heath an hour or so later, the woman got off the bus and saw her luggage wasn't under the stairs and again became very abusive. When I told her its where she left it at Victoria Station, she went ballistic, then began, “Do you know who I am, I am going to report you and make sure you lose your job.” I replied, “Lady I don't care if your the Mayoress of London, you do not talk to me or my conductor like we are something you scrapped off the bottom of your shoe.” She went red in the face and went to find an inspector. An inspector came running over and wanted my badge number and name and was going to file a report with my garage manager.
Next day my conductor and I were was in front of the garage manager, who then read out the complaint submitted by the woman and then said we could face the sack. I waited till he finished then said, “Guv'nor check PSV and London Transport regulations, drivers are not permitted to lift heavy articles including luggage and neither are conductors in case they hurt their backs.” The garage manger went quiet, hummed and muttered for a while then said “OK we'll forget this one.”
When we got outside my conductor said, “I didn't know it says that in PSV or London Transport regulations." I replied “I have no idea either, I've never read the regulations.”
While waiting at Victoria Station for the time to start the route back to Becontree Heath a woman mutton dressed up as lamb, came from the direction of the train station entrance with a porter pushing a trolley with lot of luggage. The porter quite rightly expected a tip, the woman (who had so much gold around her neck and on her arms, it was a wonder she could stand up) became very abusive, rude and insulting telling the porter she doesn't give tips and told him to "go away little man". If looks could kill, the look the porter gave her she would have been dead as a door nail.
She approached the platform of my bus and in the same vein as she spoke to the porter, snapped her fingers at me and my conductor ordering us to put her luggage under the stairs and don't dare damage any of it, then she proceeded upstairs to smoke. My conductor went to pick her luggage up and I told him, “Leave it where it is. Who the hell does she think she is, I will not be talked to like that by her or anyone.” My conductor was worried we'd get into trouble, I told him I'd take full responsibility.
When we arrived at Beacontree Heath an hour or so later, the woman got off the bus and saw her luggage wasn't under the stairs and again became very abusive. When I told her its where she left it at Victoria Station, she went ballistic, then began, “Do you know who I am, I am going to report you and make sure you lose your job.” I replied, “Lady I don't care if your the Mayoress of London, you do not talk to me or my conductor like we are something you scrapped off the bottom of your shoe.” She went red in the face and went to find an inspector. An inspector came running over and wanted my badge number and name and was going to file a report with my garage manager.
Next day my conductor and I were was in front of the garage manager, who then read out the complaint submitted by the woman and then said we could face the sack. I waited till he finished then said, “Guv'nor check PSV and London Transport regulations, drivers are not permitted to lift heavy articles including luggage and neither are conductors in case they hurt their backs.” The garage manger went quiet, hummed and muttered for a while then said “OK we'll forget this one.”
When we got outside my conductor said, “I didn't know it says that in PSV or London Transport regulations." I replied “I have no idea either, I've never read the regulations.”
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