Driver wouldn't let me take my dog on the bus
I am writing to complain about a couple of incidents that occurred on Friday the 6th of July 2007.
The first one happened at around 1:55pm at the Merton Garage bus stop in Colliers Wood. I was waiting for the 219 bus towards Clapham Junction with my 6 month old Border Collie puppy whom I take to work. When the bus arrived at the aforementioned time, I walked towards the door of the bus to wait for all the people waiting before me to get in, after making sure the bus was not crowded and there was room for my dog and myself I got ready to board, out of politeness I gestured my dog at the driver and walked the step towards the bus, the driver shook his head, I stopped and asked in a very polite manner why I wasn’t allowed in with the dog, he ignored me turned his head around and closed the door on my face and without any warning he drove off. I am very sure I do not need to explain how uncomfortable, upset and angry the rude actions of the driver made me feel. The electronic board at this stop hasn’t been working for a week or so, and without the time to wait around I was forced to call a taxi to pick me up and take me to work.
After 12 hrs at work as a nanny caring for 3 children I finished work and waited at the Brodrick Road stop towards Wimbledon, again for a 219 bus to take me home. I waited for 20 minutes, when the 219 came, it was the same driver! I approached and got in with my dog, he said no again; I asked very politely and calmly why, to which he replied he didn’t want to, I said that as far as I knew (and researched) it is legal, and permissible to take dogs in buses, he said no again, I said I needed to get home, and pointed out that as he was in his cabin and the tired pup wouldn’t be too noticeable for him whilst he drove the bus. He mostly ignored me when I spoke, and didn’t give me any reasonable answers as to why he had decided not to let me in, I begged once again to which he muttered “he didn’t have to go through this” and turned off the engine of the bus. After asking one last time to let me in and let me get home, and after ignoring me once again, I had to step off the bus in a huge state of distress.
As he sped off I had a panic attack that lasted almost 4 minutes and left me like a wreck, I also had to wait 20 more minutes for another 219 to take me home. In addition to the upset this experience caused me I haven’t been able to sleep as I keep re-living the humiliating experience over and over again and over and over again I feel angry, upset and confused.
I am deeply disturbed by this incident, I feel humiliated and angry. I am an honest hard working person who has chosen to travel by public transport as the best and most environmentally friendly way to travel around London. I am also a polite and collected individual who treated this bus driver with the up-most respect given the circumstances of which this event unfolded. I was treated unfairly and was discriminated against for having a dog. How am I supposed to travel? Why is a bus driver allowed to treat me in such dismissive and rude manner? Why is he allowed to humiliate me in front of other passengers?
I could agree there could be circumstances in which a dog poses a risk for passengers in a public bus, but a 6 month old puppy? A half asleep six month old pup? And what risk could it pose for a driver in a locked up cabin? This is public transport, I am a member of the public, and the driver is driving a public transport bus, not his personally owned taxi service.
I take the 219 every day to and from work and I am very disappointed in the unfair and rude way I was treated. It is not only the first time I am refused entry with my puppy but also that a bus driver has treated me in such an awful, inhumane and inconsiderate way.
Given my circumstances I cannot afford to pay for a taxi to make my way to and from work when I bring my dog in, so I guess I will have keep taking the 219, I just hope never to see this driver again.
London and the Borough of Merton are working very hard to become greener and more environmentally friendly, all these initiatives must be enforced with a view into making people and most certainly people that run public services aware of the benefits and also the tolerance, responsibility and professionalism required to make these schemes work for the good of all.
Surely acts like this one won't encourage any dog-owners to take the bus with their dogs, and will instead push them to keep using taxis and private cars at the expense of the environment.
What can i do now? Is there a group i can join for a fair way to travel in London or are there any other people out there with a similar experience?
By:Claudia
Comments from visitors
-11
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My advice is, get the train if thats possible, as dogs are always allowed on there.
+3
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-12
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So you have the right to take a dog. It's not simply driver discretion. If the driver gets awkward , and Oh God they love to be awkward about everything don't they ? just give a pocket Nazi some power and see how they behave , then challenge them. What good reason have they to refuse ? Why do you think this dog is dangerous ? is it looking at you in a funny way ?
Remind them that a) we pay taxes to subsidise their employment and of course we pay b) fares.
It's good to be polite and reasonable , but if I had the time I might well just sit down with Bob the Dog , call the Police then pal , this is a civil matter , your not complying with your own conditions of carriage , I pay your wages , my taxes pay your wages.....etc
+7
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simon alford - 29-Jan-11 13:38
You are allowed to take dogs onto a bus regardless of what the driver thinks.
+1
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You are fully entitled to take your pet onto a bus provided it is behaving itself and that is that. It is not upto the driver to discriminate and make you a social outcast simply because you have a pet.
It's about time the people of this country started voicing their opinions in favour of their pets and if someone does not like the idea off travelling on public transport whilst a pet is present, then tough, they can be the ones to gett off and take the next bus.
Now would they bot have a lot to say about being treated like this eh?.
-7
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petownerfirst - 2-Oct-10 17:45
Simply ignore the driver, show your pass (or use your Oyster), take a seat. If the driver has an issue with the dog, let him either forcibly remove you or call the police.
Either way, you win, he loses (might even get sacked).
+6
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-1
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What has Sharia law have to do with dogs on buses or indeed anything else that happens in this country?
+5
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Using this to attack sharia law is weak logic no matter how you look at it.
And yes, Im a cat person. meow!
-8
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+4
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-3
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I'm sure there are more important things to worry about when travelling by bus, as Nikki had very kindly pointed them out. Not to mention the vandalism and anti-social behaviour that also occurs on buses which most people turn a blind eye to anyway. Yet a dog being allowed onto a bus, well, there's an almighty uproar.
Are dogs free now by the way? I know when I was younger the local company charged a special dog fare. Them were the days!
-3
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Youthful Griper - 4-May-10 16:54
+1
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Rider of the Apocalypse - 4-May-10 14:29
-7
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An excellent, well balanced response. Very well said.
I'm off now up to the pub with my hairy monster ... see what mayhem we can cause amongst the dog-haters !!
-8
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It starts me sneezing and then, quite often, I lose my sense of smell and taste for days.
Q. Do I think that people should be banned from wearing cheap nasty perfumes in public places and buses or is it just tough luck for me?
A. It’s tough luck for me.
It's a shame if people are genuinely allergic to dog dander but people have a right to travel with their dogs on public transport if they are well behaved and not behaving aggressively. (Pity we cannot apply the same rule to some people).
+10
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You are being ridiculous ... it is very unlikely that even as many as 5 dogs would be on a bus at any one time, so your scenario is an extremely unlikely one. However mine of, say, 10-15 stinking smelly humans is perfectly feasible. Why should I want to suffer so many smelly people? But do you hear me complaining about my malodorous fellow humans? No. So please don't complain about dogs just because YOU do not like them.
Your second paragraph clearly shows you know nothing about dogs. Just as with humans, if they are well socialised, well brought up, well trained, there will be no trouble when 2 or even 20 dogs meet in a small, confined space.
I am sorry your children are allergic to dog fluff ... they would definitely not like mine, who is an Alaskan Malamute cross Siberian Husky, with a double wolf coat, the undercoat being like very soft cotton wool! But I cannot accept that because your child is allergic to my dog, that I should not be allowed to take my dog on the bus. What about a child with a peanut allergy? Should it become illegal for anyone to eat peanuts on public transport just in case a passenger has a serious peanut allergy?
You are just showing yourself up to being the bigoted nimby that you ... ban all dogs just because YOU don't like them because your children are allergic to pet fluff. That is just totally unreasonable.
+10
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a bus at the same time? 5- 10-15.
Should the bus driver allow the first 5 and refuse the rest?
Will you be offended,if you were the last dog traveller to enter the bus
and was refuse, because there are already 5 dogs on the bus?
We all know when 2 different dogs meet, in a confine space there can be
serious confusion.
If there were 5 dog travellers waiting at the bus stop.Should the driver
allow the first 3?
So in the interest of equality .. all dogs should be ban from buses.
My kids(4) who are well behave,and sit lower deck, are not entitled to
dog free transport. No, we simply get off and make way for dog travellers.
because they are allergic to pet dander.
Some say that their dog dont shed hairs? Special breed apparently.I am
yet to meet one.And how is the driver suppose to know that?
Every dog owner thinks their dog is not like the other dogs.
Again in the interest of equality .. ban em all.
+4
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As you say, you don't like screaming kids and smelly babies. But you don't expect the bus to be free of these public nuisances !!
-6
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