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.

Border collie - dog not allowed on the bus 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

Niceguy

Don't be so bloody dramatic. Panic attack my arse. What are you after, attention and compo?

28/11 Niceguy

Chelsx

Hello :-) I live in England, around 2 hours away from London and the buses that run round here are not allowed to tell you that your dog cannot come onto the bus, I don't know if it's the same there but some drivers are so nasty sometimes they just don't care! Here we're I live you can actually put in a complaint if they refuse you and your dog on a bus, also if it has left you in the state that you've made clear then I would definitely do something about it xx

26/04/14 Chelsx

anon

Marmalade

"So, are guide dogs actually allowed on buses?"

Guide dogs are allowed on buses by law. If a driver refuses access he or she has committed an offense under the DDA

05/03/14 anon

marmalade

So, are guide dogs actually allowed on buses?

05/03/14 marmalade

collar

It doesn't take a rocket science to have a problem with this - when, as in the back of the omnibus, the part of the dog that rests on the seat is the back flank. We do not walk our dogs on their flanks instead on their feet. So they are generally pretty clean. Certainly not covered in dog poo, mud etc. So unless the animal's feets touches the seat, no mess. Dogs carried on the 'bus in this manner as long as they are being good dogs is not so bad is it?

05/03/14 collar

My Opinion

This site has long ago lost it's first intended purpose, of debating meaningful issues. Instead, it is now full of frustrated, stressed people seeking to relieve their lives with insults and back biting remarks. Remarkably, if the truth was to be established, there will only be a handful of you that sit all day long on this site waiting to respond. Are your lives that empty for you to be wasting life away?

05/03/14 My Opinion

grumpyoldwoman

Nick, is a looser cruiser the opposite of a tighter cruiser? Could you tell me what they are please?

If you are going to label other people as "losers" it would pay you to spell it properly.

05/03/14 grumpyoldwoman

collar

Yes it is not the poor animal's fault, What makes me sick is that there are so many awful people on buses these days, it's unreal. I say, get shot of the detrius and bring in more dogs for the poor blind persons, unemployed or working who are actually struggling to see where they are going. To keep the dogs comfortable on the buses, there should be water bowls and cushions on some of the seats. look for a seat, no problem, a dog will help you find one. Do this otherwise the drunks will take over and who will be able to stop them? We will end up being the next one in the queue looking for a seat that isn't there!

04/03/14 collar

Nick

Yeah I cannot understand why those dog-owners would want to bring their dogs onto a looser cruiser to sit next to a smelly, urine soaked, foul mouthed drunk who hasn't had a wash for months? Them poor dogs.

04/03/14 Nick

collar

Nick, it's not fair on the poor doggies, having to ride with these hideous lowlife scumbags!

04/03/14 collar

Nick

Dogs should be allowed onto a bus because buses are looser cruisers full of low-life dole scoungers and old scumbags.

04/03/14 Nick

Misty

It's also worth pointing out that in the confined space of a bus, someone could easily, and without meaning to, step on a dog's tail, following which it is likely to be startled and bite. YOU might think (as dog owners tend to), "Well, it wasn't his fault." It doesn't matter that it 'wasn't his fault' if an elderly lady is sitting on the floor dripping blood. If someone were to step on my foot I am hardly likely to turn around and bite them, no matter how much it hurt. But a dog is different. They have no place on public transport. People who want to transport dogs need to have a car. And if you don't have a car, don't get a dog.

03/03/14 Misty

-1

Misty

Claudia, dogs are permitted on Transport for London buses at the driver's discretion. This means that if he/she doesn't want a dog on their bus, your dog doesn't get on. You say you had a panic attack? Really? How do you think a person with a fear of dogs would feel, or someone whose asthma was triggered by dog dander? Why should other people on the bus have to put up with your dog? You are not special because you have a dog in tow! Your dog could have wet the floor, pooped on the floor, barked, been a nuisance to other passengers (maybe by jumping up because 'he's only being friendly'), left the bus with a dog smell, shed hair all over the seat or bitten someone. A bus is quite a confined space and to expect everyone to love your dog as you do in that confined space is just not on. The driver was within his rights and I salute him for having the courage of his convictions by refusing to allow your dog to board.

03/03/14 Misty

Reluctant bus user

I'm ok with dogs on buses BUT this morning, a lady got on with a big dog and it had been raining so he/she was a bit muddy. The owner then patted the bus seat for her dog to sit next to her. No - that is going too far - imagine the mess for the next passenger that sat there. It's bad enough with insolent teenagers sticking their feet on the seats.

26/11/13 Reluctant bus user

-2

Cornish Roy

I always welcome dogs onto my bus. In fact I keep a few tins of dog food in the cab and always take the time to give the animals a bit of a stroke.

21/06/13 Cornish Roy

-12

Driver wouldn't let me take my dog on the bus

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