Random conversations on buses

You'll see everyone you've not seen for years,and they'll all be perplexed about why you need to catch a bus.

Unfortunately I have only lived here for nine years … and there ain’t no buses round here!

Best to stick to that unmentionable car, then.

Two (very) elderly ladies, one in a wheelchair in the wheelchair space talking to her companion who was sat across on the other side of the bus. As the bus was busy they were almost shouting to each other so you could hear every word.

They were nattering away when the lady in the wheelchair piped up

'Y'know so and so, well, 'er 'usband 'as still got 'is shotgun'
'oooooh noooo'
'Yeah, and y'know summat else'
'what?'
''ee's not allowed on t'bus with it anymore'

They then left me hanging and started talking about bus timetables! I had so many questions

For several years I’ve been supporting a man who has a learning disability and we occasionally go into the city together by bus. He has no filter and chats to anybody or everybody on the bus, mostly it’s friendly, repetitive and innocuous, but he often insists on introducing me to one and all by my ‘role’ in his life, which can be quite cringeworthy. He variously describes me as his carer, support worker, friend, social worker and (worst), his ‘angel’. (The irony is that he still sometimes forgets my actual name. 🤦‍♀️) He then frequently supplements this with additional information about me, my husband, my family, my job, etc. I’ve told him countless times that this is not appropriate, but he thinks that it’s okay because he’s only saying positive things. Fortunately most people respond well to him and are happy to chat, and others make sure not to catch his eye, but occasionally someone is downright rude to, or about, him.

When my sister was on a bus in Scotland many years ago, a little boy yelled at his mother "If you don't give me those sweeties, I'll tell everyone you pee in the sink!"

MissAdventure

I've had some interesting conversations on buses.
One elderly woman asked me what FGM was, as she had asked her daughter, who wouldnt tell her.

Then a lady seemed desperate to talk, and told me she had "just" lost her husband. (It was actually almost two years prior)
I didn't feel up to chatting at all, but we did, and I hope we both felt a bit better afterwards.

That’s nice of you MissA.
I guess sometimes people just need a bit of company and you kindly give it.

I like a chat myself, so it's not all one-sided.

Thanks though.

I had to regularly take a bus which took me past the University and of course many of the passengers were students on their way to first lectures. The tales they relayed to each about their weekends were hair curling and sometimes made me blush. They were mainly girl students. I never heard the male students gossiping this way.

Back in the mid 70s my mum struck up a conversation on the bus with an elderly lady who had just moved close to us so their paths often crossed.
Fast forward a few years and this lady's grandson & his wife visited from Australia, became friendly with my parents, and invited them to stay with them in Perth for a month.
All due to chatting on a bus.
I'm still friends with them to this day.

I often get the bus into town as parking is so difficult and extortionately expensive. Unfortunately, there's a hotel on the route and sometimes crowds of 40+ get on the bus (no exaggeration).It seems that each one has to individually ask the driver the exact route and cost etc. Those of us with appointments or work to get to quietly fume. However, we all cheered recently when a young possibly learning disabled man sitting behind me shouted, ' For Gods sake get on with it!!'.
All the necessary info is clearly posted on the bus shelter, almost all tourists have a travel app. They are exasperating.

I am rarely on buses but have had lovely conversations beside people on trains to and from London (every other day when DH was in the Royal Free) and met some really interesting people.
I think the advantage of being older is that you are not seen to be “on the pull” and travelling alone, others -also alone- are more likely to respond.
My daughters think it’s awful that I chat to total strangers but it’s usually quickly obvious whether they want to talk or not - in which case I get back to my book.
It may brighten someone else’s day and the journey passes more quickly.

Hilarious, your story made me laugh !! 🤣🤣

Germanshepherdsmum

I will try. Never had one. I haven’t lived anywhere with a bus service since my early 40s!

The bus services where I live are not particularly good. When we moved here there was a regular frequent service into town so I assumed I would use it when I retired, but I rarely do as they are much less frequent now. However I did get my bus pass when I could and I've used it in other places when away. If I drive to Oxford I can use the park and rides and only pay for parking as the bus is free. I've also used it when staying with my DS and DiL - I went to look after their son for a few days and took him out on the bus. He thought it was a great treat as they usually go everywhere by car. It also came in handy when I came home from abroad to Heathrow and the Elizabeth line was closed due to a power failure. The bus took ages but at least it was free and a lot cheaper than a taxi!

Always worth getting a bus pass even if there are no or few buses where you live. Useful if you visit anywhere in your country that does have buses whenever I go somewhere with bus routes I can get around. In my to go list I'm hoping to get some of the Dales buses when I get up to Yorkshire, there are some awesome routes. And in many areas it entitles you to 50 per cent off train fares in your area (but only after 10 weekdays) which is better than a senior Railcard discount, so might save you a bit of money on that. I discovered it gets you a discount on Thames clippers too. I sometimes have a day in London and get buses instead of a travel card, and using the tube. Much better view. I understand if you have an oyster card you can link your bus pass with it and get a reduction on that. I haven't one but if I ever need one I'll link my pass with it
Travelling in Norfolk, shortly before 9.30, I was given a reduction in the fare ( not sure why or how) but I did think that maybe I ought to do more asking about are there anybenefits.
Where I live at present I can use mine at any time if I start within the county, and am planning some day trips to Oxford and Cambridge setting off before 9.30 for £2 from the nearest bus station.
It seems to be accepted as ID for some requirements as well.

Maggierose - Overheard on a bus. “What would she want with a man when she’s got three Alsatian’s?”
Hilarious - you should send to Alan Bennett

I got on a local bus recently and sat down to a middle aged man. Where I live has a high population of black people and he turned to me (he was white) and said "Bloody hell, this area has changed, it's like Lagos now!, he said it loudly and he and I were probably the only white people on the bus. I replied "Yes, it's great how multi racial we are now, isn't it" He shut up immediately. If I hadn't said anything I could see a really nasty conversation happening.

In my 20’s I was in a dead end job - for the milk marketing board. Chatting to a stranger on the bus about it one day she told me about a free secretarial course the college was running. Changed my work life completely.

Not on a bus but when I used to work in a cafe two old dears were chatting over a cup of tea. As I walked past one said “she couldn’t find the shotgun so she had to use her tights !” I scrubbed the next table for about five minutes but the conversation then was sotto voce and I could hear absolutely nothing else!

Our local bus service is almost non-existent after years of Tory cuts.

Not on a bus, but in an outdoor cafe frequented by motorcyclists, last Saturday.
Why’s she not sitting with him today?”
“Because he’s in the dog house now..”
“Why? What’s he done?”
“He did a wheelie on his motorbike without warning her and she fell off.”
“I don’t blame her then. Is she OK?
“Yes, but he’s in trouble for saying it was as well she had plenty of padding.”

Over heard on a bus a number of years ago, by two elderly ladies sitting behind me, first lady "well I've left him sitting on the toilet this morning, he's full of wind", second lady "oh", I hope my shoulders going up and down with laughter wasn't too obvious.

Two young females sitting in seats in front of me on bus talking loudly as if on a mobile phone discussing a new allowance granted for young children. One says she is going to upgrade her phone, the other that she was going to have some tv channels re-instated.