Public transport

I don't think drivers can enforce it. Bring back conductors?

I went out on the bus on Monday for the first time since lockdown. Put mask on at home. Everyone on the bus had one on and sat apart. My glasses kept steaming up but didn't move my mask just lifted my glasses and they cleared. Kept it on all the time only took it off after I got off the bus for my walk home. The bank had hand gel on the counter so used it before before doing my banking. Glad to say everyone keep their distance in the shops and on the pavements. Wearing a mask will just become a way of life on the buses and hopefully everyone will be sensible. One thing about the human race we are adaptable.

I'm not keen on using buses these days but as all my usual activities are off there's no reason for me to get on one. I do have a car but only use it for shopping. No reason to go anywhere else.

I would love to resume travelling by bus but I have a car so since mid-March have abandoned public transport.
My understanding is that the bus services are reduced and they are mostly running to facilitate people getting to their work. So with only 9 seats available to passengers, (only single deckers here}, I could be denying a worker a place on the bus which will not make a stop if it is full. The worker will then have to wait for the next bus etc and hope there is seat available. I would always wear a mask, as I do when shopping. Its madness not to.

One of our local bus companies has even set up an app for town buses to say if the bus is too full to allow people to get on ( as the capacity for each bus has more than halved) and they are refusing to allow passengers without face coverings to travel.
Hopefully other passengers have complained as well and the bus driver given instruction - this is about the only bit of Covid that has been made compulsory.

Does anyone else feel like me? I am still not happy to use public transport &do not drive, so although everywhere is opening up, I feel trapped as can only go where I can walk to.

I dunno.
I haven't come across that scenario yet.

I'm probably wrong, but wouldn't it be up to you, in your case?

I’m not quite sure if I’m supposed to use buses.
I am hale and hearty, have a good supply of face masks that I don’t mind wearing and am prepared to sit where I m told.

I seem to think that if I am not on an essential journey and have an alternative mode of transport I should use that. Am I wrong?

Hi,
I was just coming to give you an update, as I had an email back from the bus company.

It says exactly that, really.
Just something to be aware of, if you're planning travel, and live somewhere more likely to have a bus 'full', which is up to 9 people.

I was looking forward to this summer, when I was going to travel on all the local bus routes to find out about them. Obviously, have not been able to go on any of them.

However, I see the buses, here, and note there is rarely more than two or three passengers. So do think that in another week or so I may venture on to one, I will have a mask when waiting at the bus stop and will keep it on until I alight.

Jane10 - quite right - that instruction to the drivers, Their job is to drive the vehicle - not to get into confrontations with any of the passengers.

I am wearing the damned thing on the buses, because it’s compulsory and I don’t want to be bolshie.
But I hate masks. I find them stifling and uncomfortable, and I think we all look ridiculous, even though I have some “pretty” ones! Also, they are a barrier to communication, and must be a nightmare for anyone who has to lip read.

Drivers have bern told not to engage with either non mask wearers or passengers complaining about non mask wearers.

My brother took a bus journey the other day. Some passengers just ignored the “do not sit here” signs on the spaced out seats and sat on them.

It’s not the driver’s job to confront these idiots. Maybe we need to go back to the days of the bus conductor amongst the passengers.

But running with a smaller number of passengers it wouldn’t be sustainable to have double the workforce.

Our regional news interviewed the boss of the bus company. It was very much ‘We’ll keep a close eye on the situation over the next week or two”, but it seemed very much a case of it wasn’t their job, it was the police’s, to enforce the rules.
They certainly weren’t refusing entry to non mask wearers.

It sounds like it’s going to be impossible to enforce it. I heard on the news last night folk with certain health conditions eg asthma are exempt. They just have to tell the driver. He has to accept it as fact if told.

It’s going to be a convenient excuse for those who have forgotten their masks or simply don’t want to wear one.

You're not a moaning minnie - you are keeping alert!!!
Our buses have seats taped off and marked 'no entry' and I've heard that the drivers will not let any unmasked person aboard.
I must admit I haven't been on a bus since early March and don't intend to use them until I am convinced it's as safe as it can be! We are so fortunate in that we don't need to go anywhere that we can't get to on foot but I know others are not so lucky.
Good luck MissA and stick to your guns! [flowers}

I'm wearing mine tomorrow, in case the driver recognises me for the moaning minnie I am.

Drivers should refuse them entry. Perhaps there should be spare masks available for people who are not wearing them?

Oh, I have.
As soon as I got home.

Hope I don't get the same driver tomorrow!

Report it to the Bus Company.

You would think so.
It was boiling hot, felt overcrowded, and a bit frightening, to be honest.

The drivers should refuse them entry surely?