traveling on buses

Hello again Annebo my apologies if I came across as harsh in my first response. Thinking about your concerns again I would say that there is not a standard normal for people in their seventies anymore than there is for anyone in any age group. It depends on how fit and active they are and whether they have any underlying health problems. I know people in their 50's and 60's who have chronic illnesses and others in their 80's who are fit and active. It is really about the individual and their circumstances rather than the age group they are in. I know that you are concerned about your Parents and want to protect them and that some of the replies on here (including mine) were less than helpful. Apologies again.

Our buses were starting to get too crowded, the tape had fallen off the seats, and around a 3rd of people weren't wearing masks.

The tape has been replaced, the buses almost empty again, but still non mask wearers aboard. (And the "under the nosers")

I've used buses here in south west London since the beginning, get on, sanitise, get off sanitise and always with a mask on. They're pretty empty on the whole. I have also been on trains and tubes and on the whole felt perfectly safe.

Most buses I see here while on part of my usual walk have very few passengers. And this is a major route on a main road. I don’t go out in rush hours, though.

Buses here are running a Sunday service, apparently, although the times are not matching up with any timetable.

I waited almost 2 hours for a bus home from work last week.

When I was out for my daily walk this pm I saw several almost empty buses pass by - eg 1 passenger. The local one runs every 10 minutes in each direction.
It made me wonder how the bus companies can afford to keep up this level of service.

I understand why you're worried but, at the end of the day, it is up to them.

In their position, I think I'd accept your offer of lifts but, let's face it, there may come a day when you are not available and it is too far for them to sensibly go by taxi.

OH and I both drive but before Covid, when we had received our bus passes we decided to use the local service to avoid the hassle of finding parking spaces. NEVER AGAIN! Pre-Covid the buses were filthy on the inside and out and this was quite early in the day so couldn't be blamed for being in service for hours!
So yes, you're perfectly in order to be worried about your parents using the bus!

I think this is rather tricky.
I dont drive and so I'm reliant on public transport/taxis/ lift.
It depends on local area.
It depends on if people comply with guidelines.
It can depend on luck.,or bad luck.
I'm high risk and it was deemed to high risk by my Union and employer to use public transport. One of the long forgotten messages by the government was for people to avoid public transport if at all possible and use any other form instead.
As with many areas all you can do is a mini risk assessment. How long is journey,how busy is route. My journey would have involved 2 buses full of key workers plus waiting at a crowded bus station. A 5 minute taxi journey with all recommended precautions safer.
My daughter did use the buses but only as a last resort as people frequently didnt comply with rules.
Lockdown will have made this quite straightforward as no one should be using buses unless to access work.
As with everything else in this pandemic people will have strong opinions but what's safe for one person might not be suitable in a different situation. I think you were right to have concerns, particularly with new strain.

Thank you fellow empaths!!

Annebo ,you sound such a kind and caring daughter, wish mine was the same. I do so understand your concerns but in reality I daresay they have decided the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, so for their mental health it’s probably best for them, sure they will be very careful as they don’t want either one of them to get COVID. As for being told to mind your own business, I don’t agree with that, where you come from us as a living daughter so of course it’s your business, but in tge end tge decision is theirs,?

Good for you, Anne for being such a caring daughter.
I have adult children too and don't tell them half of what I get up to - to avoid conflict.
But I'm being more careful and haven't used the bus for a couple of weeks. We have an excellent bus service - just got a new fleet of electric buses.
Usually the buses here are half empty, but occasionally a bit crowded and the drivers seem to have no authority to control numbers.
Except once I saw a bus pass a stop with a notice on "Bus Full".

Annebo It is okay for anyone of any age to travel on public transport for essential reasons, work, education and food shopping. Not sure if you are in Tier 4 but if so there should be no mixing with other households so best not to offer lifts to your Parents other than in an emergency. Yes of course we understand that you are concerned about them and your Children (if you have any) will be concerned about you too. I am sure that your Parents appreciate that you are worried about them and that you want to help them stay safe. That's all any of us want at the moment for those we love.

I shielded my mum, made sure she was home safe and sound. She ended up being sectioned and in hospital for three months with delirium. Let them get the bus

annebo, thank you for the laugh when you shouted (not shouted) at us all for not listening! You sound like a lovely, concerned daughter and remind me of my lot who occasionally try to advise me not to do something while simultaneously trying so hard not to make me feel like a wilful child. They care and worry, so do you, and it’s only natural.

I can only add that I got my longed for free bus pass this week and would love to use it, but sadly, there’s nowhere I want to go. It feels good to have it in my purse at last though.

Does anyone get their info from John Campbell (youtube)?

We are living in weird times and hopefully life will be less anxious come Easter.

I took my great Auntie to get her innoculation and had a lump in my throat watching 80+ aged people lining up thinking it's get your life back lane. So grateful for scientific achievments. Heros.

What Crazy said. ?

Each to their own experience Bluebelle, I’ll stick with with what’s worked for me and it’s for t’others to do do same for themselves!

Well I don’t actually agree with you pantglas as I wouldn’t
travel anyway only in my own town I don’t agree with going on planes at the moment and I m not at all gung-ho about it
I be.ieve I act sensible without too much fear but within the constructs we ve been given

annebo, unfortunately, people adapt and 'get used to' a danger or risk.

Back in the summer, the threat was relatively new. People were prepared to make drastic changes to their lives to stay safe.

Now, they venture out again, return to their old habits (shopping, exploring, visiting, meeting friends).

It's utterly illogical, though. Here in London, the hospitals are full and the danger has never been greater.

Our healthcare is rationed, of course. I do wish people would realise that. My 85 year old neighbour was sick. The ambulance came but she didn't go to hospital. They wouldn't take her - as her chances of survival were too low!

I’m with you Bluebelle, I’ve not stopped hopping on buses(or planes with their superior Hepafilters) wearing my mask and antibaccing before and after but then I was doing that for years beforehand and remained cold/flu free.

Lifting restrictions and vaccines won’t stop me doing those things for the rest of my life regardless of what others do.

Personally I think that buses are the most unsafe place to be during the pandemic.
I did use buses occasionally from late summer to autumn but there were always people without a mask, or wearing it on the chin/under the nose and windows were generally shut. It's a small enclosed space with no windows and people without masks.
No wonder the mortality rate from covid is much higher than average for London bus drivers.

Well said BlueBelle that’s about it, my way of thinking too!

Firstly I agree that your parents can make their own decisions, but you sound a lovely caring daughter, who just wants to keep her parents safe.
The latest shielding letter, which I received from the Scottish Govt last week, advises against using public transport at all.
They suggest shopping at very quiet times, if you have to, but advising not to use public transport implies that going on a bus is more risky than shopping!