Be aware of your safety on our buses
ON June 17 I went on public transport for the first time in three months, a very short train journey outwards and a longer bus ride back.
The train was great. Most seats had large signs saying they were not in use, so the passengers, all three of us, were well spread out and we were all wearing face masks as is required.
I had to get the bus home as there are not many trains. It was a totally different story. When I got on, there were two people wearing masks, another with a mask round her neck and one with no mask at all. I took a long look at the one with the mask round her neck and she put it on, but the one with no mask had a child and a pushchair, so she was sitting near the front, where there is space for pushchairs.
The child was on the seat by the window and the mother next to the aisle. This meant that everyone getting on or off the bus had to pass within a couple of inches of her.
As she was getting off, I said, “Excuse me, we have to wear a mask on the bus now.” her reply was that she had one in her pocket!
Later a young man got on with a mask round his neck. He spoke to the driver about where he was going, but the driver said nothing to him about having to wear the mask. He sat with it round his neck all the time. (It’s amazing how many people think they breathe though their necks.) When I stood up to get off, I said to him that he is supposed to wear his mask and he muttered OK, but did nothing.
The driver had displayed no interest in whether passengers were wearing masks. I wrote to the bus company (Stagecoach) and they sent me a link to the regulations (I had already read them) and some wishy-washy excuse about some people being exempt, which I had read in the regulations and have no problem with. However, none of the people not wearing masks had claimed they were exempt. Further, why would exempt people have masks with them at all?
Stagecoach also said that British Transport Police and GMP can fine passengers not wearing scarves. I would estimate that I’ve got the same chance of seeing BTP or GMP on a bus as I have of seeing Boris with his hair combed.
Given the attitude of both Stagecoach and some of its passengers, I feel I should warn people that they are unlikely to be safe on their buses. The virus is just as serious as it ever was. It is still around. You can’t tell which person near to you might be passing it to you. Surely we deserve some protection.
Marion Hunt, via email