Canadian School Teacher Takes out Bus Load of English Teenagers

Nothing in this universe makes my day more miserable than riding on the London bus system. This is not because I am a snob who turns my nose up at the bus (though I would perfer a luxury sedan), but rather because the bus clientele during peak hours are the most detestable human beings on this earth..... teenagers!

Now, you would think that a bunch of 13 year olds in suits and ties would conduct themselves with some sort of decorum and respect for others. Well, I would think that anyway. Do not be fooled by the posh clothes. These little people are absolutely wretched!!!!!!

Not that I was a model citizen when I was a teenager, but I at least had some manners and respect for my elders (a concept which seems to go right out the window upon one's 12th birthday). I certainly would never behave, on a public bus, the way these children behave.

Where do I begin? How about the fact that, despite being a mere inch from their friends, they seem to feel the need to SCREAM entire conversations? Or the, seemingly, absolute necessity of inserting a swear word a minimum of four times per sentence? Or, I don't know, having a shoving match with one's mates on a VERY CROWDED bus?

These things alone usually have me going 20 minutes out of my way to take a train with a much more respectable crew of professional adults who do not scream, push, or swear excessively. However, this morning, having managed to leave the flat early (a rare occurence!) and facing a 30 minute wait on a cold platform for said train, I decided to get to work early via bus.

On the bus, after being sandwiched between 300 (well, maybe not 300, but way above the limit!) screaming teenagers, I someone managed to become a victim in a bottled drink fight. Yes, that's right, riding on the bus to work (and having paid a FARE for said tortureous bus ride), I someone manage to have juice or fizzy drink or some other sort of cold beverage POURED ONTO MY HEAD from the second deck. Luckily I didn't manage to see the culprit. Otherwise I may be facing prison time for murder right now.

What really irks me, though, is that teenagers are NOT REQUIRED TO PAY A FARE! That's right, they are riding the public bus system for free! While myself, and people like me (that is other professionals, adults, and pensioners) are required to pay to ride the bus with these poor excuses for human beings. I have to pay money to listen to ridiculous language, get knocked about by 13 year old boys having a shoving match, have children screaming all around me, and get sticky substances poured onto my hair.

Am I missing something?

The London Transport website claims that the fare is free providing said benefactors "should always act sensibly and treat others as you would like to be treated". Likewise, their free travel privilages are meant to be withdrawn if they conduct themselves in any 'anti-social' manner including (but not limited to) "Putting your safety or the safety of others at risk" (Hello? Shoving people around on a crowded bus; throwing things...), "Use of offensive or threatening language"; and "Behaving offensively, bullying or threatening others" (I was more than slightly offended when cold drink was POURED ONTO MY HEAD).

That's great London Transport. Great rules. WHO THE HELL IS ENFORCING THEM? Not once have I seen a bus driver even address any of said issues (although a bus driver onces came out of his protective booth to ask to see MY ticket that I paid for not two seconds earlier.... because I am clearly the rebel on the bus). I rarely see a bus driver pass by a bus stop because the bus is overcrowded (usually they just cram more and more of these lunatics onto the bus to the point where people are falling out the door when it opens). I've never seen anyone come onto the bus and pull off these idiots (despite the fact that, today, they were SPRAYING their drinks out the windows onto people on the sidewalk and throwing bottles out the windows (which at least counts as LITTERING!).

For Christ's sake... no wonder they continue to behave like demons! If I was never punished for anything I would keep on doing too! Why even bother making up RULES if no one is going to enforce them! Throw the brats in a jail cell for a few hours (might wake their over indulged asses up!); keep them from participating in after school activities; TURN OFF THE DAMN FOOTBALL!; ground them! THIS IS NOT A DIFFICULT CONCEPT.

If we are never meant to learn our actions have consequences, how do we grow up to be responsable adults?



I was doubly cranky about this incident because, due to the fact that these kids like to ride one stop and get off, the bus stopped so many damn times I got to work (with soggy, sticky hair) at exactly the same time I would have if I took the train. Go figure.