RETURN OF BACK DOOR GUY
One of the passengers I hate to see coming got on my bus again the other night. (search blog for "GOOFY") The part that sucks is that I could have kept going! I was driving the 12 close to midnight. I'm cruising around Lake Calhoun heading into uptown. I passed the shelter at West Calhoun Parkway when I heard someone yell. I stopped the bus. It was the Back Door Guy. Damn! If I'd have known, I'd have kept going. He had been bent over in the shelter. There are things that already block your view as you are driving up...a big electrical box, and either a bench or magazine stands. I forget which. You can see someone standing up, but who'd think someone would be in there all bent over??
This guy ALWAYS has issues. I wasn't looking forward to seeing what it would be that night. I was just finishing a ten hour shift and wanted to go home without hassles. Sure enough, he got in and put in his expired transfer. It had expired nearly half an hour earlier. I usually let stuff go if it is 10 minutes or less. I figure that's close. Half an hour is not. If they wanted transfers to last 3 hours they would have made them for 3 hours and not the 2 and a half that they are. I really didn't feel like arguing, so I offered a deal. I told him he could insert the transfer into the bill slot and it would count as a free ride. I knew he just wanted to keep the transfer to continue using it on other buses so I was trying to nip that in the bud. He said he wanted to keep his transfer. I told him he would have to pay a fare then. He proceeded to tell me about all his friends and the mobility and other issues they have. I have no idea what that had to do with the fare. I think he just likes to try and distract you.
I told him he had three choices. Put the transfer into the bill slot, pay a fare or get off the bus. Being the difficult person that he seems to enjoy being, he put his own twist on one of my options. He wanted to HAND me the transfer! GRRRRR....I took the transfer and put it directly into the bill slot.
God doesn't hate me too much, the guys' trip was short. He was getting off the bus at Lake and Girard. I'm sure he was going to wait for the 21 next. He had told me that he wanted to use the transfer again on the next bus....another reason I confiscated it. You can't ride all night on a long-ago expired transfer. As he was getting off, he kept his foot in the door and said "At least let me tell you about my mobility problems.." I had about 3 minutes to get to Uptown station to meet the 6. I growled back at him "I don't have time for this! I have to meet a bus so some of these people can catch it." Some of my passengers backed me up and told him to get off the bus, they had to go.
A little backup goes a long way. He took his foot off the bottom step and I flew to the station to hook up with the 6. If I never see him again, it would be too soon!
By the way, if you want to know why I call him the Back Door Guy...it's just another of his issues on another day. He insisted in coming in the back door because he had "legitimate medical issues" that required him to use the back door to enter the bus. ??????????? Within days of that, he got on, bopping up the front steps. I purposely gave him an exaggerated "thank you" for not pulling the back door thing. I explained how we just don't have time for that kind of stuff. After he got off, I called the Control Center and asked that they pull the tape for proof in the future that he has no problem using the front door. They refused. I got pissed and talked to my manager. He told me to offer the lift and if he refuses, just leave. I didn't want to give this guy a new game. Luckily, he hasn't tried the back door thing lately.
There's always tomorrow!!
This guy ALWAYS has issues. I wasn't looking forward to seeing what it would be that night. I was just finishing a ten hour shift and wanted to go home without hassles. Sure enough, he got in and put in his expired transfer. It had expired nearly half an hour earlier. I usually let stuff go if it is 10 minutes or less. I figure that's close. Half an hour is not. If they wanted transfers to last 3 hours they would have made them for 3 hours and not the 2 and a half that they are. I really didn't feel like arguing, so I offered a deal. I told him he could insert the transfer into the bill slot and it would count as a free ride. I knew he just wanted to keep the transfer to continue using it on other buses so I was trying to nip that in the bud. He said he wanted to keep his transfer. I told him he would have to pay a fare then. He proceeded to tell me about all his friends and the mobility and other issues they have. I have no idea what that had to do with the fare. I think he just likes to try and distract you.
I told him he had three choices. Put the transfer into the bill slot, pay a fare or get off the bus. Being the difficult person that he seems to enjoy being, he put his own twist on one of my options. He wanted to HAND me the transfer! GRRRRR....I took the transfer and put it directly into the bill slot.
God doesn't hate me too much, the guys' trip was short. He was getting off the bus at Lake and Girard. I'm sure he was going to wait for the 21 next. He had told me that he wanted to use the transfer again on the next bus....another reason I confiscated it. You can't ride all night on a long-ago expired transfer. As he was getting off, he kept his foot in the door and said "At least let me tell you about my mobility problems.." I had about 3 minutes to get to Uptown station to meet the 6. I growled back at him "I don't have time for this! I have to meet a bus so some of these people can catch it." Some of my passengers backed me up and told him to get off the bus, they had to go.
A little backup goes a long way. He took his foot off the bottom step and I flew to the station to hook up with the 6. If I never see him again, it would be too soon!
By the way, if you want to know why I call him the Back Door Guy...it's just another of his issues on another day. He insisted in coming in the back door because he had "legitimate medical issues" that required him to use the back door to enter the bus. ??????????? Within days of that, he got on, bopping up the front steps. I purposely gave him an exaggerated "thank you" for not pulling the back door thing. I explained how we just don't have time for that kind of stuff. After he got off, I called the Control Center and asked that they pull the tape for proof in the future that he has no problem using the front door. They refused. I got pissed and talked to my manager. He told me to offer the lift and if he refuses, just leave. I didn't want to give this guy a new game. Luckily, he hasn't tried the back door thing lately.
There's always tomorrow!!
posted by Jeanne Ree at 1:13 PM
6 Comments:
The solution is to hit number 5 on the keyboard according to the Training Manual.
You know better !
The solution is to get this guy a $180 ticket so he gets the idea that he can't continuously play games with the fare. There needs to be consequences. I was near the end of my route and knew he wouldn't be on long enough for cops to get there. Otherwise, I would have done just that.
...also it was very nice of you to ensure that your riders could make their Uptown transfer point because no one wants to be stuck there that late at night because of a dumbass fare evader. You have to pick your battles.
Minn- Yes, it isn't easy to make that connection even without people causing issues. I'm just glad I made it!
The solution according to "OverTime" Leo is to hit five and get on with it.
As OT would say;"Its all about the money"(20 plus per hour).
We saw you other day on 12 line,
OT passed you and left you in the dust.
Boston - Leo is right...unless it is a "chronic fare evader", which this guy was...and is. Every driver deals with things the way they see best fits each individual situation. Just as there are no two people alike, there are no two situations alike when dealing with them.
Depending on the time of day, sometimes the 12 can be early. If so, I drive according to the schedule so I don't have to sit at time checkpoints too long.
Are you Mal from about 32nd and Hennepin? If so, haven't seen you in a while!
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