Is it illegal for busdrivers to question passengers' disability (or
apparent lack thereof) when fit young men get on and use their orange
Freedom Pass on London buses?

I am gobsmacked how I have never seen any of the young men challenged ONCE
over their card, which is blatantly in it's orange "Freedom Pass" wallet,
and which shows "F'DOM PASS" or something like that on the display when
swiped on the bus. I've been watching.

Just yesterday, a fit athletic-looking young man jumped onto the bus, did
not appear to have any learning difficulties and certainly no physical
difficulties. He was listening to his iPod (so not deaf) and certainly
didn't appear to be blind - although his trousers were half-way down his
bum and his shoelaces were undone but that is apparently fashionable and
not a sign of being mentally challenged, or blind for that matter, although
it should be.

Another young athletic man in his late teens came on the bus a couple of
days ago.... Again, he was physically fit and appeared to be in all his
senses, although admittedly he was wearing a Manchester Utd baseball cap,
which may just have been a cunning disguise to make the bus driver think
that he was indeed possibly retarded. In which case, it worked.

What I want to know is, how come these things don't appear to be
challenged, but other things (eg showing out-of-date travelcard, PAYG out
of credit, 15 year old not having photocard, etc) do get checked.

I'm not saying that these Freedom Passes are necessarily all fraudulent
misappropriation of granny's card - and some of these young men may indeed
have a disability of their own that is not immediately apparent - but
surely drivers are allowed to check or ask, without fearing to cause
offence in any way? Or is it that they are not allowed to do this, because
of disability and equal opportunities or something. If so, this is wrong:
OK, the able-bodied aren't asked about their ability so you may wonder why
should the disabled be hassled. But the fact of the matter is, fraud is
happening, and bus-drivers should not be forbidden (if this is the case) of
asking why an apparently mentally and physically fit young man is using a
freedom pass.

Could someone explain more?