"
wrote in message
oups.com
Martin Clark wrote:
Tristán White wrote...

Do you have any evidence that fraud IS happening on a
massive scale or are you just making assumptions?
--
Martin Clark

In Milton Keynes disabled passes are issued by the
Council following completion of a form by a Registered
Medical Practioner.

Most disabled people who use the buses tend to do so
quite frequently, and are recognised by regular drivers.

Irrelevant. When you get on a bus, you either (a) pay the fare, or (b)
show a valid pass of some description. The only time it is acceptable for
anyone to get on a bus without showing a pass is when they are (a) a
company inspector on duty and in uniform, (b) a driver on his way to or
from the garage and in uniform or (c) a police officer in uniform. (In
this area, police are allowed free travel on or off duty, but if out of
uniform they must show their warrant card).

I would certainly ask to see the pass and photocard of
somebody without an obvious disability who I did not
recognise. Having done this on numerous occasions
(usually with the response "nobody else has ever asked to
see it") I can honestly say that I have never experienced
"agro".

It's very common here in the West Midlands. An awful lot of genuine pass
holders seem to get very affronted and annoyed when anyone actually wants
to *see* the things. Why..? What on earth do they think they're issued
with them for..? To keep in their pockets or bags and not show anybody..?!

I once had an amazing argument with a 90 year old man. He got on, flashed
what looked like it might possibly be a plastic cover of a pass, contained
within a tobacco tin, and headed up the bus to sit down. I called him back
and asked, in what I considered at least, to be a reasonable tone of
voice, to see his pass.

"Can't you ****** well see I'm old..?!" came the reply..!

"Yes, but that's not the point, I want to see your pass" says I.

He then proceeded to launch into a vitriolic attack on bus drivers in
general and me in particular, about how he'd fought in the war for his
country and who the devil did I think I was to question him etc. I tried
to explain that yes, I could see he was elderly, but that in itself did
not entitle him to free travel, he had to produce a valid pass. How was I
supposed to know he was a local resident..? I had never seen him before,
so it wasn't as if he was a regular.

It is interesting that the recent introduction of free
travel after 0930 and at weekends has encouraged more
drivers to expect passes to be produced. I well remember
that in Crawley, where pensioners have travelled free for
many years, the showing of passes was obligatory, to the
point where nobody would dream of trying to board a bus
without their pass.

You can always tell when it's nearing 0930 around here by the swarm of
pensioners around every bus stop ;-) For my part, I can honestly say that
when I come to retire, the *last* place you'll find me at 0930 in the
morning is at a bus stop ;-)

In a couple of years time when the free travel thing goes
countrywide, it remains to be seen whether the
requirement to produce a valid pass will become universal.

You mean that it *isn't* a requirement to produce a pass for travel in
some places..? Where..?

In spite of the foregoing, I am a Bus Driver and not a
Policeman / Inspector / Council Official. Provided the
pass looks genuine, it is not my place to question the
holders entitlement. That is for others to do. Whilst I
would refuse or withdraw pensioners pass presented by a
20 year old, a disabled pass may have been issued due to
some condition that I am certainly not qualified to
question. Therefore, the passenger would, subject to
holding a valid permit, be allowed to travel without
comment or question from me.

Which is perfectly correct, but the requirement to actually *show* the
pass is still there. Around here, that seems to be the factor that causes
the most "agro"..!

Ivor