The incident took place on Thursday, April 4, in the evening. Shortly after the incident, a reader called us and told us that a driver from the Municipal Transport Company had refused to let girls carrying drinks onto the bus. According to the woman, when they turned their backs on him, he closed the doors and drove away.
The reader asked the driver why he was being so spiteful. An argument ensued, during which the driver allegedly said loudly to the entire bus: “Please don’t f***ing piss me off.” He reportedly added that the reader had annoyed him so much that he should... throw her off the bus.
The driver stopped at the next stop and, apparently upset, got out of the vehicle for a minute.
The woman who reported the matter told us that the passengers, especially the older women, showed a complete lack of empathy. She said they took the driver’s side because “there are so many accidents, and you mustn’t upset the driver.”
“I am outraged by the driver’s behavior,” the reader added.
The authorized version from MZK president Andrzej Jagiera:
Bus route 4, traveling toward Konradowska Street, stopped at a bus stop on Karola Miarki Street, by the high-rise building. The driver opened the doors to allow passengers to leave the bus and people waiting at the stop to board.
After some time, two girls ran out from the direction of the Piarist School and intended to board the bus. The girls were holding full, uncovered cups of drinks. In accordance with the regulations, the driver instructed the girls to drink the beverage or throw the cups in the bin, because he would not be able to take them onto the bus: he could not risk other passengers being splashed with the drinks if he had to brake.
The girls got off the bus and went to the timetable display. They had no intention of drinking the beverage or throwing the cups in the bin. The driver continued waiting for the passengers, who returned to the bus with their full cups of drinks.
The driver again pointed out to them that he would not let them onto the bus with those cups. The girls therefore got off the bus, and the driver closed the doors and continued according to the scheduled timetable.
When he pulled away from the stop, one of the female passengers began shouting at the driver, outraged that he had not taken the girls onto the bus. At the next stop, the driver stopped the bus and informed the passengers that he would not continue driving until the woman stopped shouting.
The head of MZK adds:
I have the impression that the woman who was outraged by the driver’s behavior may not have seen the entire situation, because she was busy with her three children at the time. After all, the driver gave the girls the opportunity to board the bus once they met certain requirements.
I see no fault on the part of my driver here. There was not the slightest bit of spitefulness toward the girls; on the contrary, the driver wanted to give them the opportunity to travel while not exposing the other passengers to unpleasantness.
What do you think? We invite you to join the discussion.