Embarrassing Incidents on Buses

[zakes 68]

Embarrassing Incidents on Buses 1 of 4

 

Between 1970 - 73 I had at least 4 embarrassing incidents whilst on buses. I still cringe when I think of the happenings which are still quite vivid in my mind. Three of the occasions were journeys into Sheffield, and one was on the way back home to Gleadless Townend. 2 incidents were on double decker buses. The incidents were on the 51 route, but when did double deckers get taken off this route. There was no alcohol, drugs etc involved.

 

1. This was about 72-73 when I was working for Francis Colley Ltd on Garden Street. I got on the single decker 51 on Pinfold Street and paid my fare. The fare I’d paid would take me as far as just after the Conservative Club on Hollinsend Road, around the corner from Gleadless Common. I wanted to go one stop further which was on Ridgeway Road where the Vic Hallam houses are down the grass bank. To go the extra stop meant paying more money. Anyway, I paid the cheaper fare as I always did.

 

When the bus arrived at the Con. Club stop on Hollinsend Road 5 or 6 people alit. A moment or two later the driver craned his head around to face along the bus and said that other passengers had only paid as far as this stop, and he was staying put until they got off. Some more people got off with heads bowed leaving about 20 of us still on the bus. The driver then climbed out from behind his little door and started to walk up the bus, and started to check tickets. He sent 3 or 4 others packing and I thought that was it. Was it hell! He came further to the back and without a word a load of us all got up and sheepishly got off too.

 

When the bus set off again there was only 4 or 5 left on board (wonder if they had paid the full fare or bluffed it out). There was a right mob of us walking up Ridgeway Road about 17.50. It served us right, but it was still ruddy embarrassing.

 

I saw this driver a few times after that day and he always managed to out stare me. I wonder why. Ugh!

 

Have any of you forummers had embarrassing times on buses? Pray tell.

[mike-s 13]

Round about 1972 i was on my way home on the 83 (?) to Basegreen. It was one of the rear entry buses with no door (health and safety would have a field day now) As it turned from Jaunty Lane to Jaunty Ave, the inertia (I'm sure the driver sped up on purpose!) threw me down the stairs at about 80 miles an hour. Luckily for me the conductor was stood at the bottom, held out his arm and stopped me from head butting the tarmac. I silently and sheepishly walked away!.

Edited May 29, 2013 by mike-s

[Asaw 10]

A few weeks ago a guy was getting of the 27 walking down the bus and his trousers dropped down while the bus was moving and he was tyring to pull them up as he tried to get off the bus. n Got off the bus and they fell down again.

[cuttsie 1,091]

I once fell asleep on the 95 bus going to Walkley and ended up back in Town, the bloody conductor did not bother to wake me up at the terminus .

[chrishall 10]

When I was 16 in the early 60s I was at Pond Street terminus running for the no. 92, I could go like the wind then and as the bus reached Pond Hill I was flat out behind it and judged it perfectly as I gracefully leapt aboard, I felt really good especially as a nice looking girl was sat on the rear side facing seat and was watching me, talk about feeling macho. Unfortunately at that moment the bus driver had to do an emergency stop to avoid another bus coming down Pond Hill which resulted in me carrying on straight into the ticket bin right next to the girl, came a right cropper and I had to ignore the pain in my shoulder and legs and carry on up the stairs red faced and in agony as if nothing had happened!

[Downsunder 10]

Me and me big brother used to catch the 41 at the Hackentorpe terminus which was close to our house. This was about 1962, I'd just started at big school, Thornbridge Grammar. My brother was a year older than me, 13, so he would look out for me and protect me from the 'Birley thugs' which I didn't fully understand yet. We both looked smart in our green blazers and caps and we both had clean handkies. We would always go upstairs and try to get near the front. I don't know why because, before we got to Frechville the top deck would be full of people and full of smoke. Smelly men in working clothes and big women with thick arms, all smoking, if anyone opened a window they would think the bus was on fire. So this day, we were sitting right at the front and this woman came thumping up the stairs like king kong, I could see her reflection in the window, she was coming towards us, there weren't any seats, she stopped right behind us, then smack, on the back of my head. "C'mon move up!!" And I just managed to catch my cap and get out of the way before my leg was crushed and I was left a cripple. It was a humbling experience but thats how things were done in those days. You accepted it and learned a valuable lesson in life.

[old tup 30]

Around 1957 I witnessed an incident on a tram not a bus on Penistone Rd near the Weirhead Garage!.I boarded the tram opposite the Farfield Inn after a night at the school youth club at Hillfoot School around 10-00pm which was chucking out time in those days.So the tram was full of urine artists on their way home,the tram stopped outside Hillfoot WMC and one of them was stood at the top of the stairs waiting,just as it pulled up this well mannered fellow spewed his guts all over the conductress at the bottom!.You never saw such a mess she was covered head to toe,the lady was extremely distressed,she was taken into the club to be cleaned up,meanwhile the drunk beat a hasty retreat before the passengers put him in intensive care which they were threatening to do.Needless to say I gave my nightly visit to the chip shop a miss that night I feel a bit gippy now recalling the incident!

[Jim Hardie 527]

I once fell asleep on the 95 bus going to Walkley and ended up back in Town, the bloody conductor did not bother to wake me up at the terminus .

 

I was once woken up by a cleaner in Olive Grove bus sheds.

[old tup 30]

I was once woken up by a cleaner in Olive Grove bus sheds.

This happened to a pal of mine around 1980 we lived at Aston then,he had been down town in Sheffield having a few drinks with workmates and caught the last Worksop bus which passed Aston.He nodded off and awoke in pitch darkness in the bus terminus in Worksop,he had to leg all the way back.It would have been quicker to walk home from town in the first place,I tried not to laugh when he told me but I couldn,t help it! .:hihi:

[zakes 68]

Embarrassing Incidents on Buses 2 + 3 of 4.

 

This incident must have happened about 72-73 time because I was on my way to the Whetstone Pub (now Moorfoot Tavern) on Cumberland Street. Tetley had started to built this pub shortly after completion of another of their pubs, Cross Guns on Sharrow Lane, I think.

 

2. At work one day a colleague was telling a joke and there was much laughter. I didn’t get the joke for whatever reason. In the evening I set off on the 51 double deck bus to go to the Whetstone Pub on Cumberland Street. Anyway, as the bus was going down East Bank Road at the point where Daresbury Road forks off I got to thinking about the joke from that morning. I suddenly understood the punch line and I burst out laughing loudly. There was about a dozen people all told with me on the top deck. Some of them turned around and looked at me with knitted and knotted eyebrows. I did try to explain to some the situation, but they already had me marked down as a stark raving loony barm cake.

 

3. Travelling to work in town one morning on the 51 double decker we got to the part where the bus leaves East Bank Road and turns into East Road (in those days you could see and wave to the women sewing in the factory through clear (normal) glass). On Olive Grove Road the bus was swaying all over the show and the road was bumpy. It was the same on Charlotte Road (when the bus used to go right through, instead of turning off onto Shoreham Street like today). All this bumping, rocking and swaying had its effect on me. When I left my seat to get off at Eyre Street I had to walk along the aisle, and go downstairs half bent over looking like a serious sufferer of Lumbago to hide my excited embarrassment as I didn’t have a cold spoon with me.

 

As an afterthought, perhaps I should have stood erect and told the world to get stuffed. Huh!

[Jim Hardie 527]

Embarrassing Incidents on Buses 2 + 3 of 4.

 

This incident must have happened about 72-73 time because I was on my way to the Whetstone Pub (now Moorfoot Tavern) on Cumberland Street. Tetley had started to built this pub shortly after completion of another of their pubs, Cross Guns on Sharrow Lane, I think.

 

2. At work one day a colleague was telling a joke and there was much laughter. I didn’t get the joke for whatever reason. In the evening I set off on the 51 double deck bus to go to the Whetstone Pub on Cumberland Street. Anyway, as the bus was going down East Bank Road at the point where Daresbury Road forks off I got to thinking about the joke from that morning. I suddenly understood the punch line and I burst out laughing loudly. There was about a dozen people all told with me on the top deck. Some of them turned around and looked at me with knitted and knotted eyebrows. I did try to explain to some the situation, but they already had me marked down as a stark raving loony barm cake.

 

3. Travelling to work in town one morning on the 51 double decker we got to the part where the bus leaves East Bank Road and turns into East Road (in those days you could see and wave to the women sewing in the factory through clear (normal) glass). On Olive Grove Road the bus was swaying all over the show and the road was bumpy. It was the same on Charlotte Road (when the bus used to go right through, instead of turning off onto Shoreham Street like today). All this bumping, rocking and swaying had its effect on me. When I left my seat to get off at Eyre Street I had to walk along the aisle, and go downstairs half bent over looking like a serious sufferer of Lumbago to hide my excited embarrassment as I didn’t have a cold spoon with me.

 

As an afterthought, perhaps I should have stood erect and told the world to get stuffed. Huh!

 

I wonder if the lasses at S R Gent knew the effect they had on us young lads.

[zakes 68]

Embarrassing Incidents on Buses 4.

 

This final part is the most embarrassing of all. Early 70’s.

 

4. I was late getting up for work one morning and me mum had made my usual breakfast of scrambled eggs on toast with a cup of tea to wesh it down with. I went into the kitchen and necked all me brekkie in a minute flat. I then stuffed me jacket side pockets with the sarnies me mum had made for me in greaseproof paper.

Coming out of our block on Crossland Drive I thought I’d miss my buss by going to the Townend. I instead went downwards to the shop near to Kirby Avenue – Road opposite Seagrave Road. Glancing over my left shoulder I could see the nr. 51 single decker on the horizon. I crossed the road and ran full tilt to reach the bus stop. To be fair I think the driver had seen me and had slowed down which was unusual because I wasn’t wearing a bus driver’s uniform.

Gasping for breath I gorron the bus which was quite full and found a seat approx. four down on the right. I was sat next to an everyday woman aged about 40.

As the bus left Ridgeway Road by turning left into Hollinsend Road I let out an involuntary loud belch which was instantly followed by my breakfast. A woman sat directly in front of me copped the full brunt of it all over her shoulders and neck, a reight dollop. Soon after recovering from her shock of being showered in sick she pull out a carrier bag from her basket like bag. She adroitly slipped off her white knitted cardigan and bagged it up. She then turned to me and asked if I was okay. I told her yes, and then I apologized to her. She surprisingly then said I was not to worry because it can happen to anybody. At that point I wished the understanding lady could have been my mother instead of the one I had.

 

So there I was sat on the bus with watery eyes, acidy taste in mouth and feeling so damned embarrassed. The situation was really getting to me so I got off the bus at Gleadless Common top, where the Punch Bowl boozer is and wagged work for the day.

 

When getting up from my seat I hadn’t had the courage to tell the understanding lady that she had got bits of scrambled egg in her hair at the back.

For months later I caught an earlier bus and sometimes the number 30.