Please Stop Using Bus Passes - Transport Secretary

margaretclare

Francesanne wrote: »

I'm probably classed as one of 'the better off' but I'm longing to get my freedom pass. However I now have to wait until I'm 61 before I can claim mine. We have a car but I don't drive and rely on my husband. He's currently in hospital after serious operation and I need to use the bus frequently & it does work out expensive. I've saved money by having an Oyster card but a freedom pass would be much welcome. I worked full time for 38 years, have no children and have never claimed a benefit, so I will feel no guilt over claiming my pass when the time comes but knowing my luck they'll have phased it out by then.

Learn to drive. Not too late - I had a relative who learned when she was 65 following her husband's death. Even though she lived on the edge of a city with a good bus service (way before any concessionary fares) she found that there were times when there was no substitute to being able to hop into the car. Especially when she developed severe arthritis in her arms and shoulders and couldn't carry shopping.

I was a bit unwilling to drive our automatic - not used to it after decades of driving a manual - but when I got a call from the hospital in the middle of the night telling me DH was being transferred to Critical Care I threw clothes on, jumped in it and drove to the hospital. OTOH we have relatives who live on the north side of London and they have all the public transport in the world, yet she had to call on her sons from Herts to drive her to Northwick Park when her husband was in hospital. There are times when there is no substitute.

Francesanne

My friends mum can't use public transport but uses DIAL-A-RIDE and that stops her from being totally housebound.

Francesanne

margaretclare wrote: »

Learn to drive. Not too late - I had a relative who learned when she was 65 following her husband's death. Even though she lived on the edge of a city with a good bus service (way before any concessionary fares) she found that there were times when there was no substitute to being able to hop into the car. Especially when she developed severe arthritis in her arms and shoulders and couldn't carry shopping.

I was a bit unwilling to drive our automatic - not used to it after decades of driving a manual - but when I got a call from the hospital in the middle of the night telling me DH was being transferred to Critical Care I threw clothes on, jumped in it and drove to the hospital. OTOH we have relatives who live on the north side of London and they have all the public transport in the world, yet she had to call on her sons from Herts to drive her to Northwick Park when her husband was in hospital. There are times when there is no substitute.

I would love to be independent but have absolutely no desire to drive. My reflexes aren't good quick enough & I'm far too nervous. I find it scary just being the passenger. Some people should never be let loose on the road and I'm one of them.

BLT_2

sh1305 wrote: »

Not aimed at your dh or anyone in particular; but I'm sure there are many older people who shouldn't be out on the road.

Yeah right, personally everyone who has ever overtaken me on a blind bend at 80mph has been in the early 20's and driving a BMW or Ford Escort.

The only older people who have annoyed me are those coming back from their weekly shopping trip doing 40 in 60 zone. Not dangerous, just irritating.

zygurat789

BLT wrote: »

Yeah right, personally everyone who has ever overtaken me on a blind bend at 80mph has been in the early 20's and driving a BMW or Ford Escort.

The only older people who have annoyed me are those coming back from their weekly shopping trip doing 40 in 60 zone. Not dangerous, just irritating.

Actually 60 is the maximum speed, at 40 you use a lot less of that very expensive stuff.
Have you not noticed how those who pull out of a side road right in front of you are those who don't realise how fast a car can go these days?

margaretclare

zygurat789 wrote: »

Actually 60 is the maximum speed, at 40 you use a lot less of that very expensive stuff.
Have you not noticed how those who pull out of a side road right in front of you are those who don't realise how fast a car can go these days?

I agree, it is the maximum. On some 'unrestricted' roads i.e. maximum 60 mph you just cannot drive at 60. A road very close to us is like that. A former country lane which now gets far more traffic than ever envisaged, it still has twists and turns, side-roads etc and I have scarcely ever managed to achieve 60 mph on it. A recent accident where 3 girls crashed their car into a tree coming home from clubbing showed what can happen.

migwell030744_2

Mr_Oink wrote: »

It depends on where you live. Round here they are *anytime* so old folk litterally fill up the early morning buses 'so they can get back' and to 'get in the front of the queue for the Post Office/whatever' . This makes it very interesting for workers, students and mums with pushchairs taking the kids to school.

I'd personally like to see the off-peak only rule made universal. There is the argument that some pensioners use the free pass to get to work, but I take the view 'if you are earning, you don't need it - pay for a ticket instead'.

Does that make me mean :mad:

I used my pass for work, in fact I cut my hours to suit being able to start after 10:00 after a heart attack, as was on a low wage and it helped me a lot. Some people seem to know how to work the system for every penny they can. The bus pass was the only thing I was able to get a consession on after 45 years of working on low wages, do you still think it unfair to use when I can.

SAD Eh

margaretclare

Mr_Oink wrote: »

It depends on where you live. Round here they are *anytime* so old folk literally fill up the early morning buses 'so they can get back' and to 'get in the front of the queue for the Post Office/whatever' . This makes it very interesting for workers, students and mums with pushchairs taking the kids to school.

Do people REALLY still worry about 'getting in the front of the Post Office queue' or is that one of those inaccurate and insulting stereotypes that are still bandied about?

Don't Post Offices stay open for the whole day so does it really matter who is at the front of the queue? Have you actually heard people saying they 'have to get back'....get back for what?

Savvy_Sue

margaretclare wrote: »

Do people REALLY still worry about 'getting in the front of the Post Office queue' or is that one of those inaccurate and insulting stereotypes that are still bandied about?

Don't Post Offices stay open for the whole day so does it really matter who is at the front of the queue? Have you actually heard people saying they 'have to get back'....get back for what?

Some people - not all older, but some - do like to lead very fixed lives. Not that she queues up at the PO for her pension any more (fewer and fewer must be doing this!) but she would not be able to stand for any length of time, so I can see that people would want to avoid queues.

But 'having to get back' - well, she'd want to get back for her lunch, which she likes to have at midday. and it's a cooked meal! So yes, I can understand some people getting out early in order to get back.