Bus driver rude over £10 note

harz99

harz99 wrote: »

Okay OP; you say you hope to walk in the warmer weather, so guessing you don't pay much more than maybe £2.50 for your journey, possibly a lot less.


So at that rate £7.50 ish of the drivers change goes in one transaction, a few more of those and nothing left to break even pound coins down. It will become a problem for the driver. You now realise that.


From your first post the driver was not rude, but was simply pointing out in his way that you could have problems in a different scenario. So time to move on everybody.


In many areas Stagecoach does use an IOU system, basically you give them your note, and they issue a ticket for your journey plus a change ticket for future use. So to use my earlier figures, £2.50 ticket to travel and £7.50 change ticket out of £10. The change ticket is effectively a £7.50 note, and you use that on your next journey, should the next driver not have change the process can be repeated and so on. The downside to you is the tie up of your £7.50 which cannot be spent anywhere else.


Stagecoach are also introducing a Smart stored value card ticket, you may wish to look into that possibility.


Bus drivers are NOT normally issued a change float, any change they do have to start the day will be their own money, which they are using to make their job easier until they accumulate change from fares paid.


Finally, for those seeking change in shops, the best option is often to buy a daily newspaper, the "I" for instance is only 30p, others can be had for less when on offer. Of course the shopkeeper does not have to sell you the paper if he/she does not wish to!

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Stagecoach themselves have told me that their drivers should only be refusing fifty pound notes, twenties, tens and fives should be accepted.

And the other side of the coin is the reasoned explanation I gave already; there will be times when a driver cannot change a £5/10/20 note, so unless the particular branch of Stagecoach has the change ticket option AND you as the passenger are prepared to accept that option, the note and your travel could be refused.


I realise that may not fit with how you want things to be, but matters don't always go how we want them to, do they?

Buzzybee90

harz99 wrote: »

And the other side of the coin is the reasoned explanation I gave already; there will be times when a driver cannot change a £5/10/20 note, so unless the particular branch of Stagecoach has the change ticket option AND you as the passenger are prepared to accept that option, the note and your travel could be refused.


I realise that may not fit with how you want things to be, but matters don't always go how we want them to, do they?

What are you on about? They could change it, he had piles of change.

I'd have accepted an IOU type thing too if he didn't have the change.

Indie_Kid

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

What are you on about? They could change it, he had piles of change.

I'd have accepted an IOU type thing too if he didn't have the change.

But if a lot of people want notes changing, he may run out of money to give other people - that's the problem.

I don't understand how difficult it is to get change at all.

harz99

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

What are you on about? They could change it, he had piles of change.

I'd have accepted an IOU type thing too if he didn't have the change.

Simple really; you quoted what Stagecoach have said should happen, note should, not must, I quoted the explanation I have already given as to why that isn't always the case. Not everything is black and white.


In your OP you asked these questions and asserted the driver was rude:


"Anyone know if they can refuse me with a note, is there an IOU type system as I've heard of being implemented in London? I don't feel there was any need for rudeness, it wasn't as though I wanted to pay with a fifty!"


I answered them, and could see nothing rude on the part of the driver from what you quoted in the OP.

Little_Frank

iAMaLONDONER wrote: »

Legal tender only applies to debt

I totally agree but TfL does what TfL wants

As I understand it the term "Legal Tender" applies to funds that can be paid into a Court to cover debts/fines. There are indeed limits of how much of some particular coins can be paid into a court as "Legal Tender."


Outside of this, the term "Legal Tender" has no meaning and shops and services can accept or refuse any type of payment offered - shops can refuse £50/£20 notes and cheques, or accept sea-shells as payment should they so wish.


I'm not sure how many of them would go for that last option though

Buzzybee90

harz99 wrote: »

Simple really; you quoted what Stagecoach have said should happen, note should, not must, I quoted the explanation I have already given as to why that isn't always the case. Not everything is black and white.

Actually, the company said they must accept it, if they had change (which they did).


In your OP you asked these questions and asserted the driver was rude:


"Anyone know if they can refuse me with a note, is there an IOU type system as I've heard of being implemented in London? I don't feel there was any need for rudeness, it wasn't as though I wanted to pay with a fifty!"


I answered them, and could see nothing rude on the part of the driver from what you quoted in the OP.

I'm not claiming it's rude he questioned it, but it was the way he did so.

Answers above.

harz99

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Answers above.

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Stagecoach themselves have told me that their drivers should only be refusing fifty pound notes, twenties, tens and fives should be accepted.

This is what you wrote, that is why I stated should. Your inaccuracy in your own post above, not mine.

powerful_Rogue

Buzzybee90

harz99 wrote: »

This is what you wrote, that is why I stated should. Your inaccuracy in your own post above, not mine.

Not really, you're being petty. Should clearly implies that's what they've been told to do.

harz99

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Not really, you're being petty. Should clearly implies that's what they've been told to do.

Okay, have it your own way.


I tried to help and give you some constructive advice despite the inconsistencies in your story, for instance the bus company involved seems to have changed from First to Stagecoach.


So to summarise; you didn't have a problem getting change, you were carried on the bus as required, your driver advised you that tendering a note could cause you problems, and because of that you didn't like your driver's attitude.


I'll give you a final piece of advice; when you board a bus and only have a £10 note, before asking for the fare try saying something like " Hello, I'm sorry I only have a £10 note can you change it for (and then your fare)", you will find most if not all bus drivers will respond positively to your acknowledgement that you are aware a smaller sum would be preferred.


You now have all the answers you need, so good luck in your future travels, but maybe avoid such places as Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, a large chunk of Europe, where bus drivers don't give change, or in some cases don't handle fares at all.