Non-enthusiast friends

[Deleted]

I have alot of non-bus enthusiast friends, in fact I have no friends who are interested in buses, which can sometimes make me feel a little isolated sometimes (which is why im glad I came across this forum about 18 months or so ago)

Anyway, when I started sixth form, many of my friends from my old school also got into the same sixth form. It now meant we had to catch the bus to school, rather than just walk.

Now, some of my friends were complete idiots in terms of public transport when we first started the sixth form, with some of them not knowing the basics, such as sticking you hand out to hail the bus, what the destination blinds mean, what number bus to get, using oysters etc etc
Thankfully, some of my friends, who had never used a bus before, were quite intelligent, and learned quickly, others though have remained stupid ;D ;D
Now, whenever they say stupid things like: 'i hate bus drivers' , 'buses are ALWAYS late' , 'buses are poo', 'why is it not going on the full route' , 'why didnt the bus stop' , 'why was the bus late' , i cant help becoming slightly argumentative and end up being really boring and explaining everything to them.

So, has anyone here ever been in similar situations to me? and does anyone have any friends who are ignorant towards public transport?

[Trident]

Feb 4, 2010 18:00:01 GMT @truffles1234 said:

I have alot of non-bus enthusiast friends, in fact I have no friends who are interested in buses, which can sometimes make me feel a little isolated sometimes (which is why im glad I came across this forum about 18 months or so ago)

Anyway, when I started sixth form, many of my friends from my old school also got into the same sixth form. It now meant we had to catch the bus to school, rather than just walk.

Now, some of my friends were complete idiots in terms of public transport when we first started the sixth form, with some of them not knowing the basics, such as sticking you hand out to hail the bus, what the destination blinds mean, what number bus to get, using oysters etc etc
Thankfully, some of my friends, who had never used a bus before, were quite intelligent, and learned quickly, others though have remained stupid ;D ;D
Now, whenever they say stupid things like: 'i hate bus drivers' , 'buses are ALWAYS late' , 'buses are sh*t', 'why is it not going on the full route' , 'why didnt the bus stop' , 'why was the bus late' , i cant help becoming slightly argumentative and end up being really boring and explaining everything to them.

So, has anyone here ever been in similar situations to me? and does anyone have any friends who are ignorant towards public transport?

Yes, i even come across school boys making rumors about me for taking pictures of London Buses, they also call me gay just because i keep on doing it. They also said "Get a life" which i found upsetting . I think we need to bring someone to secondary schools to explain how to use buses etc, as i was nearly excluded along with 40 people because someone would not owe up for vandalising CT Plus PL51 KZC

[romfordbuses]

Ah yes, you mean the people taking the pee out of bus drivers because its apparently a low class job (Well better than drug dealers like most of them will be ;D ) but then moaning when there on strike etc

Also have to put up with 'taunts' (i would say abuse but i always play the you live in the UK`s biggest shithole, Harold Hill card ;D , always shuts em up as they see Collier Row as a posh area )

For example i got talking to a driver on the 496 yesterday when we got caught in traffic because some dopey woman driver (lol ;D) thought it would be clever to park in the middle of the road in her big 4x4 BMW (lucky we had 4 PCSOs on our bus ) today i got called a saddo (very original ) and apparently I'm a bus spotter who stands at Romford Station with a pair of binoculars and a notepad

[londonbusboy]

Alex,

Im in a similiar boat as you. None of my school friends know im into buses nor do my family!! I think there have been times where i think my dad has hinted but for some very odd reason he thinks im into trains!! I can say im certainly not. He said i played with train sets when i was younger so i said yeah i was a kid doesnt mean im into them.


A friend of mine said from the top deck of a bus is that a new bus across the road so i looked around didnt need to look at the plate as i recognised it and said yeah it is.


Teenagers do notice new buses as when the 119 temporarily had the Omnicity DDs on it people said stuff about them.

I do now have a bunch of enthusiast friends but to be honest dont see them too often as im not 'over the top' with buses its simply a hobby on the side if you like.

[Deleted]

It's not as bad for me, but I don't really reveal very much of my enthusiasm. However, my college friends and classmates would ask me for travel info (mostly on the Tube, which they've appreciated). A lot of them do frequently rant about the buses in and around Walthamstow, especially the 69 which was mentioned in another thread not long ago (hence it's the most mentioned bus route in my college ). As many have received interviews for uni, I have been a great help when directing a few to Kingston, Uxbridge and other far-flung areas around London's outskirts.

[Steve09]

None of my mates are interested in buses either ;D The uncle of one of my best mates that lives down the road from me does drive for Selkent and Catford thou.

I don't think that any of my mates at school have actually got any impression of my hobby.

I do get a bit shy of taking photos of buses in my local area, you probably would have noticed this as on my site I only have got one or two pics of buses in Belvedere, even though as I see many everyday as I wouldn't really like to be called a bus spotter by mates ;D I would love to get a picture of A PVL climbing Picardy Hill though, with the industrial estates and Essex in the background

[romfordbuses]

Feb 4, 2010 19:37:35 GMT Steve09 said:

I do get a bit shy of taking photos of buses in my local area, you probably would have noticed this as on my site I only have got one or two pics of buses in Belvedere, even though as I see many everyday as I wouldn't really like to be called a bus spotter by mates ;D I would love to get a picture of A PVL climbing Picardy Hill though, with the industrial estates and Essex in the background

Yeah same here, which is why i havent done any videos or taken that many pictures

[Trident]

Feb 4, 2010 19:37:35 GMT Steve09 said:

None of my mates are interested in buses either ;D The uncle of one of my best mates that lives down the road from me does drive for Selkent and Catford thou.

I don't think that any of my mates at school have actually got any impression of my hobby.

I do get a bit shy of taking photos of buses in my local area, you probably would have noticed this as on my site I only have got one or two pics of buses in Belvedere, even though as I see many everyday as I wouldn't really like to be called a bus spotter by mates ;D I would love to get a picture of A PVL climbing Picardy Hill though, with the industrial estates and Essex in the background

Well i just ignore them and still take as many pics as i can ;D

[londonbusboy]

Feb 4, 2010 19:45:15 GMT Trident said:

Feb 4, 2010 19:37:35 GMT Steve09 said:

None of my mates are interested in buses either ;D The uncle of one of my best mates that lives down the road from me does drive for Selkent and Catford thou.

I don't think that any of my mates at school have actually got any impression of my hobby.

I do get a bit shy of taking photos of buses in my local area, you probably would have noticed this as on my site I only have got one or two pics of buses in Belvedere, even though as I see many everyday as I wouldn't really like to be called a bus spotter by mates ;D I would love to get a picture of A PVL climbing Picardy Hill though, with the industrial estates and Essex in the background

Well i just ignore them and still take as many pics as i can ;D

You sound like Luke aka Vjaska. We were on a Brighton ALX400 trident ex Stagecoach London in the summer and i decided to sit on the other side of the back seat then a family sat between us and i pretended i wasnt with him

[COBO]

I was going to do a similar thread called "Do you keep your bus enthusiasm a secret?"

And I most certainly do keep my bus enthusiasm a secret because if I do tell people that I liked buses they'll laugh at me, say that I'm weird and that I should go and get a life. The only people that do know is my family.

[Deleted]

I do have empathy for younger members on this forum (say in years 7, 8 and 9) for the inevitable stick that they get from their peers who discover they have an 'unusual' hobby.

One thing to remember is that when you do something 'different' from the herd, anything in fact, could be your hobby, the way you dress, if you wear glasses, in fact ANYTHING the morons can point to which sets you aside from 'them', then the abuse will flow.

It is currently the 'thing' to accuse you of being 'gay', which just shows how stupid they are.

At that age they probably don't even know what their own sexuality will end up as, but to accuse ANY other pubescent teenager is both upsetting and hurtful.

This is totally regardless if it is true or not, truth has little meaning to these bullies, for that is ALL they are.

There is no easy answer unfortunately, other than to keep at the front of your mind that it is YOU who has the presence and ability to develop and maintain a hobby, which few, if any of them actually have, or have the interest and intelligence to maintain.

For older members,those of you in years 12 and 13, by now most of the 'crud' from year 11 should have left, and will now reside somewhere between he local bus shelter/street corner/park bench, or anywhere that they can sit and fester, totally bored and without ANY form of direction in their nasty little lives.

Of those that are left, you should be now mature enough to make approaches to them individually and expain your interest.

Note I say explain, NOT justify. Ask them about THEIR hobbies and interests (we will have to exclude the obvious here), thats IF they have a hobby or interest.

If they do not, it will soon dawn upon them WHO is out of step!

You should win the arguement hands down with the 'mouthy gits', the more intelligent amongst them will understand and apppreciate your viewpoint, and will respect you more for being able to eloquently present and express it.

Yes there ARE nerds, weirdos and anoraks in our midst.

They would have been that WHATEVER hobby they chose to hang their cloak on, but if you are an average guy with an unusual hobby or interest, you should have NO problem.

So, don't stand back in the shadows hoping no one will notice you, step forward and express your interests with PRIDE.

[Deleted]

Thanks for all your replies! They have made be feel alot better about my hobby.

I must say, only my family know about my interests of buses and public transport, and my friends do not no, although I do just say I like to travel around London, which is not lying but it also means i dont have to say i'm a bus enthausiast. I know full well I shouldnt really keep it a secret, and I should be proud of my hobby, but it can be difficult.

eastlondonfan09, sorry to hear about the stick you have got. Just think to yourself that it is you life and you can do what you want, although it can be very difficult when idiots like that say those stupid immature things. I should be more like you and take pictures without caring what other people think

Bighat, I agree with everything you say there, so thanks for that

[M1199]

I've never had it that bad. I think the hardest thing was telling my then girlfriend of my hobby. We were going out for over a year before I managed to build up the guts to tell her, Her responce - "and.....whats wrong with that!"
Regarding my friends, Im 26 now, I think most of them know I have some sort of fascination with buses as I tend to catch them as much as I drive my car!
When I was younger though, I had an arguement with my younger sister and to get her own back she showed one of my mates all my bus books and models and he kind of gave me a wide birth for a while! another time, I got ridiculed for knowing what time the U3 would pass my house. I mean come on!!!!! If your parents dont drive your gonna get to know what times you can catch the bus from outside your own poxy house!!!!!
Nowadays I get a mate who always calls me for bus/train directions whenever he goes out into town, which doesn't bother me at all.
One for a joke calls me a BDM (Bus Drivers Mate) after a article in FHM magazine many years ago, where you would always get the oddball who talks to the driver about old routes etc!!! I have to laugh when he says that because I've done that on a few occasions.
Another one who isn't an enthusiast, just loves speed and going fast. If we were going into our local town on a night out, would be like "I love this driver, he always boots it!" and if the bus was at speed would be like "This old girl's a right cruiser!!" He had a fasination with with the Capital Logistics Optare Excels, which were pretty nippy and in particular Centrewest's Dennis Dart Wright Handybus DW126 (LDZ 9126) He would always mention how fast it was whenever he saw it, he reckoned it used to wheelspin(!) when pulling away and he liked the big exhaust which he would call a cherry bomb!
My best mate of 20yrs+ shares a bit in common with me though, although he isn't a enthusiast as such, most of his family have worked for London Transport. His Grandad worked at Aldenham Works, His Dad was an apprentice at Chiswick Works where he met his Mum who I believe sewed the seating moquette (not sure on that though) So its always nice to have a conversation with them about LT, Buses etc. Whenever the Dad gets into a deep conversation on the topic, he always brings up the subject of the ill-fated DMS Fleetlines and how much of a "f**king s**t bus" they were! (his words, not mine!)

[Deleted]

Thanks for your encouraging words Bighat!

[vjaska]

Suprisingly, I've never really been taunted about it when I went through secondary school, college or even at work. People thought it was strange but I don't think they could give two hoots anyway. My college class mates didn't mind about it and I even began to explain certain things about buses to them. The funniest was trying to explain to two work colleagues about the different types as non enthusiasts always say this sentence.

"Ain't all buses the same" or "They are all buses though, whats the big deal about it".

I tried explaining the tendering system to one of my best mates from work. He actually had no clue that there was this so called system going on and what shocked me was he found it interesting as well ;D.