Friday, May 21, 2010
The dangers of bibliophile bus drivers
There are all kinds of unfair stereotypes about bus drivers. One is that they are a relatively uncultured and barely literate bunch who are about as likely to be seen with a book as I am capable of driving a bus.
However, one Birmingham bus driver has recently gone out his way to disprove this prejudiced view of bus drivers but, unfortunately for himself, has ended up facing the sack in the process.
A passenger filmed the driver of the 61 bus reading while he was driving. The footage reveals the bus driver flicking attentively through the pages of a weighty and serious looking book that is rested on the steering wheel - much in the fashion that a priest places his bible on the pulpit - while he winds his passengers through the streets of Selly Oak.In a statement, the driver's employer, bus operator National Express West Midlands said: "Immediate action was taken to suspend the driver who will now face disciplinary action. It is not appropriate to predict the outcome but an incident of this type is likely to lead to a dismissal."
From now on I resolve to be more generous and open-minded in imagining the cultural habits of bus drivers, but I'm also going to be a good deal more watchful of them too. I certainly don't want my driver crashing into a lamppost just because he's reached the bit in Anna Karenina when the eponymous heroine jumps in front of a train.
Image © infomatique, via Flickr under Creative Commons Licence
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posted by Fuse @ 8:27 AM 
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