Disgusting NYC Bus Driver.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 9:24pm

2 wks ago:

Usual bumper to bumper traffic on 9th/42nd. Car w/young man and woman slowly inches up on right lane. No problem. Except M16 Bus driver starting his run evidently gets hugely pissed off...opens his door and screams out: " You F*CKing Faggot" 3 times, sooo loud you could hear it for 2 blocks. Obviously, NOT Ralph Kramden. Passersby actual stopped dead in their tracks (including me); unusual in this town. Took down his bus # and route, etc. 2 days later, it was still annoying me, so I called the MTA complaint line. Day later, they called me back and took the info.

Today: He's FIRED!!

Did I overreact? I just HATE this kind of thing, and I'm not even gay (lol!). Hate is hate, and this dude had it coming.

All this being said, MOST bus drivers are GREAT. With all those obnoxious LOUD cell phone talkers every day, I'm surprised more of them don't go berserk.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 9:46pm

I don't think you overreacted. What he does in his free time is his own business, but on the job, he is a representative of the MTA. I get that you have to be tough to have that sort of job and how difficult it is driving in the city, but calling someone a name like that is unacceptable. Especially if it was as loud as you say and people stopped.

[AnthVoice2010]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 10:19pm

That Bus Driver was Findingnamo....thus you did the right thing..

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:11pm

Tiny,

I doubt yours was the only complaint.

[singtopher]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:23pm

Why do you think you my have overreacted? Do you think the punishment was a bit harsh?

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:24pm

Diva, it was NOT. Thank G-d, a couple of other people complained also by email, since I had no "proof" whatsoever, except hearing this angry lunatic.

[thetinymagic2]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:43pm

Topher - No! You can not be a public employee entrusted w/the public's safety w/such anger and rage (for no reason). Also, I asked the question, because I would never intentionally try to get a person fired unless it was for outrageous behavior, which this WAS.

However, I tend to get outraged daily at something, or get caught up in the moment!? One must pick one's fights in NY, or the stress of internalizing others' bad behavior will kill you. Of course, no one's perfect.
Updated On: 3/22/11 at 11:43 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:19am

I think it's great that you took action. And great that the MTA followed through.

How did you find out he was fired?

[singtopher]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 12:16pm

Okay, just curious why you questioned your actions. I think you did the right thing, and the MTA did what they thought was the right thing.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 12:17pm

I don't feel you overracted at all. Most of us have had moments where we feel like screaming at another driver but to open the door suggests that he was looking for a confrontation. Today it's opening the door - tomorrow it could be actually getting off the bus.

Road rage kills and anyone who has a tendancy toward it should not be driving a commercial vehicle.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 3/25/11 at 3:26pm

If he was indeed fired, I imagine it was more for his use of hate speech than for road rage. The MTA cannot appear to support discrimination and intolerance.

I would also like to know how you knew that the driver had been fired? Did the MTA come out and tell you that he had been terminated?

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 3/28/11 at 4:36pm

Driver has serious misplaced anger issues. He needs to get his ass in gear.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/28/11 at 4:58pm

I think you can be sure that this one incident wasn't the cause of his termination. I would imagine this driver had several other incidents on his record.