Today I took the bus Route No. 21 at Petit Raffray between 6.45 - 6.50 a.m. The ticket examiner who got in the bus at the next bus stop started punching the tickets. I showed him my concessionary bus fare pass. He said ?Hello ! No problem ! The bus conductor nicknamed ?Moteur? residing at Cottage, who had not issued tickets to passengers who entered the bus two previous bus stops earlier, started his job. When, he came to me, I showed him my pass. He cast a glance, did not understand anything or pretended to. May be, believing it to be a fake one insisted for my identity (I.D.) card which I most naturally refused. I asked him what?s wrong and who are you to claim for my I.D. card.

Before all the passengers and the ticket examiner who was filling in his return in the way bill, said in the most disrespectful and arrogant manner that he has the right care ? I have the right to? the ticket examiner requested him in bhojpuri to calm down, that I am right.

Arriving at The Vale, since ?Moteur? was not wearing his identification number plate, I asked for his name as I took the decision to report him to the police and N.T.A. The answer was astounding, disgraceful and aggressive. ?Mo avoye toi fer f? To libre pou fer ça qui to content. Qui nom to pé rodé, éne merde to pas pou gagner.?

?Moteur? with his small hair-cut was wearing slippers, a dirty yellow vest, and a pink unbuttoned shirt outside his blue trousers. He was everything except a decent bus conductor working with members of the public.

Till when are we, holders of concessionary bus fare passes, to suffer the whims and fancies of some bus conductors?

Do you want us to complain to you and the police each and everything we take a bus ?

Don?t you have a code of conduct for this kinds, of persons?

Don?t you think that it?s high time to teach them some elementary ethics and etiquettes?

What steps do you intend to take to stop this sort of humiliation, scandalous behaviours and verbal assault?

Don?t you think that such persons who have got no sense of respect towards young, old and handicapped persons need to be sacked? Or do you intend to give them a second chance?

From now onwards should we show our pass and I.D. card as well?

I am not aware of a communiqué in that sense from the Government.

T.SEEBAH