#BlackPrivilege #WTW Within the past week, as a bus driver, as a black bus driver, as a black man in gainful employment, as a black man, as a man... I have had two negative situations Ive had to consider while at work: A black man, aged mid/late 40s showed intent to get on my bus as I approached his stop - there were 2 other buses at the stop already, and immediately prior are pedestrian lights - if I move right behind the buses, my bus will be illegally stopped over the crossing, so I wait until the buses move before moving onto the bus stop, allowing the guy to board. Now this guy gets on the bus with a clear grievance - talking to himself inaudibly as he takes a seat adjacent to me as I drive away; he continues to mutter to himself, but it seems as though he wants me to hear what hes saying but hes not speaking directly to me; he speaks about See how they treat their own people and They need to look in the mirror and I need to film this and put it on YouTube so people can know themselves and You wanna judge me? as I glimpse up at him through the mirror and over my shoulder. I smile to myself as we make eye contact, to irk him, as it is more apparent that he is talking about me, but is still not directing his words to me. This goes on for 20 mins, from Stepney to Old Street; in this time he also takes 3 phone calls - his tone changes, but one such call brings him back down to pointed references, like Yeah, let these sheep work so they can pay their taxes which pay my benefits and Cha, Im fed up of London and more shit like I get money (for this and that) what they gonna do?... this last call ends with Im getting of here..., and he rings the bell just as I get to a stop where no one is waiting to board - I couldve gone to the next stop, but I slow down and stop just past, and open the exit doors, but hes standing next to me by the entrance waiting for me to open the front doors. Once he knows they aint opening, he moves to the exit door saying Look at this eedyat bus driver, acting like a fool! He gets off and walks in the same direction as the bus, and looks over as he is level with me and Im pulling away; I simply give a full o talk* gesture with my hand, then pull away - he starts ranting and swings a foot to kick the bus. Because its my bus... Now, I dunno if my initial road user decorum or my tired as shit demeanour when he got on is what upset this guy, but Im baffled as to his attitude - Ive left no stone unturned with this anecdote; any ideas why this happened? Did this black man expect because hes black...? Do you dole out Black Privilege on whim? *imagine being in control of Kermit - what is your hand doing? Story 2: A black man, mid/late 50s, in military fatigues, with a wired covert earpiece attached (to his ear), boarded my bus - showed what appeared to be a British Army warrant card (I say appeared because he didnt stop for me to see - I barely glimpse the Union Jack on the ting as he did); I didnt see it properly - intrigued (as I wanted to see it), but didnt want him to think he could just breeze on my bus like I could just breeze on his military base jus so, I gave the perspex a polite knock and asked him to come back... Yes! What do you want? I showed you my warrant card! was his verbal response to a question not yet asked. I told him I hadnt seen it as he walked by too fast - the guy then pulls out an Oyster card and touches the ting to the reader (valid Travelcard) before finding a seat. This passenger alights about 15mins later, walks alongside the bus and pulls out a notepad and pen - he appears to be writing down the bus number plate and noting the time/location. This guy had 15mins to observe that the details he needed were on the inside of the bus (on the wall nr. Wheelchair section) - he couldve noted the details discreetly, and given me a cheery wave as he got off the bus; I wonder now, and then, if he thinks I dont know you cant buy army fatigues online or access them somehow without having been in the army, or even his earpiece, available online from any good security or radio communications retailer? Should I believe his uniform? Should he respect that Ive got a job too, a job that can be lost if protocol isnt met on the right day by the right face in the wrong skin? Or is my skin colour not an issue in these to situations?
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 02:34:59 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015