If someone is waiting at the bus stop before you, do you let them on first?
Posted by Known-Piano-1031@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 95 comments
[removed]
No-Introduction3808@reddit
Controversial but I don’t always let elderly/disabled/pregnant/buggy’s on before me. 1- they may be using the ramp at the back 2- I know I will leave them seats & get out of their way quicker (I mostly choose to stand or sit at the back if empty), I don’t want to feel like I am rushing them from being to sit.
im-yxz@reddit
i live in an area with a LOT of old people so i'll always let them on first. however, there's an irritating old witch that i will never say 'you can go first' to because she already thinks she's superior
Opening-Fortune4@reddit
No, there’s a mental queue shared by everyone at the bus stop. It’s like waiting at the bar in a pub.
Cultural-Meaning5172@reddit
So you know they’re in front of you but you don’t let them on first?
Opening-Fortune4@reddit
If they're physically in front of me but I was there first then they let me on first.
SeoulGalmegi@reddit
I've seen some mental queues at bus stops before, particularly during a tube strike.
Due-Persimmon1447@reddit
And the barman or woman should have the order of that queue imprinted on their brain. See when they serve someone who hasn’t been waiting as long as me AND that person fucking goes ahead and orders. Well you’ll never see me angrier.
Opening-Fortune4@reddit
Rightly so
Decent_Confidence_36@reddit
Assert dominance walk on first before anyone gets off
Albert_Herring@reddit
Assert even more dominance by aggressively insisting that other people get on ahead of you.
Decent_Confidence_36@reddit
After you, no after you, no I insist, GET ON THE FUCKING BUS!!!…
HalikusZion@reddit
In my home village, absolutely it's only polite but in London or other big town hell no!
terryjuicelawson@reddit
You sort of do your best, no point delaying the bus as people shuffle themselves or call others forward. Thing around here is people can be waiting for one of many buses that serve the same stop so it does become a little form a queue when the right one arrives. Almost never do they totally fill up so it works out.
keithmk@reddit
Being elderly and having mobility issues, I personally don't mind when I get on just so long as there is not some prat who grabs the priority seats. Getting off is different because I am quite slow moving I deliberately stay at my seat till faster moving people have got past me, otherwise I hold up the line
AnneKnightley@reddit
I try to offer to someone to get on first if they were there before me. It’s just polite.
Tawoooo@reddit
if there are 5 people or less i let everyone else get on first. as a 20 year old guy it's kind of expected of me, and i like to be nice where i can lol. if someone declines my offer for them to go first then I'll go before them, a standoff is not worth the awkwardness
Appropriate-Bad-9379@reddit
I don’t know if it’s where I live, or the effects of Covid, but people seem to be a lot ruder, selfish and pushy .Our buses do tend to get packed and they are hourly, so seats can be a premium. Good manners and the queuing system have gone right out of the window. I’m a pensioner, but I’m afraid to say that its my age group that are the worse …
Peskycat42@reddit
Everyone agrees that you allow elderly, disabled, pregnant and people with buggy’s on first.
If you then offer priority to a woman who arrived after you, she might be trying to workout which category you have assigned to her. It can definitely backfire.
Outrageous_Shirt_737@reddit
Yes. It’s the polite thing to do
cold_tap_hot_brew@reddit
It depends where. Some quiet bus stop with only you and a few others? Sure, be polite, things generally meander in these places.
If you’re in a busy stop then don’t mess with the flow.
fblthpthewise@reddit
First come, first served, but you’re free to let anyone on before you if you want.
Grimreaper9972@reddit
I let most if not everyone on before me mostly because i HATE having someone stood really close behind me so i will normally stand at a wall untill the que is on the bus/train.
dreadwitch@reddit
I'd think it rude to not let them on before me, so yes every single time.
reditcyclist@reddit
I would judge someone slightly harshly for violating this well known rule. Might even add a little tutt or huff fo' good measure. Harsh, I know but thems the rules.
Outrageous_Pin9183@reddit
I let other people get on before me, generally, I don't feel strongly about it and feel a bit grabby doing anything else. Im also often aware that people do care and if I was oblivious to them being there first I don't want to offend. The way people push onto trains...wow...I just find it a bit crass!
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
Yes, first come first served and then in chronological order of who arrived. I'm in last to arrive before the bus comes then I get on last, if I'm first there then I get on first, unless there's an elderly person or someone disabled, I will offer them in front of me regardless of when they came.
NewtRider@reddit
Yes and no. Depending on who it is and how close to the bus doors they are.
Generally yes. But if it stops right in front of me I just get on first 9/10 times
onionsofwar@reddit
The internet used to be such a fun and interesting place...
Ahleanna-D@reddit
I absolutely do unless it‘s a clusterfk that’s every man for himself. Many a time I’ve not been given the same consideration, though.
72dk72@reddit
Yes of course I would let the people on that were there before me. Its akin to a queue and good manners. At least that is the British way.
oscarx-ray@reddit
ToasterMonster69@reddit
I will try and let everyone else get on before me, but if no one is making a move I’m stomping on first.
At the end of the day pushing to the front doesn’t mean you’re gonna get to the destination any quicker.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
It might, if the bus is full and not everyone can get on.
Adept_Butterfly_6742@reddit
Pretty much this
kitknit81@reddit
Yes, bus etiquette is to let the people there first get on first. Anything else is queue jumping (unless someone actually lets you go first which people generally for elderly, disabled, those with little kids etc). People take bus and queue etiquette quite seriously here.
Raisinsandfairywings@reddit
Generally yes I let whoever was there before me on first, but I do have a pram (often a double buggy now) so sometimes I do go first just to get the buggy in before everyone piles on and sits in that spot.
TheDuraMaters@reddit
Same if I have a pram, although I find people tend to offer to let me get on first anyway. Exception being if there's a wheelchair and it's a bus that only has 1 space, then I'll wait for the next bus. Most buses in my city have lots of space but there's some double deckers that don't.
Raisinsandfairywings@reddit
Me too, I’ll always wait for the next bus if there’s a wheelchair and no pram space, or if there were other prams there first.
Although I have cajoled other mums into moving their buggies over a bit so that two of us waiting with prams at the bus stop could get on (ie asking them to have it facing into the aisle so it takes up a single seat’s width rather than side-on so it takes up two). I’ll manoeuvre my buggy into the tightest spaces if it means no one has to wait for the next bus!
Extra_Actuary8244@reddit
It absolutely 100000% matters and there definitely are not enough seats for everyone, not everyone can even fit on the bus sometimes
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Yeah I'm assuming OP lives somewhere rural or something that there are always plenty of seats. We have to stand all the time, that's why you want to get on first. Might not get on at all sometimes.
Extra_Actuary8244@reddit
Yeah I live between the countryside and the city and that would make sense
delilahpineapple@reddit
You dont 'need' to let the elderly on because they will rugby tackle you to get on 1st anyway
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
They definitely do here
delilahpineapple@reddit
They are vicious round my way too. White knuckling the bus pass ready to bulldoze anyone younger than 65 😂
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
I was on a bus where a driver was kicking off with a 15 year old about his pass (kid was sat at the back), he must have said “I’m 15” about 20 times, one turned round and said “is it you?” I’m 44
delilahpineapple@reddit
Did you take it as a compliment? 😂
Consistent-Pirate-23@reddit
It was partly shock at how he missed my very obvious grey hairs 😂😂😂
Vixrotre@reddit
Depends how close to the bus door I am. If it stopped right in front me, by the time people further down waddle over I'd be sat down, so waiting for them to let them get on first is just slowing everything down. If it stopped in the middle of us, I'll wait till other people get on first.
I'm usually further up the bus stop cause there's almost always someone smoking on the bench and I don't want it wafting into my face.
A_Chip_In_The_Sugar@reddit
Always.
Up until 1995 it was a fineable offence to jump a bus queue.
GodAtum@reddit
Whoever flags down the bus gets on 1st. I hate people who are there before me but are kn their phone and don’t bother flagging down the bus so it drives past
Particular_Pickle465@reddit
Is flagging down the bus necessary?
TheDuraMaters@reddit
If you're at a stop where where the buses have different destinations, the bus won't stop just because there's someone there as they might not be getting on, if no one is getting off.
Particular_Pickle465@reddit
Oh I see. I’m from a village so I’ve never flagged down a bus because there’s only one bus. But when I was in a city recently the bus just drove past me. But that makes sense. Thanks for explaining! :)
SneezlesForNeezles@reddit
This is like the bar rule. Technically, the barmaid saw me first and so I could get served. That is the way to eternal damnation and the only right and proper thing is to point at the person and say 'them first'.
idontlikemondays321@reddit
I let whoever was first go first but will accept a wave on first by older gents as I know that’s how they were brought up.
I’ll also usually let pushchairs and the elderly on first.
johnbobk@reddit
Sneak in the rear door 😉
T_raltixx@reddit
Yes. You get on the bus the same order as you arrive. Unless they are disabled or have a pram. They gomon first.
therillard@reddit
There’s a regular who gets the bus at the same time as me and she’ll audibly tut if someone jumps the queue
Chopsticks_Charlie@reddit
Whom ever arrives first, unless they are elderly/disabled/single parent/knocked up
Jellyoscar@reddit
Knocked up lol.
Shoddy-One-2064@reddit
It's been a while since I took a bus anywhere but I never let anyone on before me per se. I just moved away from the bus stop a little to make sure that I was getting on last, thus avoiding the never ending "no no, after you" courtesy loop.
WoollyMamatth@reddit
I'm the same at a supermarket checkout and the person behind me only has a couple of items. Kindness/manners cost nowt
Throwaway6765656@reddit
Yes, even if I’m closer to the door when the bus pulls up I always gesture for anyone before me to get on first. Sometimes they go ahead and say thank you or sometimes they say “don’t worry, go ahead”. It’s polite. If an elderly, pregnant woman or someone with a buggy arrives even after me I’ll offer them to get on first too.
Equally, when someone not in any of those categories get on before me despite arriving after I always notice it and think it’s rude despite the fact it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things lol
Designer-Computer188@reddit
There's a queue. Or there should be...
originalwombat@reddit
The dance of ‘ladies first vs who was there first’ is peak British culture
dinkidoo7693@reddit
Yes unless they say otherwise
Easy_State_2962@reddit
If there's a little superfluous good will in the world, let it be :) its very common to let first there on bus first , or parents with small children etc etc, it's just a common small courtesy.
Front_Scholar9757@reddit
I always do. It's just courtesy.
chez2202@reddit
I always tell the person who was there before me to go first and 90% of the time, especially if they are a young man, they are extremely polite and tell me to go first. It’s actually lovely to see such good manners.
I recently moved offices and now get a train instead of a bus. It’s a totally different world. Every man or woman for himself. Twats using a seat for their bag when people are standing up all the way along the carriage. Old people with walking sticks standing because a bike has been put in front of the pull down seats nearest the doors. It’s feral.
atomic_mermaid@reddit
Yep, always.
aj_speaks@reddit
Yes. Always
notanadultyadult@reddit
Generally you let whoever was there first board the bus first. Except when we were at school and the bus regularly left before everyone got on because it was full at my stop so it was a stampede of school children trying to be the ones who weren’t left behind.
Proper_Security_3050@reddit
From the UK, this is the rule here. But we were aghast on holiday in France where it’s every man for himself.
Acceptable-World-175@reddit
Of course! First clem, first srverd, always. An unspoken British rule! Unless they're a frail elderly person, or pregnant woman, then they get to be offered the choice to go on first. 🙂
zipitdirtbag@reddit
If a person is waiting for the bus before you then they should get on before you HOWEVER they have to advocate for themselves by making it clear they are getting on the bus.
Sometimes people do odd stuff like wait until the doors are open before they even stand up from the seat, let alone pick up all their bags. In that scenario, I'm unclear if they ARE getting on THIS bus therefore I WILL get on this bus first. 😊
I do like to offer people who are there before me the chance to go on first though. Same as boarding a train or tube. That's polite.
shin-chan@reddit
You absolutely let people who were there first go on first. You keep a mental queue... otherwise we will be living like animals.
ThrowawayParsnip5@reddit
Yes, I let folk who were there before me, get on before me. What always did my head in when I used to get the bus every day was people trying to be polite with the, 'no, you go first', 'oh no, you go first' and there's some polite stalemate going on. I can only imagine how frustrated the drivers get seeing this at every single stop and just want people to hurry the fuck up and get on the bus. So if someone, for some unknown chivalrous reasons, decides to gesture me on ahead of them, I just smile, say thanks, then get on.
SnooDonuts6494@reddit
If there's other people waiting, I just hang back anyway - regardless of whether they arrived before or after me. So I often get on last. Unless they aren't making a move towards it, in which case I'll get on before them.
I don't stand "in line" when waiting, because I'm usually vaping so I avoid standing right next to people.
Imaginary_Finger7844@reddit
Queuing is mandatory.
Emergency-Lock5505@reddit
We aren’t lining up for nothing, just get on the bus
72dk72@reddit
If someone needs to sit down they have a virtual place in the line.
Crunchie64@reddit
I always did when I was getting on a bus.
Usually backfired, as I was working as a bus driver at the time.
Mickleborough@reddit
Yes. Doesn’t really seem to come as most people don’t seem too concerned about who was at the bus stop first.
ooh-sheet@reddit
If you know someone’s there before you either step aside to let them on or offer for them to go first. If they decline that’s fine, you’ve offered. I’d probably perceive you as rude if we’re both waiting and I’d been there longer but you’d decided since you were closest to the door to just get on.
Historical_Project86@reddit
Yes, I always do. I have "fond" memories of waiting for a bus to work when I lived in Madrid. It took a certain skill to position myself well in the general melee as we waited, such that the crush which happened as soon as the bus turned up would carry me roughly in the correct direction to the door of the bus, even if I lifted my feet off the floor and let nature take its course.
N64Andysaurus92@reddit
I used to take the bus all the time. Yes this is correct etiquette. Whoever waited the longest, gets on first. There are occasions like yourself who will offer elderly, pregnant, disabled to get on first but for the most part they will refuse because you were waiting longer and here in the UK, we love a queue.
Dry_Action1734@reddit
This is the way.
But yeah even if I was first, I would offer it to (and likely be declined) an old person.
DualWheeled@reddit
If it's rammed and there's loads of people waiting then sure. If it's an empty bus and there's 4 people trying to get on I'm just going to get on the bus.
ChaseboundGames@reddit
If someone of there before you they should go first. But if they are disabled or like in need of sitting down or assistance or they are carrying something heavy I would offer for them to go ahead of me if I was there first otherwise it's first come first serve as there may not be a free seat and you have to stand. It's like buss etiquette from when I was a kid and teenager I think
TheRadishBros@reddit
Yes, but bus stops around here are quite quiet.
c-e-r-y-s@reddit
Yes, it's just polite. Unless you are a LOT closer to the bus than them.
zonked282@reddit
are they equal to me in age and ability? then probably just happily get on in whatever order we are to the doors when it stops. if not then they would be ushered on first
iffyClyro@reddit
Yep. That’s the natural order of things in the UK.
TapeDeckSlick@reddit
Yes but I offer it up even if first to the elderly/pregnant/disabled etc.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.