Forum: Bus driver waited, but was unhappy about delay
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At around 9.50am on June 6, my wife and I rushed to board SBS bus service 201, which had just reached the bus stop about 20m away from us.
I waved frantically and the driver waited as we ran towards it.
When we boarded, I said “thank you, sir” with a grateful smile and a thumbs-up signal.
To my surprise, he responded with visible annoyance and commented in Mandarin that we had wasted his time and disrupted his tight schedule.
Being senior citizens, our legs can no longer move as quickly as they once did. Does an extra minute’s delay outweigh a moment of kindness? Are drivers trained to prioritise timetables over empathy?
For what it’s worth, we remain grateful that he waited for us, but are saddened that the courtesy was tinged with resentment.
Lee Seong Wee
