Dear National Express,
I am writing to complain about the standard of driving I experienced on the above service travelling from London Victoria to Nottingham on 17 May 2007. I paid for a Fun Fare ticket but it wasn't very fun.
There was an unnerving confrontation between the driver and a passenger seated behind him regarding the passenger’s use of a mobile phone. The nature of the confrontation was unclear but the driver attempted to resolve it by contacting the controller and complaining audibly about the passenger’s behaviour. Though this may be National Express protocol this tactic seemed to inflame rather than subdue the conflict between the passenger and the driver.
When the controller reassured the driver that the passenger should stop using his mobile phone if it was a health and safety concern or a distraction the driver hung up but continued to speak to the passenger in an agitated manner. Though the passenger was contributing to the argument it seemed that the aggressive discussion was affecting the manner of driving and we began to feel unsafe. The discussion became more of a health and safety concern than the mobile phone.
The driver seemed to make incendiary comments like ‘Are you a driver sir?’ and ended the discussion by stating ‘You’re really beginning to annoy me now’ and continued to drive in silence. We set off slightly delayed and it seemed that towards the end of the journey the driver was keen to make up for lost time. However this led to persistent reckless driving in excess of the speed limit and repeatedly tailgating other traffic from the A607 to the centre of Nottingham. I know because I have recently attended a speed awareness workshop.
On arrival in Nottingham my partner was violently ill and we were shaken for some time about the dangerous driving and manner of the driver’s behaviour. I would be grateful if something could be done to warn the driver against this in future and to reimburse us the cost of this traumatic and regrettable experience.
Yours faithfully,
Michael
Driver
