Awful treatment by a bus driver

Stuff reports:

A blind bus passenger was left humiliated and in tears after a bus driver refused to give her a discount because he thought she was faking it.

Megan Johnston, 28, of Newtown, has extreme tunnel vision. She cannot drive and relies on public transport.

She has a NZ Bus blind person’s pass, which entitles her to travel on child or concessionary fares.

When she boarded the No 10 leaving Newtown Park on Tuesday afternoon, with her cane folded under her arm, she never expected to be challenged about her disability.

She had just folded up her cane, which was under her arm, given she gave the driver $2 and presented him with her pass.

“He didn’t take my money and just stared at me and then said, ‘Yeah, you’re not blind, are you?’ which took me aback,” she said.

He then asked other passengers on the bus whether they thought she was blind.

Bad enough to doubt it yourself, but to them ask the passengers to basically vote on whether another passenger is a liar is nasty and humiliating. I don’t think the driver is well suited to a role dealing with the public.