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Niall Carson/PA Wire

One Dublin Bus passenger was angry about drivers urinating in front of his daughter

A complaint was made to the Department of Transport back in January.

BACK IN JANUARY one individual made a rather strange complaint to Dublin Bus.

This particular customer was not annoyed about a recent price hike or a cancelled service – but rather the etiquette of drivers at a bus stop they used frequently.

Writing in, the person complained that drivers had been urinating in front of their 4-year-old daughter at the Ongar terminus.

image The complaint in question

This complaint was released to TheJournal.ie as part of Freedom of Information request to the Department of Transport for correspondence regarding Dublin Bus.

The person making the complaint said that incidents happened on a regular basis and that complaints made to Dublin Bus had not been dealt with.

In response to the complaint, Dublin Bus stated: ”Littering and urinating in public are prohibited by Dublin Bus. Reports of such behaviour are taken very seriously.

Dublin Bus follow up any complaints of this nature and deal with same through the normal disciplinary process.

Ongar is a north Dublin suburb situated in Dublin 15. The number 39 bus route services the area and goes through the city centre.

Read: Going out in Dublin over Christmas? There’ll be extra late night buses to bring you home

Also: “No matter where you live, you probably have somebody injecting heroin pretty near you”

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53 Comments
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    Mute stephen
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    Dec 26th 2015, 6:56 AM

    Legitimate complaint. What are the drivers doing pissing against a wall or what.

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    Mute The Viking
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:32 AM

    It is a legitimate complaint. As a bus driver tho i know sometimes you have no choice. Its either take the bus out of service or releive yourself. Transport bye-laws actually state a driver is allowed to urinate at rear wheel near side of bus. To do it in front of anyone , don’t mind a 4 yr old child is just dirt..

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    Mute mickmc
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:46 AM

    It would be worse if he had a number 2 to do

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    Mute stephen
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:03 AM

    Interesting bylaw, and good to know when I’m going for my D1 licence.

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    Mute Santa Claus
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:00 AM

    I saw a driver do it on the rear wheel of the number 2.

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    Mute John Ward
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:18 AM

    @mickmc: The number 2 doesn’t go to Ongar!

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    Mute Fred Astare Astare
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:39 AM

    @John Ward, You’re right there. Mick probably meant a number 3 or 4! Dohhhhhhhhhhh.

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    Mute Hugh G. Johnson
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:23 PM

    To do something like that in front of a child should be a sexually related crime as well in my opinion.

    Maybe that would get them to stop doing it sharply.

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    Mute Hugh G. Johnson
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:37 PM

    What? Exposing yourself in front of a child shouldn’t be a crime?

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    Mute Missyb211
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:05 AM

    I find it strange that you call that a “strange” complaint.

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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    Dec 26th 2015, 8:13 AM

    It’s up to Dublin Bus to make sure their employees have toilet facilities available to them. What’s the driver to do?

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    Mute the phantom
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    Dec 26th 2015, 8:34 AM

    Ah here now – if the story is true it’s a disgrace – can’t they find a local coffee shop or pub to use? “It’s up to dublin bus to provide toilet facilities” – this doesn’t sound like a one off – if there isn’t a toilet at every bus terminus drivers can simply revert to acting like babies?

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    Mute Alan Hayes
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:54 AM

    Take the 18 bus terminus in Palmerstown, 1 mile to the pub and further to the coffee shop. Time at terminus doesn’t allow return trip. Prohibited from stopping with passengers aboard. What should they do?

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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:07 PM

    Ah here come on man. Dublin bus still turn up when they want unlike other countries where the bus arrives bang on time and sometimes stops at a stop for a couple of mins to keep the schedule. There’s no toilet facilities for them over here either but urinating in front of customers is not acceptable. Totally unacceptable and disgusting . Greaseballs

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:29 AM

    Sadly this is true. That terminus is on a stretch of the Ongar Road road outside the village. The nearest toilet would be the community centre, about a 5 min walk. Unfortunately not only are the lads sloshing there, they also leave a stack of litter behind them on the footpath. It’s amazing that the inspector, who is normally sitting around there in his car, seems to let this carry on go.

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    Mute Keith Ellis
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:57 AM

    Drive along there on a regular basis Sean, is that why the top of the railings have drink bottles upside down on them?

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Dec 26th 2015, 12:47 PM

    Yeah I believe so Keith. This has all been brought to the attention of the local councillors. Of course if this was happening in Castleknock or Porterstown it would have been sorted a long time ago. Whatever about having to relieve yourself at that terminus, there is no excuse for dumping your rubbish on the side of the road.

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    Mute Hugh G. Johnson
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:22 PM

    But shur it’s Ireland tis grand like.

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    Mute Joe Keogh
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    Dec 26th 2015, 8:50 AM

    They should al least supply a bottle . He locks the door does the Job opens the driver window waits for the nearest cyclist wham bam finished no problem!,,,.

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    Mute Al-Right
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:35 PM

    Yea they should definitely through a can of “JoeKeogh” at a cyclist.. Oh sorry, a can of Piss, same difference!

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    Mute Al-Right
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:35 PM

    *throw

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    Mute Blind Faith
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:00 AM

    These bus drivers are really taking the piss!

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:03 AM

    They are leaving it not taking it

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    Mute P. Ennis
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:20 AM

    Wow, that’s a great comment. How’d you ever dream it up?

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    Mute Susanne Morgan
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:13 AM

    What about putting up lockable portaloos at the terminusses (is that the plural) concerned and issue the drivers on those routes on those days with a key. Better than nothing! And lockable to prevent any ‘unsocial behavior;. Problem solved;

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    Mute Del
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:26 AM

    If its in Ongar it will be vandalised, locked or not.

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    Mute Niall Cassidy
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:27 AM

    Termini.

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    Mute Sean @114
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    Dec 26th 2015, 12:52 PM

    Yeah unfortunately same as anywhere else in Dublin where there is a very young population.

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    Mute Sean Fagan
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:31 PM

    PISS off Niall

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    Mute Lorna Leonard
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:04 AM

    Dublin bus drivers are not to nice anyways I find.

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    Mute Brian Moloney
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:45 AM

    You can’t paint everyone with the same brush. There are some exceptional drivers out there.

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    Mute Ó Muirí Oisín
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:17 AM

    Too *

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    Mute Arnie
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    Dec 27th 2015, 3:54 AM

    They’re always nice to me. Maybe they just think I’m cuter?

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:56 AM

    To those of you giving out, try holding it in for 3 hours at a time. See how long you last. As for using a bottle or a cup, would you? I agree it’s unacceptable but rather than go to the expense of complying with legislation it’s easier to look the other way. When it’s a number 2 then what would people rather a driver does? Cafés & pubs don’t want you in there using their facilities mostly & the majority of places are ill suited to having a bus parked outside. And what if the driver is a woman? What then? No child(or anyone else for that matter) should have to see a grown man urinating at a terminus or elsewhere because there’s no facilities & no driver should be put into such a position that he feels or is given no choice.

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    Mute Matty Reese
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:09 PM

    Are dublin bus drivers special? I used to spend a lot of working hours flying on a plane with no toilets so we used “portajohns” or equivelant if we got caught short. These are bags you pee into which absorb the liquid, making them easy to dispose of. Ask the guys in the coast gaurd helicopters what they do on a SAR mission? There are many jobs where toilets cannot be always available and people make arrangements to deal with it. There is no excuse for pissing in front of customers, children or otherwise.

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:29 PM

    Ok, simple question, where do you suppose a driver ought to relieve himself/herself? What do SAR personell do when they need to do a ‘Brad Pitt?’ & what is the procedure for female drivers?

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    Mute Clare Russell Brady
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    Dec 26th 2015, 9:28 AM

    I’ve seen this too. I was heavily pregnant driver skipped the last 5 or so stops went straight to terminus and peed onto the side of the bus leaving me and 2 other passengers to make our own way to where we need to go. Same route too

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:29 AM

    Dublin bus drivers are the rudest crowd out there. Have no time for any of them. Most of them probably hate their job! Pity about them

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:53 AM

    Met all them have you?

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    Mute John Ward
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:22 AM

    @Mark Gerard Lochlain: You must be the life and soul of the party!

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    Mute Mark Mansfield
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    Dec 26th 2015, 12:10 PM

    Have to agree. Never had any issues with the foreign drivers though I have to say

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    Mute Cannijuana Seeds
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    Dec 26th 2015, 6:23 AM

    Cool story bro

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    Mute Del Haven
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:17 AM

    A cracking article, I can see why you sat on it for a year.

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    Mute Leadóg Hackett
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    Dec 26th 2015, 8:37 AM

    Ther

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    Mute Paddy o'brian
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    Dec 26th 2015, 11:55 AM

    Neanderthal

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    Mute Shauna Davis
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    Dec 26th 2015, 12:18 PM

    Last time I drove for Dublin Bus I was heavily pregnant and when I said to inspector I needed to stop the bus to go toilet (it was real emergency which I rarely ever had to do before), he gave me big lecture about it and how inconvenient it was over the radio on bus, very embarrassing. I would hand over another bus from a driver before I disinfected the steering wheel.

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    Mute itzme
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    Dec 26th 2015, 10:31 AM

    Ongar is West dublin

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    Mute Martin Gallagher
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    Dec 26th 2015, 1:32 PM

    Ha! that’s nothing compared to the time a passenger complained that the driver had deliberately stopped the train outside Howth Junction (due to a signal fault) while two donkey’s in the next field were having an ‘intimate interlude’!

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    Mute Labhrás Ó Fógartaigh
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:51 PM

    in my experience dublin bus never act on your complaints……suppose to get back to me a few times….they never did

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    Mute fitzer
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    Dec 26th 2015, 4:31 PM

    And where do 13,000 Dublin taxi drivers have a pee, No public toilets open at night.

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    Mute Thosj Carroll
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    Dec 26th 2015, 2:21 PM

    Unbelievable article! If woman’s claim is true then bus driver should be ashamed of himself & he could have taken drink too much & that’s why drunk men often pissed openly.

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    Mute Dave Ringer
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    Dec 26th 2015, 7:48 AM

    Needs punctuation

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