You know this isn't going to be good. Soon I will begin speaking of Dublin Bus. My blood pressure will rise exponentially. Rational thought will take a back seat (along with the smokers and the occasional junkie). You may lose the will to live.

Anyhow, here's another tale for the annals of our esteemed public transport provider. I was on the 39. Not unreasonably, I wanted to leave the bus at my stop. So did 5 other people. I pressed the bell in good time. So did someone else. The bus didn't stop. "We want to get off at that stop" said a put-upon commuter as the bus stop shrank in the rear view mirror. "That's not a stop" said the driver, referring to same stop. I don't think this was a metaphysical rumination, along the lines of "but how do we know bus stops really exist?" The guy was for real. I've got off the bus at this stop at least 50 times.

"Is this some kind of joke?" I ventured. No. No joke. The bus kept driving on. And on and on. The next stop, as it happens, is 2 miles away (don't ask; or ask the people who are supposed to be planning this city). "We want to get off the bus" came the chorus from the by now mutinous passengers. "That wasn't a stop". This was his mantra. Oaths were sworn. Imprecations rained down. Expletives were issued. I myself issued a number of variants on the word 'fuck' (under my breath,of course). The dunderhead in the driver's seat kept on driving, refusing to accept the existence of the bus stop and, more irritatingly, refusing to stop along the road as a damage limitation exercise.

Angry words were exchanged as the put-upon passengers, now frothing at their collective mouth, finally escaped Bus átha cliath's very own version of Speed. Some people asked for the driver's name and number (do they have numbers? Probably just cover them up like the Guards if they do). I didn't bother. You waste your breath. It took me 40 minutes to walk home.

Now, in fairness, this is an isolated incident. To my immense pride as an Irish citizen, Dublin Bus have never before deposited me 2 miles away from the stop I expressly requested to be left at. But anyone who uses the service (sic) knows what they're like. Sure, it'd drive you to drink.