It used to feel good being “essential”, and I took pride in my work during the first lockdown, as scary as it was to be out driving. But this lockdown feels a lot more selfish, less caring of others.
I’ve had many times when I’ve literally been sobbing in my cab, and not one person has ever asked me if I was OK. Passengers barely treat us like human beings, with thoughts and feelings. We get daily abuse because we are restricting the passenger numbers on the buses for social distancing.
More and more drivers are now testing positive, and the fear is even greater as people take more risks with our health.
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I’ve worked in hospitality for several years, including restaurants where you serve alcohol, but this is much worse than I’ve seen it before. It’s like dealing with drunk people all the time. Recently I had to contact the police when a customer spat at the window and threatened to beat me up. I’d asked him if he had a mask, and he told me it was all a hoax.
They’d just announced that the number of daily cases was at a record high, and I asked him not to say that and told him it was real.
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It’s heaving at work. People don’t want to wear their masks, and it’s not enforced. Last week I was told that staff on the door had been told not to push it with customers. You’re supposed to shop alone unless you’re with a carer or a child, but I saw six people carrying one grey bin. The customers act like it’s our fault that all this has happened. It’s really hostile, and lots of co-workers are very depressed.
'We get daily abuse': UK frontline workers on the Covid second wave
Prayers for this family.
