Today I did my own version of P+R into Southampton – drive to Shirley Road, park in a side street and then take any passing bus (they come every couple of minutes) into town. Bluestar and First buses both cover this route but it was a First bus which rather appropriately came first today. As I boarded I had to smile. This wasn’t a driver wearing a Santa hat and and looking rather silly in it alongside a uniform jacket, shirt and company tie. This was a real Santa! I hate to say this but my general experience of First drivers in Southampton is not that they are rude or nasty, just that they’re uncommunicative and rather robotic – say the price, print the ticket and leave it at that. No ‘please’ and ‘thanks’ etc. I always say ‘Thanks’, ‘Cheers’ whatever when I leave any bus but it’s rare to get any reply from a Southampton First driver. So it was a real treat to see a driver who was actually going out of his way to be cheery. I asked if I could take a photo of him and put it on this blog, he agreed and I hope that he gets to see it. Well done that man!