HAVING recently qualified for my "senior's pass" for free bus, I have experienced an adverse form of Glasgow "patter" courtesy of a driver and a few passengers who travel on the 61 route.

Fortunately I do not pay for the privilege of listening to the vilest language it has been my misfortune to encounter.

Today my driver, when the bus was at rest at traffic lights, appeared to have something to say to a gentleman at the roadside to whom he referred as a****h*** on a number of occasions. This was closely followed by the arrival of a number of young men who possessed only one adjective in their vocabulary - the dreaded "F" word which was used extensively to describe the mildest situation.

We're teaching the new Polish drivers to understand the Glasgow patter - are we intending to teach the foul mouthed members of the public to clean up their act a bit. We could perhaps use the on-board video screen to indicate a polite way to communicate.

Tourists must be shocked when they hear such vulgarity and heaven help us when the Commonwealth Games take place - or do we expect all our visitors to travel by taxi? MARGARET JOHNSTON, Via e-mail Efficiency savings

IF the Government really wants to make significant efficiency savings it doesn't need to fire even one public sector employee to get them. Instead it should scrap the grossly inefficient and over-priced Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public Private Partnership Programme (PPPP) contracts given by Blair, Brown and the Conservatives under Major and Clarke to consortia led by huge multinational firms.

The annual payments which NHS trusts have to pay to the PFI consortia have already resulted in cuts in the number of beds and full time, trained staff in hospitals, making it more and more difficult for the remaining, exhausted staff to give patients the care they need and pay for through taxes.

Sacking public sector employees would result in them spending less money, further weakening the economy and putting people in the private sector out of work too. DUNCAN McFARLANE, Carluke The call of the bells

YOUR story about Blackfriars Parish Church, in Westercraigs, Dennistoun, brought back many happy memories (East End tale may ring a bell with you, April 21).

I remember the church bells well, they had a lovely chime and they called us together every Sunday.

I went to the church from when I was a schoolgirl until I was in my late teens, and the Rev and Mrs Lawrie were lovely people.

I was in the Brownies, Guides, junior then senior choir, badminton club and everything else that was going at the church. There was something to do all the time.

I was very sad when I saw the old church taken apart and made into flats. Having said that, that was better than seeing the whole church being knocked down.

I do so hope they locate the missing bells and we get to hear them again. MRS SANDRA DONAGHY (nee Harrison), Glasgow Disease is a real worry

THE deadly swine flu outbreak in Mexico should remind us all that the credit crunch is the least of our worries.

The fact that there already two patients in Scotland who might have the disease should act as a wake up call; diseases do not respect national borders.

I hope our scientists can contain this disease and find a cure. PADDY McNAIR, Via e-mail WRITE: Evening Times, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB. Please include your name and address. E-MAIL: letters@eveningtimes.co.uk Please include postal address. TEXT: key in the word 'etletters', leave a space then send your comments to 88010. Max 160 characters. Please include your name or initials and where you're from. Texts cost 25p at all times. HOT TOPIC: Jedi cop is a force to be reckoned with

AND she's policing the streets? A wee visit to the psychiatrist is in order! What a life - getting paid to live a fantasy. TSM, Glasgow Keeping the faith

I DON'T see how the Jedi "faith" is any less believable from that of Christianity etc. AMEE, Glasgow Off the planet

I ALWAYS suspected that the polis were space cadets. ALY, Knightswood Mum's an epic woman

WOULD anyone question her sanity if this cop was a practising Christian, Muslim etc? Are cops not supposed to represent all aspects of the community?

I would say that 400,000 registered Jedis in the UK represents a fair old chunk. And what has your religion got to do with your ability to do your job?

I've got to come clean, I know PC Pam very well - she's my mum!

She said she was a Jedi in the religion topic at a conference as a joke and it got put in a police magazine for laughs. Somehow the papers got hold of it and some people are thinking she's nuts.

Eh, naw! She's just an epic woman up for a laugh and I love her to bits, Jedi or not. LORNEEZ, far far away Dark side of the neds

I'D love to see the reaction of the neds as she pulls out her light saber and takes a swipe at them. ALAN_YYZ, Toronto That's no religion!

IT'S her choice. Obviously a totally mental choice, but a choice nonetheless. How in the name of pants is Jedi a religion? I'm amazed 400,000 people in the UK consider themselves Jedis. PETE, Glasgow Force hasn't helped

SHE'S been a cop for 23 years and she's still only a PC? The "force" hasn't helped her much. B McLEAN, Ontario Minority report?

THEY should form an elite sub-force consisting of Jedi cops and use them for "pre-crime" - seeking those about to commit a crime and pre-empting it by using Jedi mind powers to talk them out of it. LUGGIE, Glasgow