buses

[elliejjtiny]

Does anyone else have this problem on the bus with SN buggies/wheelchairs. Our bus service is expensive and unreliable as it is but the bus drivers aren't recognising DS2's SN buggy as anything but a normal buggy that is too big for their personal liking. I would love a normal buggy and so would DS2 but we are stuck with this thing the size of a tank. There are loads of mums with buggies who use this bus route and even when I explain it's a wheelchair and show the driver the place where it has exeter mobility engraved on it they still say it's a buggy.

I've asked the mums to move but they wont and a couple of times I've had to dump my non walking 2.5 year old on a friendly old lady and fold up the buggy which I then struggle to put back together at the other end. I'm 7 months pg and a bit on the feeble side at the best of times but DH struggles as well so it really is difficult. I worry about doing this when DS2 has a habit of flinging himself backwards (he has EDS so he can bend himself in half backwards).

I've complained to the bus company but apparantly wheelchair users aren't treated any better and it even says on their website that if asked nicely once to move and nobody will then you just have to wait for the next bus and try your luck again.

When I told the wheelchair services that we'd had this problem and was there anything that was easier to fold they were really surprised that this was happening which makes me wonder if it's just me. I've resorted to walking the 1.5 miles to school with DS1 because I don't feel I can rely on the buses anymore.

[5inthebed]

I have the exact same problem with our bus company. I complained about it and ask them to clarify their policy on SN buggies, and they told me it was drivers discretion as to whether or not they classed it as a wheelchair or a pram.

I was 8 months pg and made to get off the bus once because I wouldn't fold it down. Nightmare!

[2shoes]

i think we need to all get together at raise this as a campaign

[5inthebed]

Good idea 2shoes.

[intothewest]

absolutely! I'm lucky as I drive,as I could not cope with taking ds out of his SN buggy and then trying to fold it down- and then trying to get him back in at the other end-well done to all who manage-but you shouldn't have to-what do they do about bigger wheelchairs? this should not be at the driver's 'discretion'

[woolyxmastree]

I saw a wheelchair user being treated just as badly, the driver even labelled her and us as 'its these awkward customers holding us all up'. We moved our pushchair out of the designated wheelchair space to be told it was the other bay (wrongly labelled with stickers) and the wheelchair user was not be able to get around the corner past the bars. The lady got very upset as the driver was rude and unhelpfull. This was her first trip out in the chair...she vowed never again. :( I found a lot of drivers dont even lower the bus to let us off either, ..if it is a lowfloor bus, or they park away from the curb...great when I have DD (ASD), DS in his pram and shopping underneath.

I think Id like to raise many issues concerning safety/respect of wheelchair users, SN buggies, prams and pregnant women.

...I did get one driver sacked..(I think, they couldnt say but he disapeared off the route)..for smoking while driving, lovely for my children!

[intothewest]

speechless!!

[tiredmummyneedswineandsleep]

crikey also speechless. maybe try mp or local paper.
i have a tall 3 year old asd son with a city jogger mini pushchair. always old it for wheelchair users and small babies. have often heard people saying ds is too big for a buggy, but have no choice he's too heavy to carry and often has meltdowns or runs off no sense of danger at all.

[elliejjtiny]

Seems like it's a national problem. The old people with their shopping trollies are worse than the mums of NT children I find and I've had a few comments about how big buggies shouldn't be allowed etc. I've tried to explain that it's a SN buggy but they don't listen. I asked the barnardos people and they suggested taking the blue badge with us when we get on the bus so I'm going to try that.