Bus driver refused to make passenger leave

The driver shouldn't have moved the bus with you not in the crash protection space, which is a big part of what the wheelchair space is really all about, it's for everyone's safety, flying occupied wheelchairs do a lot of damage to all in a crash.
It isn't the drivers role to actively deal with disputes, it is their role to refuse to move their bus in an unsafe situation, and radio the incident affecting the bus timetable in.

It's left up to passengers, police, and control, what they do to get the bus moving again. It won't always work in your favor, law or no law. Some days you're the statue, some days the pigeon.

You shouldn't be confronting the twat that refused to let others of the bus, let others deal with his twattery. When he says to others you're the problem, just say loudly in you best MN accent: 'Sorry we're both totally in the way aren't we? People will shove their way past avoiding getting hurt by the wheelchair, and with your brakes on you're less movable by crowd movement than he is.😈

A lone woman in a wheelchair with a walking stick and using public transport, or blue badge parking, or shopping, in a busy city, will be experiencing a lot of these situations just for existing...

I don't bother talking about how crap life can be for women in wheelchairs, on MN because there's no point, but can confirm it's rare a week goes by without a depressing incident related to other people and disability doesn't occur.

It's pants, but how you handle or slough incidents off, generally (but not always) determines how big an issue it blows into for you, or not.

I am very well aware of how volatile the public can be. Several of them have done prison time following their behaviour towards me at work (not buses but still public transport). I still don't move my train unless I deem it safe. There was nothing to stop the bus driver from refusing to move the bus until the OP was safely parked. He could have remained safely in his cab while this went on. Leaving a wheelchair in the aisle puts its occupant at risk in the event of sudden braking and also obstructs fire exits.

You was lucky, they could have been a nutcase with a knife 😩

one of my friends is a powerchair user, and hearing about some of the many incidents she faces has made me really aware of how many microagressions, and thoughtless ableist language and behaviours are part of peoples daily lives.

Yes, the OP answered this.

sounds like OP may be an ambulatory wheelchair user. perhaps using the stick for support when they have to stand up to get something off a shelf for example.
not everyone that uses a chair is unable to stand or walk short distances.

It have got to that as the driver should have refused to move until the space was cleared for you to secure your chair.

It doesn’t seem safe for the driver to have driven off like this.

I think you should complain about the driving letting you on but not ensuring/waiting for the wheelchair space to be cleared before driving off.

In that case you should know how vulnerable the driver would be there’s thousands of attacks and assaults on public workers and a few deaths
you can all the training in the world they have zero powers to enforce
ax for security/bouncers on buses how do you suggest there funded

I do, actually.

You SHOULD blame the bus driver for not doing his job. You should also blame the company for having inadequate training/security measures in place, successive governments for underfunding police, and for creating massive rifts in society which see the vulnerable attacked and treated like dirt and yet somehow it still ends up being their fault.

You really have no idea how dangerous and volatile the general public can be

I don’t blame the driver for not getting involved

Agreed. I avoid taking my son (in his wheelchair) on public transport whenever possible and would rather walk miles pushing him than endure the bus...because most people are selfish shits and drivers are no help.

"stuff like this" - you mean applying the law, which IS part of their job?! The OP's issue is ABSOLUTELY with the individual bus driver and, if applicable, the bus company who possibly failed to provide him with adequate training.

There is ONE safe space on a bus for wheelchair users. Whilst others may use it if there is no wheelchair user on board, they must vacate it (and move their prams, luggage, dogs etc) out of the way as soon as a wheelchair user wishes to board. It is the driver's job to tell them to do so.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/buses-and-coaches-features-and-help-for-disabled-people/buses-and-coaches-features-and-help-for-disabled-people#using-a-wheelchair

Up my way a child of 15 was sentenced to four years having head butted and punched a driver who refused to let him on as too drunk. He had to an underlying heart condition and he died, 56 years old. It’s stuff like this which keeps drivers in their cabs.

This is awful and I'm so sorry. My partner was a London bus driver for many years and they are told not to put themselves in danger from possibly abusive passengers ( some are terrifying and not all drivers are big burly people) they should call for back up including police. There is cctv.
I do remember my partner used to refuse to start the bus if a passenger was being difficult and the rest of the passengers comments were usually enough to get them to leave.

Don't buses have Cctv these days, we had an incident in our tram, I gave a statement and they corroborated with tram cctv. Prosecuted and sentenced.

As a carer to a powerchair-using Husband, I can tell you that some kind of incident where folk are downright thoughtless happens EVERY single time we go out - and we go out a lot. This is our life unfortunately, so it really isn't unusual at all.

Presumably this one is worth a report on the same basis then.

@JubileeJuice maybe they aren't referring to you, but the actual wheelchairs? Maybe they are assuming you'll move ie be moved to a dining chair?!

maybe give them the benefit of the doubt until the absolutely make it clear, then whether floor with them!!

Oh give over.

Quite a lot of unhinged, aggressive people drive cars too. Pretty worrying given that a car is essentially a lethal weapon:
www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/18/paris-suv-driver-charged-with-after-cyclist-run-over