to think these were old lady bitches?

[deliakate]

on the bus yesterday. So glad I don't live in London - this was only DS's second ever bus journey. He's 21 months, I'm 8 months preg.

So lugged the pushchair on, and went to the area you park them in. Bus was virtually empty, but there were two semi-rotund old ladies sitting on the flip up seats. I politely asked them "excuse me, do those seats flip up so that I can put the pushchair there?". They both said "nooo, dearie". (old means around 65/70 - not doddery 80s in this case)

So everyone else getting on had to squeeze past me, bump, pushchair and a poor guide dog sitting opposite, whose owner was getting very unsettled. Freaking annoying. I got off two stops up the hill, as did the old ladies, at which point the seats flipped up behind them. I shouldn't have, but said to one of them "those seats DO flip up", and she said "I know!". Basically, I asked her why she hadn't moved, and she said the space was for wheelchairs and elderly people as well as pushchairs. I pointed out there were other seats for elderly people too, but nowhere else for a pushchair, and she said I was getting shirty. I just walked off.

It was more amusing than anything, but seriously, can't some people remember what it was like to be pregnant/ have a toddler?

[GandTiceandaslice]

Excuse my tyops.

[GandTiceandaslice]

TYPOS.
GAH.

[MissBetsyTrotwood]

Oh fabulous, another London basher. Because people are never rude anywhere else in the country, are they?

You don't get buses much. You've been unlucky. I get the bus with the DSs plus pushchair every day and, generally, people are more accommodating than that.

It is hard to be out when heavily pregnant with a lo though. While I don't think they were being 'bitches', (they were right, they did have as much right to sit there as you did to put the pushchair there) I do think people soon forget how hard it is. I hope the rest of your day was less stressful.

[worraliberty]

What the actual fuck does that have to do with living in London?

And to be fair, if you were causing an obstruction the bus should never have moved. It's down to the driver to make sure passengers are travelling properly.

[RunAwayWife]

She was being a bitch and should have moved those are wheelchair spaces that can be used by buggies if not needed by a wheelchair, they are not for fat old ladies to sit on.

IT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH LIVING IN LONDON THOUGH

[PeachyAndTheArghoNauts]

Didn't she mean that people in London tend to use buses / tube a lot more due to the combination of congestion and the existence of decent public transport (what? rural, moi? never )

That's all I read it as, anyway.

IME bus drivers these days are simply programmed to avoid confrontation. here you chuck money in a box, there's no change or anything, they don't help, tell you anything even if you ask, even ackknowledge you, and they simply punch a ticket button and you get on.
They would't tell anyone to move or even pretend they'd seen. And after being left to walk 7 miles one december night many yearas ago (heck before I was pregnant with ds3 and he's 7.5 now!) with 2 todlers and a single buggy, alongside a main road with no paths, it's quite good in some ways that drivers don;t pay attention and just drive past assuming full like they used to.

[HipHopOpotomus]

Old beeches indeed! As there were loads of other seats you should have just said "excuse mr I need to get the buggy in there, thanks" in loud clear voice with a smile.

You sure you were on London though / it's been years since I've seen anyone fiddle with change on a London bus. :)

[worraliberty]

You don't have to use the Oyster card on London buses...it just costs a lot more if you don't.

[BugsnBites]

OP YANBU. And if anyone qualifies for priority seating, it's a heavily pregnant woman with a toddler. They were bitches, you called it right.

[MissBetsyTrotwood]

Yes, Peachy I think you're right. I'm just being stroppy!

Am off for a and to survey the state of my trashed easter holiday house that a herd of buffalo 5 yos rioted through today. My and my friend's 'trash and leave' policy for each other's homes has come home to roost.

[whomovedmychocolate]

I read that as she stayed on a bit further than she paid for Bucharest - actually I don't care one way or another. Another example of both parties managing to reinforce the others stereotype though

But hey at least they were riding the bus and not parks in P&T spaces

[doley]

This story is why I gave up using buses in London .

I walked regularly from Wimbledon to Putney Heath ~just to avoid the hassle ~even when pregnant !

Not suggesting OP should have done that ,but I decided to be done with bus politics many years ago

[olderandwider]

Pensioner + seat = immoveable object.


Newton's First Law of Public Transport

[slowshow]

I think they were mean. Can't understand why they would choose to sit on the flip-up seats instead of a normal seat - they're usually MUCH more uncomfortable. Pretending that the seats didn't flip up was just malicious.

[HipHopOpotomus]

I'm 39 weeks pg - been on 5 buses last few days with 3 year old. Not one seat offered though usually I've got one right at the back - with dd, scooter, picnic bag etc. One up the front wld have been appreciated.

Nevermind - every shop, cafe etc I go into the ladies serving me make a huge fuss - so all balances out at the end! :)

[deliakate]

This wasn't in London. That was just an aside, as I've read so many complaints from actual London dwellers re. prams/pushchairs on the bus. I would do as the poster below if I did, and work out a walk to avoid that. It used to be bad enough with just my work bag.