to feel absolutely disgusted by what just happened on the bus?

[BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte]

On the bus with DH, toddler DD (19 months) in pushchair and newborn DS (17 days) in sling. Travelling through bog standard, middle class suburbia.

As we board, bus driver snaps that we'll either have to fold the pushchair or get off now. As we're fumbling to fold the pushchair whilst clinging onto a tired and wailing DD, other passangers are elbowing past and paying no attention to DS whom I'm trying to protect, and the bus driver is shouting at me to hurry up.

Nobody at all offers DH or DD a seat, and the only person to offer me one is a woman of at least 70.

Having an ashamed-to-be-British moment.

Ok sorry, thought you meant mobility scooter!

Scooter by stealth!

Anniemac, that is what is truly shocking. Not people having little patience for two people with children that think they have a right to not fold their pushchair unless they are asked and have the right to as much time as they want to finally do it.

I wouldn't have helped you with the buggy, as the pushchairs I used to be able to fold with a sharp jab of the knee went out of production about 100 years ago However, with TWO parents to hand, I would have thought you could pre-fold it?

The other people were rude, but YA still BU to expect everyone to clear a huge space just for you. Get one of those backpack (or front-pack) things for DD if you can't manage your buggy.

bviously a lot of women on here can hold onto three small kids, 14 bags of shopping and fold a double buggy all by themselves whole juggling, but I'd have got all stressed with the faff too. And a bloke standing carrying a toddler while having to hold on as the bus driver swerved and braked ( on purpose)? Come on, someone should have offered him a seat!

Maybe they can't but we are not talking about 3 children and one adult... We are talking about one adult holding a newborn in a sling. And another adult in charge of a 19 month old.

Arf at the kids' scooter - that IS taking the piss.

Mobility scooters are not allowed on public transport here after 2 serious accidents

I hate the bloody things, a pissed pensioner ran my 6 year old over

Yes standing up with a 19 month old, either carrying or trying not to let him/her run round. I'd have given him my seat, but then as someone said earlier, I am nice.

mrsdonkey please don't encourage the OP to report the driver. Maybe he was a bit sharp with them or maybe he was running late and was going to get into trouble and so was worried.

Some bus companies are particularly bad in the way they treat their staff and so reporting what is a relatively minor issue for the OP may become a more serious discipinary issue for the driver.

The rudeness and aggression directed towards bus drivers by the lovely british public is astonishing. I know several people who drive buses who have been attacked, had bricks thrown through the bus window, been sworn at and spat at etc.

Not so long ago I told a woman to be quiet as she was directing a tirade of four letter abuse at a bus driver who had the timerity to as her to pay for a ticket.

The best thing about being a toddler/child is the energy you have. I think toddlers andchildren should give up their seats to adults not the other way round.

Zukiecat, what about the bays where the seats flip up? I always folded my buggy down if a bus got busy, because I didn't think it was fair that my pushchair but 3 seats out of commission and others had to stand.

Chaz

I had a massive go at a woman on the bus recently for yelling and swearing at the driver as she expected to get on and wait till he had change as she only had a £10 note. I felt sorry for the driver, and she was spouting all sorts of crap about "it is your job, just drive, I pay you when you have change". Because I wouldn't let it drop, she got off eventually. People disgust me sometimes.

Not being funny, where I live, buses are always late, and drivers are always slightly rude and manic in how they drive.

And I still maintain that there is no excuse for rudeness. He should not have shouted at OP. And if his working conditions are awful, he can complain about that too. It's the British thing to do !

I my cockatiel !

But the bus & train operators are taking seats out so they can cram more people on. Good if the bus isn't full; you can get more stuff in the spaces. But much, much worse when there's 120 people standing -it would be outrageous to take up space with an unfolded pram.

Entitled, am I? Maybe, but I think it's a sad society that berates mothers for complaining about people who shout in front of and then try to squash their newborns and I think we collectively owe it to the next generation to be a bit more thoughtful and courteous. In other words, if that's entitled then I think every mother should be.

(If had really been feeling entitled, I'd have got the hospital to send me a taxi with car seats and a chaperone of a gender of my own choosing. Apparently the medical reasons I have for being unable to drive would entitle me for one, not that I've ever asked. Which is why, incidentally, I resent the implication that I would in any way wish disabled passengers to give up their seats for anyone, buggy or not.)

And usually, certainly, I usually can fold up a pushchair with one finger whilst simaltaneously juggling my knitting and performing CPR to resurrect a fellow passenger crushed in the stampede to board the vehicle. But not when this tired, no.

The buses here too have bays big enough for the a reasonable big unfolded pram and people to sit down on the flip up seats.

There have been loads of times I have been on buses here and there has been people having to stand and fold their prams because there is a load of people sitting in the priority seats with their shopping on the floor where the pram would go. Even though there are signs saying "for wheelchair users and prams".

I think it's common decency to get up out of your seat and let someone sit down who needs it more.

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and have walking sticks due to problems with my hip and I would still get up if I seen someone who needed the seat more, even if that was someone just struggling with a toddler or holding a newborn.

I would have given up a seat for a 19 month old - they are not too steady on their feet at that age and liable to fall over. You ought to have folded pushchair before embarking though.....

Zukie It didn't work, but I very nearly bought a balmoral about a month ago!!

Imagine trying to get that on a bus!

donkeybucket Thanks for corkscrew.

Love the link. For avoidance of doubt, ours was a crappy little Mothercare own brand thingamy. Cheap for a reason, and all.

Thank you. Much needed and appreciated.

OP I am shocked at some of the responses you are having here

I mean you had a tired 19 mth old, not a 9 year old. It can be a nightmare holding onto a overtired child of that age. I would much prefer to have them contained within a pushchair on a bus so I cannot understand the posters who say you should have anticipated folding your pushchair prior to the bus arriving

It can be difficult to quickly fold some pushchairs especially when you are stressed and have a grumpy bus driver to contend with. He should not have shouted or snapped at you, he is in a professional role and is dealing with the public. Not acceptable and tbh I would not hesitate to report him for his bad attitude. Maybe that is just me but I do not accept this sort of behaviour from employees of services I pay for.

I also think it's not too much to expect that someone might have offered either you or DH a seat. Again DH holding overtired 19 mth old on crowded bus and you with newborn in sling. I personally would have offered you a seat if I had been on the bus and had seen your situation.

OP you have my sympathy. It sounds like a stressful situation. And you are entitled to come on here and have a moan about it imo!