to write a letter of complaint

[GingerLa]

Im not one for complaining, never have been and to be honest am not even sure If complains are taken seriously at big companies so really is there much point?

Got the bus this morning to meet my sister and take our 2 lo's to playgroup anyway Im sure those of us who use public transport know how difficult it can be travelling by bus with a lo.

The bus driver had been particularly grumpy and rude up to this point but some are so I didnt take much notice until he turned n shouted 'Oi, put your push chair down' I didnt reply immediately as I didnt expect him to speak to me like that. Id already moved into the aisle with my 'quite small' pushchair and was talking with the lady who had been sat near me as we had moved to make room for the wheel chair to manouver in and there was still room for my pushchair.... He shouted again and said will you fold your pushchair down.. my immediate reaction was no, (not out of being selfish or awkward but there were no seats I wouldnt be able to hold my pushchair, toddler ds who was already fed up, bags, coats etc on a bus that had no seats and with a driver who had been going quite fast, n we were still far from where I needed to b)

Anyway with that e looked at me in disgust and turned to the person in the wheelchair n ppl with her and said sorry, I cant let you on, she (nodding at me) wont even put her pushchair down for you to get on!!! he repeated that to the others waiting alongside the person in the wheelchair when they protested. I was still baffeled, as were ppl around me so the next I knew one of the women who had been waiting had got on the bus and walked up to me (still stood in the aisle) and said.. well move then, what am i meant to do with you stood there.. move now!! clearly influenced by the way the driver had spoken about me.....

Now I moved back where I had been and the bus driver drove on an continued being an idiot but he made me feel horrible and even worse made me look this way infront of my ds who understood everything.. I know this may be small fish for some but I do all I can to help ppl n would never ever be so insensitive! Others on the bus were shocked by the drivers actions and the annoying fact is Ive been on buses with a wheelchair and pushchair on them and they fit ok... dependant on type of wheelchair and as I work in a hospice I know the wheelchair that wanted to get on was small enough to fit!

So do I complain or is it not worth it?

They should validate your ticket to get the next bus

Not here in London they don't and why should they?

When my eldest two were babies, no buses had standing room for buggies.

Everyone had to fold them so it just goes to prove people can...no matter how much of a struggle it is.

Oh I thought she meant had to get off, worras right you won't getca validation if you refused to fold and therefore got off

I thought I had seen people getting on the bus and explaining similar situations but never paid attention to the outcome

Worra.... I've had a ticket validated before when the bus was rammed Ds and I and 3 other adults got off to wait for the next bus so a chair user and her caters could get on.

I was sat on a bus last week while some twatty man with a haircut like Limal from the 80's (irrelivent I know) refused to fold his buggy.

The driver switched the engine off and there was a 10 minute stand off before said twat finally got off and flicked the middle finger

Only cos some grannies were late for the market and they had a go at him

Carers, sorry

Really Honey?

Here you're just told to fold it or leave

I've got on a London bus once in my life and would never care to repeat it.

The chap in the wheelchair was going to a hospital app the bus was already full capacity and the pram was already folded, I always fold as I am the first stop before town so don't know how full the bus will get. The driver said he couldn't let him on unless people got off so we volunteered. The driver signed our tickets so we could get the next bus

Oh I see now Honey

I'm guessing perhaps that would have happened anyway if the bus was at full capacity and there were no children/folded prams though?

I mean, a lot of people stand in that bit when the bus is full.

Bet you're not in London Honey.

That's why I said if you have to get off, if it's a refusal to fold than you don't deserve a validated ticket. You deserve a poke in the eye with a pointy stick.

I love London Buses, they save us a fortune as a family.

We don't bother with a car so that saves tons. The buses are every 6 minutes and every 20 mins throughout the night (24hr service)

Add to that, the free travel for under 18's and it's a brilliant deal

No, I could never see it happening on a London bus , but tbf they are a bit more frequent. This guy would never have made the hospital if we hadn't got off. We have to use a bit of give and take out in the sticks

YABVVVU, a wheelchair takes priority over a buggy and you should have folded your buggy down. There are spaces to put your buggy on a bus and things on top of it too, I've been there and done that. He was very rude though.

YANBU first come first served especially if there was room for both.

And once Ds had fallen asleep on the bus on the way home, he was about four so no pushchair and it started pissing with rain. I had no coat and s sleeping child. The bus driver asked if I had far to go, I said no only 2 streets. He drove of his route and dropped me at my road 4 doors from my house

honey there are some nice bus drivers out there , I have come across a few.

I find the grumpy ones are usually the kindest. I know I wouldn't want the job. I couldn't stand the abuse

Someone tried to assault my bus driver dad by punching him. This was when they had just brought in the screens. The guy broke his hand

Had the cheek to write and complain! Had it all on video though lol

Moron

pigs fart - the issue of priority has been discussed many, many times and I think a lot of posters are losing the energy to keep reiterating the same explanation every time this comes up, so please excuse the bullet points.

The reasons why a wheelchair user takes priority over a pram user on public transport are very simple:

1. A wheelchair user is likely to be dependent on the wheelchair forever. A mother of young children is experiencing a few years of inconvenience and will be able to move freely again in the future.

2. There are a huge number of pram users compared with a much smaller number of wheelchair users, particularly in some popular family areas. If a wheelchair user was not given priority they could conceivably wait all day and never have a bus come past without a buggy on it. A pram user, however, will very, very rarely be called upon to give way to a wheelchair user and can probably be expected to live with a little inconvenience.

3. The majority of wheelchair users cannot fold their wheelchair. They do not have that choice available to them. A buggy user has that choice available to them, even if the logistics are difficult. If the buggy user decides that exercising that choice is too difficult that is not the wheelchair user's fault.

4. A buggy is designed to be pushed around. A buggy user is likely to find it much easier to get off and walk if the distance is reasonable than the user of a non-motorised wheelchair who might have difficulties far beyond simply not being able to walk.

5. A wheelchair user faces challenges in all aspects of life. If a buggy user cannot make the moral judgement that it is appropriate to ease those challenges where possible then that buggy user is quite frankly less deserving of assistance to integrate into everyday society than the wheelchair user.

And most importantly...

6. It is a wheelchair space. It has been provided in accordance with the law that recognises that it is appropriate and right that those with disabilities are given assistance to level the playing field of everyday life to some extent. It has been provided following lengthy campaigns by those concerned with disability rights. It is not a buggy space. Buggy users have it available the majority of the time by dint of piggy-backing their own needs on the back of those with disabilities. If the person for whom it was designed needs it then there is an obligation on the part of the buggy user to move. If buggy users want exclusive use of a space on public transport then the onus is upon them to campaign for it.

Forgot to say, re: London buses and refunds - I think it depends very heavily on the mood of the driver and probably the attitude of the buggy user. Some drivers are just arses about it, but if a buggy is made to get off (as opposed to throwing a hissy fit and refusing to fold) then they should be given a refund and if refused they should complain. Some very nice drivers might even give a refund for someone who chooses to get off rather than fold but that would probably only happen if the person leapt up immediately and volunteered to do so rather than hanging around whinging for 10 minutes.

Yabu

YABU What kungfupannda said, especially the last point.