So yesterday I was heading home after a hospital appointment from the middle of town with DS (2.8y) in buggy. I'm disabled, so also use a crutch, and walk reasonably slowly / unsteadily due to pain levels. Get on the bus, driver just kind of grunts at people as they get on, fine, whatever. Sit down. Entertain DS for journey.
Push bell in plenty of time for bus stop. Because of my pain levels / balance issues, I can't move before the bus has stopped. On this occasion I managed to stand up, but still needed to be holding onto the bars before the bus came to a standstill. As I'm taking the break off the buggy - this being a grand total of maybe five seconds after the bus has stopped, and there having been other people waiting to get off before me - the bus driver says very sarcastically, half under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear, "Oh yes, take your time."
As I got next to him, to get down from the bus, I said - deliberately loud enough for other passengers to hear - "I will take my time, thanks, I am disabled and have a buggy."
Now if he'd have apologized at this point, I would have let things go, but he rolled his eyes, muttered something under his breath, and drove off as fast as his could.
I spoke to the bus company today, and the lady I spoke with was furious with what I had to report, and assured me it would be dealt with. She agreed that he had the opportunity to apologize, and didn't. So I was feeling reasonably positive about it (I'm rubbish with phone calls, so making one was a big thing - and standing up for myself an even bigger deal!). But when I told my mother earlier about it all, she said I was making a fuss over nothing.
I can't tell you how difficult it is to maneuver a buggy, a walking stick, and a body that doesn't want to co-operate. I always do so as quickly as I can, if for no other reason than my pain is worse when I stay still, but obviously can't move as swiftly as people without stick and buggy would. I felt he had the opportunity to make up for being so rude once I had pointed out that I had a stick and buggy, in case he hadn't noticed - but he didn't. It left me feeling embarrassed, angry and punished almost for my physical state.
Am I being unreasonable in wanting a bit of respect?