Buggies must be folded by law, if a wheelchair user wishes to board

[BerniceBroadside]

I know this can be a hot topic so thought I'd share that stagecoach have new signs on their buses stating that buggies must be folded by law if a wheelchair user wishes to board. Let's hope it's actually enforced.

[scottishmummy]

By law?there no law that specifically states buggy must be folded
This may be a stagecoach policy

[hazeyjane]

The last time I got on a bus with ds, a lady got on with 2 under 2, in a double buggy, she didn't even blink when she saw ds in his buggy, I held the baby for her, and between us we folded the buggy and stood it next to ds's buggy.

It was very civilised and polite. There doesn't need to be a bunfight in order to accommodate everyone's needs.

[hazeyjane]

Scottishmummy - I thought there was a case recently, where First buses were taken to court, and the equality act was cited. here

[Dawndonnaagain]

scottishmummy there was a ruling in September that stated Wheelchair users have priority.

[autumnsmum]

Hazey that's really nice I still use a pushchair for dd2 because of behaviour but I will always fold it for a wheelchair or. Newborn

[hazeyjane]

Also, it shouldn't really have to be a law - just common decency.

[EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry]

Some of us put thought into travelling before we bought our baby transport system. I know I use public transport a lot. I know I'm not entitled to be on a bus with my buggy up. Therefore I bought an easily foldable slim stroller. Ironically I've only twice in 3 years been asked to fold - once I was only a stop away so I got off and the other time for a wheelchair user who shouted to the driver it was fine as it was a slim buggy and there was plenty of room for us both.

But lots of people don't think of how they travel, they just think of their convenience. So buy the buggy they like or that works with a car seat. Well sorry, if you can't think of anything more than your own convenience then I can't have sympathy with your system being hard to fold. I also don't see why they should issue you another ticket - you know when going on the bus you may be asked to fold it and you are choosing not to. Ok, that's harsh if you popped on in an emergency but most of the time people with untransport friendly buggies travel regularly.

[BerniceBroadside]

It's a shame the bus companies can't issue a 'buggy used a wheelchair' badge on production of a blue badge or dla award etc, as they do in some theme parks etc. Would save people having to explain to idiots why their child actually isn't too big for a buggy and can't stand up. If all else failed you could give them a gentle clip round the lugs with it.

[BerniceBroadside]

Eat riskier, some people can't fold due to their own disability. You can't make them get off and either pay again or walk.

Mind you, I'd be tempted to make the bloody trolley using aisle hoggers walk. They have no qualms about making a newborn stand in the snow, as long as they can get their bloody trolley on.

[haveyourselfashandy]

I get the bus 4 times a day during the week and once my lo was big enough I bought a 20 pound pram from Tesco that's very lightweight and easy to fold down.I've only had to take her out 4 times and each time someone has offered to hold lo for me.The other day I was a few stops away from my stop and a dude in a wheelchair got on,the bus driver explained to me that I would have to put my pushchair down due to new rules(there was plenty of room).Not a problem,went to get my lo out and the guy in wheelchair kicked off on my behalf! The bus driver wasn't happy but told me to keep dd in pram.I would of been happy to get off bus and walk home but didn't dare suggest that I think the guy would of spontaneously combusted! He was mortified that such a fuss had been made when there was more than enough room.
He made me smile for the rest of the day though and even though I'd never seen him before since then I've seen him loads ha,always stop for a natter.

[EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry]

Bernice I completely appreciate that some disabled kids use buggies and some disabled people push them so its not always possible to fold. however they aren't the majority of the case and in my experience they are the ones who politely say they can't fold the buggy instead of ranting and raving at the indecency. however given I'm London based usually a quick flash of the disabled oyster card shuts idiots up who rant at the people who genuinely can't. but when there's nothing physically preventing you other than your own ill thought out choices then I still retain no sympathy and don't see why they should be reissued a ticket for a choice.

[Fleta]

Oh dear how selfish of me - I had a "tank".

I also have a badly damaged ankle from sport in my late teens. My ankle can give way at the slightest bump in the pavement. I chose a pram that was weighty enough to help me if I was out and about and my ankle went. A sling simply wouldn't have been safe for us.

I was always perfectly happy to fold the pram if required. But like I said some patience and kindness isn't a big thing is it.

When DD was 5 weeks old I got called "a stupid fucking bitch" by a lady in a wheelchair for taking longer than she thought acceptable to fold the pram. She then screamed "how long are you fucking going to take" when I got off carrying baby and pram.

Luckily I'm very robust and told her in no uncertain terms that her language and attitude was not acceptable. A more vulnerable person may not be so lucky.

[fragola]

I can't believe that some people think that a wheelchair user wanting to use the wheelchair space on a bus is expecting "special treatment". I fucking despair.

[BerniceBroadside]

You do realise, eat riskier, that not everyone lives in London or has the funds to buy a suitable pram. Lots of people make do with a freebie from a friend or relative. The kind thing to do would make sure everyone is accommodated. Not sure why this is such an issue?

[Binkybix]

I do have a small pram I can fold with one hand. I don't fold though because I've struggled taking to motherhood and get really flustered and teary about everything, but also because bus drivers usually just speed off allowing no time to fold safely.

The one time it's been a problem I got off the bus.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

When I went to pick up dd from school on a couple of occasions a woman tried to board with an absolutely massive buggy that wouldn't even fit in a buggy bay because of the pole. There was also someone else sat there. She then proceeded to tell te driver the pram was to big to collapse and parked it in the gangway. Every person getting off struggled to get by. I was amazed the driver let her do that tbh and she seemed to think there was no problem with completely blocking everyone on the bus. All to avoid collapsing her buggy.

[PenguinsDontEatStollen]

These threads depress me.

The only element where I have sympathy with the 'buggy mum' is the issue of having to pay for a second bus ticket. You have no way of knowing you will be asked to fold or get off, and even with a slim buggy you may be. So you should be credited with a ticket for the next bus if you choose to disembark.

Other than that, I regularly travelled on the bus with young toddler and baby. You either fold, or you get off. And simply saying "Would someone hold the baby whilst i fold the buggy for this wheelchair user" normally results in a happy volunteer. If you choose to have an enormous buggy you have to accept you might have to just get off. Just as I sometimes chose to rather than redistribute shopping and wake a baby who'd just gone to sleep.

[EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry]

Bernice strangely I am fully aware not everyone lives in London. I'm also aware some people have to make do with donations. and I'm aware some people with these systems are remote enough to require taking them on public transport. but just because its not easy to fold them doesn't mean the choice isn't there. choice may suck but ultimately it exists which it doesn't for the disabled person.

[Dawndonnaagain]

Oh dear how selfish of me - I had a "tank".

Oh dear how selfish of me, I was born with a disability and still can't walk at 17.

Dd's dd.

[Fleta]

Dawndonnaagain - you have clearly missed the rest of the post where I state how happy I am to move for someone who requires the space.

[Blu]

If wheelchair users have to wait for a bus which does not have buggies in the space they may well wait for ever. Bugy users (mostly) have the option of folding the buggy and squeezing into a small space, or putting the buggy in the space and standing themselves. w/c users do not have that option.

In terms of equality within the bus as a whole there are, what, 90 seats and spaces that a w/c user cannot use and one space that they can. That is the designated w/c user space, just as the seats are designated able-bodied spaces. Maybe buggy-owners should have a fold-down buggy designated space.

But al in all I do not see provision for a w/c space and then prioritising a w/c user for that space a breach of equality.

[BerniceBroadside]

But eat riskier, if someone can't fold (for whatever reason) or the microscopic luggage rack is full and they do the right thing and exit the bus to allow a wc user to board, then they shouldn't be financially penalised.

I wouldn't necessarily have an extra fiver in my pocket to pay for another ticket from my town to town b. And I could be kicked off the next bus too.

Seem perfectly fair that wc user boards and the person asked to leave is given another ticket. I'd expect the same if passengers were standing in the wc space and a wc user needed to board.

Shouldn't we be penalising the muppets who won't fold or leave, no those who are doing the right thing?

[PenguinsDontEatStollen]

Riskier - It is also easy to say that when you're a Londoner with an Oyster card and where another ticket is a fairly small amount (what is it now? £1.20, been gone a while?). A lot of people are coming from the perspective of having to find another £3+, often in an awkward amount and correct change.

[EatriskierDrinkAndBeMerry]

if you're willing to fold your buggy but you are still asked to get off then definitely a ticket should be reissued. just like if anyone else (not breaking t&cs of carriage) should/would be. if that isn't happening despite willingness I am pretty sure that's a different arm of discrimination isn't it?