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.

There is in health and safety law a scale if you will on vulnerability.

Children are seen as being more vulnerable than an adult in most circumstances. So although- agreed- wheelchair spaces are for wheelchairs though...

...the bus company may not be fully covered if say a lady juggling a pram and newborn, and god forbid the newborn is hurt due to pressure to collapse the pram.

Just being pragmatic. The debate on the one space itself is a red herring I feel. As others have said a serious overall of the London transport system is needed, that takes account of the types of passengers and numbers travelling to make things equal for all users.

Ginger- you did well to get out of the house on your own a week after c section!

I agree a bit of kindness and compassion would go a long way, I would definitely struggle to fold a buggy (yes, even a one handed umbrella fold) as DD isn't walking yet, and I struggle to carry her (even though I look fit and well).

I do take DD in a sling for things like hospital appointments, but I can't go out for long with her in it because of not being able to carry all her stuff! For day trips I need the buggy to hang the changing bag!

Hmm. Think the Equality Act might just trump fictitious H&S stories.

I'll be nicer to buggy mummies when they consider how their actions impact upon my children, yeah? Cos thus far they've done more to my kids than a tiny bit of inconvenience.

I'll be nicer to buggy mummies when they consider how their actions impact upon my children, yeah? Cos thus far they've done more to my kids than a tiny bit of inconvenience.

Sounds like you go out of your way to be mean to them from that post. You should be nice to everyone, why wouldn't you be.

ShinyBauble- as far as I am concerned you ARE superwoman! I can barely carry DD and the bag, I have to put DD in the sling to walk 2 mins from the car to wherever. It's something to do with the one handedness- I can carry her just fine with 2 arms but throw a bag into the equation and I can't do it.

I'm really hoping the signs will clarify things a bit because really this is a black and white issue

The spaces are for wheelchairs, if empty they can be used but if a wheelchair user needs them they must be vacated

Of course it will be more of a struggle for some than others, in an ideal world there would be provisions for anyone who needs them. I do feel sorry for parents with pushchairs who can't fold for one reason or another but that doesn't change the fact that wheelchair users have priority to wheelchair (not disabled) spaces and that's the way it should be

Errr, DH is a lawyer, mortal injury is considered before any perceived discriminatory issues.

Like I said, I think those in wheelchairs have a right to their space. No problem, but quite simply there are only 1/2 of these spaces and that is causing the friction- lets not take it out on the people.

Perhaps he'll post and clarify then,as opposed to your my husband says

Any passenger travelling in a bus is unrestrained. Therefore everyone has the same risk in an accident.

I don't think you'd get very far with that line of argument.

I am not a wheelchair user nor a pram user, so I feel I can be impartial in that my personal experience does not sway me.

The spaces are there because disabled rights campaigners worked their arses off for them. If you want pram spaces, then go right ahead and work your arses off for them. I will happily support you but I will not support anyone making excuses as to why the won't move out of the space unless they or the child are also disabled. Being anxious about faffing about with a buggy is not a valid reason to refuse to move!

S'funny... I have friends who believe all pushchair users (not SN buggies) should have to fold - no questions - to stop the entitled behaviour of the buggy mafia.

I didn't think that way originally but I'm starting to go that way.

Annonyon the equality act applies as much to a disabled parent as it does to a wheelchair user. The bus company must make reasonable adjustments.

Bus companies cannot say the vehicle is laid out in such and such a way so one disabled group has priority over another when both bred use if the facility. They could put adjustments in place to allow one group not to need the facility however.

I struggle to believe that every single person who refuses to fold their buggy is disabled or has a disabled child.

Perhaps a simple card which can be carried by people who have a more invisible disability, or their child has a disability which means they will struggle to put a pram down if needed. That way the driver knows that either he/other passengers need to help if it needs to go down or they get to keep the space if it is needed.

That would hopefully make it easier for drivers to make others fold if needed - including for those who have medical reasons they couldn't

I've never been on a bus where someone with a wheel chair has wanted to get on. I have been on a bus with my double and someone else was on with a small umbrella pushchair, which the child wasn't even sat in. Yet still the women refused to fold it for a women wanting to get on with her newborn. Some people are just selfish arseholes

I wonder what would happen if you couldn't,would they boot you off?I had 3 under 15 months and a double buggy with buggy board.Not enough arms.If you were already on would you have to get off?

I think if someone in a wheelchair got on you should get off, regardless of how many young dc you have.

Years ago when my first was born we had no choice, we just had to fold or walk

And years ago there were no spaces for wheelchair users. Times thankfully have changed and now are more fair.

Um yes in theory however those of us living in the country or even some cities get on for a 30 min or more journey sometimes a long way way from anywhere on dodgy roads.Booting a mother or very young children out miles way from their destination on dodgy roads after they've paid their exorbitant bus fare is at best not very nice and actually slightly risky.

Having a baby in a buggy is not a disability.

So fold then?

I get your point Retropear, but the same could apply to leaving a wheelchair user at the same roadside because there was a buggy in the wheelchair users space

Exactly. Like I said, an evaluation of bus users is needed. No one should be turfed off or put at risk (which is where my DH would have something to say!)

I don't see how expecting able bodied people to fold a buggy is putting anyone at risk.

The risk of leaving a disabled person stood in the cold/wet/midday sun is probably much higher.