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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

who was unreasonable , wheelchair uses , other mum with pushchair or me.

189 replies

mummywithsmiles · 13/04/2014 20:17

Took daughter on bus today she is 14 weeks old and on oxygen ,the oxygen cannister is in the basket under pushchair.

when i got on there was already one pushchair.. I parked next to her.

2 stops later a man with a wheel chair got on.

bus driver asked if i could put pushchair down which i explained why i couldn't. Anyway other mum with toddler in pushchair refused to move and put hers down. I was then asked to get off the bus as wheelchairs have piority. I refused as the other women claimed she was on the bus first. In the end i got of the bus , she put hers down and wheelchair user got his place.

OP posts:
antimatter · 13/04/2014 22:46

Isn't baby with an oxygen canister classified similar to disabled? Then IMHO would have priority over the other mother with a toddler?

SaucyJack · 13/04/2014 22:46

You should have had priority. I wouldn't personally class a broken leg as a "real" disability tbh.

rootypig · 13/04/2014 22:50

Amber here is the case
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-24214346

But again, I am not sure but strongly suspect that the law and policy is about wheelchair users and not disability per se

Gileswithachainsaw · 13/04/2014 22:51

saucy in all fairness if there are complications and it doesn't heal or gets badly infected or requires pins to keep on place and months of physio and maybe never really getting back to full function I'm pretty sure that could be classed as a real disability.

Not saying that all broken legs are like that most heal perfectly fine and patients are up and about pretty quick but there are others where a broken leg is a bit more than a broken leg.

MoominsAreScary · 13/04/2014 22:53

Whisk what are you on about, I have a 13 month old who uses a buggy, I just said I had to fold it the other day. Hmm

Actually alot of the time I still use a double but no way would I try to get that on the buses around here.

rootypig · 13/04/2014 22:53

is it not about wheelchair use rather than disability?!

I will keep saying it until someone puts me out of my misery Grin

hazeyjane · 13/04/2014 22:54

This is our local bus companies policy

Subject to space being available and the discretion of the driver, we will carry small prams and unfolded buggies on low floor buses within the designated area but only when it is not required by a passenger in a wheelchair or approved mobility scooter (passengers in wheelchairs have absolute priority by law). Prams and buggies must not block the aisle of the vehicle at any time.

As it states it is the law, and it states it on the bus.

The grey area is sn buggies

You are, however, required by law to ensure that the designated wheelchair space is made available if a customer wishes to board with a wheelchair (or, if no wheelchair user is travelling, a disabled buggy or approved mobility scooter).

spikeymikie · 13/04/2014 22:58

My son uses an sn buggy and I would expect it too be treated the same as a wheelchair.

hazeyjane · 13/04/2014 22:59

That is why I emailed the company, we use the bus a lot to get to appointments, and I am not sure what I would do if we had to get off because a wheelchair wanted to board.

rootypig · 13/04/2014 23:01

Ah yes interesting spikey, thanks

Owllady · 13/04/2014 23:03

If there are so many people having to wait for the disabled places, why don't they make more on each bus?
And of course you should not have to have got off
You know you can apply to get a carers break that can pay for driving lessons? Or to family fund?
Have a look on carers UK

Owllady · 13/04/2014 23:05

Many years ago I complained to stagecraft as they kept treating the major buggy like a normal one
I was so pissed off I received counselling fir my driving phobia and took refresher lessons :o

SaucyJack · 13/04/2014 23:06

Anyone can be a wheelchair user though. You could just buy one out of the Argos catalogue and use it when you had an an ingrown toe-nail if you wanted to. Doesn't mean other people should get off the bus for you.

rootypig · 13/04/2014 23:11

sorry Saucy, a wheelchair user who has legitimate need of a wheelchair Hmm

moldingsunbeams · 13/04/2014 23:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fretzel · 13/04/2014 23:15

I'd be tempted to write to the bus company saying just because your child on oxygen is too small for a wheelchair, that you feel you have been treated unfairly. An older child might very well be on oxygen and in a wheelchair. Why should they be penalised when younger?

Topseyt · 13/04/2014 23:19

You should not have been forced to get off the bus. I saw one of your other threads. Your baby has serious medical issues and in this instance your pushchair should be viewed as her wheelchair. There is no way you can fold it with that all on board. It carries not just her, but the medical and feeding equipment she needs.

Complain. Hopefully they will at the very least refund your fare in light of how badly treated you were. See if they will send you some sort of explanatory note to show to other drivers in the future because you cannot fold.

Someone said a broken leg is not a real disability. I would beg to differ there. It is a disability, albeit usually a temporary one. At the time it is very real though, and people with one may well need to use the facilities intended for disabled people.

Original poster
mummywithsmiles · 13/04/2014 23:25

I think i was more embarrased tbh and you could see my daughters wires it wasn't hidden so they couldn't claim they didn't know ... By the end of trying to justifying myself i nearly shouted she is critically disabled and has probably 5 yrs to live now f off ... But i didn't although i cried a Lil when i got home .

OP posts:
rootypig · 13/04/2014 23:27

oh mummy Flowers Flowers Flowers
Ring the bus company, and make a complaint, so that it is logged for the benefit of others in your situation

Topseyt · 13/04/2014 23:28

Hopefully there is no next time, but if there is then say just that to them.

You were discriminated against. No question about that. Don't let it go. They should not get away with it.

ICanSeeTheSun · 13/04/2014 23:33

www.gov.uk/apply-for-disabled-bus-pass

See if you can get one of those to show the driver when you board.

WooWooOwl · 13/04/2014 23:33

Can you really be sure that a broken leg was this mans only issue? He could have had other issues that prevented him from offering to wait for the next bus that he didn't fancy sharing with a bus load of strangers.

Original poster
mummywithsmiles · 13/04/2014 23:37

Woo woo but so does mu daughter they questioned me so why should he be asked too.

OP posts:
rootypig · 13/04/2014 23:38

Even so WooWoo OP takes precedence as first person on with disability, I think other posters are right that the buggy is essentially her wheelchair as if she were too big for a buggy, she would have a wheelchair. So broken leg man's issue is not relevant (though I agree a broken leg is of course a disability, even if temporary, I'm sure it's fucking agony and you can't walk, can you Hmm)

Sharaluck · 13/04/2014 23:50

Op you have my sympathy and I don't think you should have been told to get off.

Unfortunately though I would say the driver probably followed policy correctly even though it was not the 'right' decision.

It is a shame that there isn't some sort of 'blue badge' identification for public transport that you could display or show if it happens again to show that you have a need/right for the wheelchair space.

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