To think that all the people who say "fold your buggy" are being a bit daft?

[Pyjamaramadrama]

I regularly read threads on here about buggies on buses and they get quite heated.

The consensus seems to be that buggies should be folded.

Before anyone says anything I absolutely think that wheelchair users and other disabilities need to take priority for obvious reasons.

However the type of prams for newborns would be nearly impossible for a parent on their own to fold while holding a baby and possibly shopping etc. it's much easier with a toddler who can stand and a stroller which can be easily folded. But you simply cannot put a newborn in a stroller. I'm pregnant with #2 and I've searched for the most compact, easy to fold pram, but I still wouldn't fancy trying to board a bus with a floppy newborn while trying to fold pram and negotiate my bags.

Lucky for me I drive but I can remember being in the predicament with my firstborn of having to get the bus on older style buses and I simply couldn't do it, I had a lie flat pram where the pram needed to be removed to fold the chassis, packs of nappies and formula and newborn ds, I had no Internet access at the time so no online shopping and I ended up in tears once trying to board a bus and dropping everything and the driver and passengers just staring at me.

Also perhaps it is just where I live but all the new buses now have buggy and wheelchair zones so there is room for everyone most of the time.

As I'll say again wheelchair users do come first as ultimately a parent could probably walk if necessary, but why do some people seem to be so against anything which makes new parents lives easier? Maybe they've forgotten what it's like or haven't had to manage the bus alone with newborn.

Oh and my parents and grandparents reckon it was a nightmare with the old buses before buggy zones as they simply couldn't board the bus with a pram.

Well that's another thing marvellous marbles, I have a friend with a hidden disability who is also a mum who's had to use the bus with a baby.

I hate competitive worse offness. It stinks of "in my day I walked 10 miles to school in the snow".

I'd much prefer convenience for all wherever possible and everyone being courteous and kind to each other.

A bit like letting someone go in front in the supermarket if they've only got one item.

Yes, I'm one who had my children vbefore there were buggy-friendly buses, P&C parking and I couldn't drive either. I had a sling, then a buggy that folded.
have no problem with all the improvements that have been made since the 80s and 90s, but there's a lot of entitlement without responsibility now in so many situations, from buses to parking spaces to school parking. No empathy.

Yanbu.
Even with a toddler its difficult. Toddlers (in my experience) don't like to stay still- so trying to fold a buggy, whilst keeping an eye on your toddler, whilst holding onto bulky change bag/shopping is not always practical or safe. Only to have the same struggle when opening the buggy in time to get off the bus/train.

Folding a buggy while holding my premature baby twins and watching my toddler was impossible. I avoided buses.

The pushchair I used 15 years ago was suitable for a newborn and folded flat. It's not that hard to find one.
I used to take a baby carrier with me so if I needed to get baby out, I could put him in the sling leaving me hands-free to fold the pushchair.
You need to put a bit of planning into where you are going and only take what is actually suitable.
When they were older and I was using an umbrella fold buggy, I also had some straps attached to it that enabled me to carry the folded buggy on my shoulder so it was a lot easier with a toddler or 2 and shopping.

Maybe there should be a buggy "boot", kind of like they have for luggage etc on coaches. It would take bloody ages at each stop though, and I suppose someone getting off before you might nick your Bugaboo, but it would be better than balancing it on the luggage rack or not leaving wheelchair room.

Where I live if a wheelchair user is about to get on the bus, and you are in the designated space (there is also a buggy space) you either need to fold or get off, and would be given an onward ticket. This had to be argued for.
This is all absolutely how it should be. I do think some posters positively look down on parents with prams and buggies, they are seen as an inconvenience by other bus users (not meaning ones with disabilities) and as ridiculously entitled for wanting to leave the house, wanting to shop, wanting to keep their newborn flat etc. And the "you've never had it so good" comments pile up.
It is possible to agree that a disabled person should always have first priority for that space, while still thinking that it is awkward and stressful to have to vacate the space.

Thumb witch that all sounds fine in theory. But the reality is or can be that baby starts screaming, your shopping all falls out, people on the bus tut, noone helps, the driver starts driving and you nearly go flying down the aisle.

I reiterate that does not mean I think that struggling mum should mean wheelchair user cannot board.

I wonder why people are so against buggies full stop even in the event that there is no wheelchair or that there is room for both.

I think YABU.
If you know you need to travel on buses, then take that into account when buying your pram.
I'm another who always had to get the baby or toddler out, and fold the pram when going on a bus, as buses never used to have the spaces, or the buses that lower themselves down to the pavement. I'm not going for a competitive 'we had it harder' but, it's lovely being able to just wheel the pram on when you get on a bus, but it's not impossible to do, so of course people aren't 'being daft' - they are saying that it's lovely when there's a space, but, when there's not, then fold it.

I said "wheelchairs...but"

I don't think I'm being unreasonable to issue a disclaimer so no one misinterprets what I say. I might be unreasonable to have worded a sentence poorly.

For clarity:

1. I believe wheelchair users have priority and one should fold/fuck off the bus should a wheelchair user needs the space one's buggy/pram/cart is parked in.

1. Folding a buggy/pushchair/vehicle isn't as simple as it sounds.

Please note these are 2 separate points. AIstillBU?

Oh, and I always found people most helpful, and equally, I'd always lift a pram on for another parent - as will most people I see on buses.

Baby screaming? Why? Baby hasn't moved, they're still strapped into the capsule, you've just lifted the capsule out of its chassis.
Shopping should be in bags, you can hang them on the handle rather than putting them in the net underneath.
Tutting people - ignore.
People don't help, I agree.
Bus driver starting the bus - yes, that is the only real problem you have mentioned there and they shouldn't do it.

"However the type of prams for newborns would be nearly impossible for a parent on their own to fold while holding a baby and possibly shopping etc."

How do you think those of us who had babies before buses became accessible managed? I'm talking about the 1990s, not the dark ages.

Of course you can fold, unless you are yourself disabled. Multiples are harder, but not impossible with sling/single. If you need to use buses, you found a way.

But if someone didn't prioritise one-handed collapsibility when selecting their pushchair, they might have difficulties that can easily have avoided by better research.

Bit like cars MrsDV. My polo looks like a toy in most car parks now.

It depends on so much. If someone has a full weeks shopping wedged in the basket of their buggy and hanging from the handles, there really won't be much space saving to be had from grouping all the bags on the floor, collapsing the buggy and holding the baby.

I do hope low-income groups are not going to be forced into shopping for their groceries at expensive local shops such as in villages or on large urban estates by sweeping 'no buggy' or 'folded buggy only' rules.

This would cover it;

I'd much prefer convenience for all wherever possible and everyone being courteous and kind to each other.

If only humans were all like that.

I've never been asked to fold my uppababy on London buses. Yes it's a squash w another pram the same size but it's not all the time.

C section, bad back and 24lb baby at 5 months so I won't be battling with a stroller that is frankly inferior to my pram.

Well are we going to have designated spaces for pensioners with trolllies as well?

There simply isn't room for huge buggies/prams

I hadn't even thought of twins .

A simpler way of putting it. I don't think anyone could reasonably disagree that a disabled person should take priority over an able bodied parent.

But why are some so against both sets of people having more convenience?

'How do you think those of us who had babies before buses became accessible managed? I'm talking about the 1990s, not the dark ages.'

We were magnificent superbeings that were unstoppable.
Oh Yes We Were.

Yes, I agree people can be very helpful. Sometimes you might have to open your mouth and ask, but I've never had someone say no. It's the people who expect other people to jump up and help that often moan about the lack of help. Pre baby, I was oblivious to prams getting on the bus and didn't watch who was getting on or off. So I don't expect other people to be like OOOOH PRAM BEST HELP.

'But why are some so against both sets of people having more convenience?'

Have you seen people be nasty about buggies when there was lots of room, or only in confined spaces where folding would make it easier for other people?
Do people just randomly have a go? Because I use trains all the time and haven't seen anything other than helpfulness towards babies and buggies, even at rush hour.

YABU
I don't believe that there are really any easily foldable buggies that are suitable for newborns - Nonsense.
I agree with MrsDV, though that modern expectations have led to an assumption that buggies need never be folded and are often poorly designed.

"But why are some so against both sets of people having more convenience?"

Precisely. If you don't fold when requested, it's inconvenient for every other passenger.

I don't think poor pushchair selection should ever be an excuse to inconvenience other sets of people.

If you use buses, get one that's easy to fold when necessary.

Shopping used to go in my backpack.
Nowadays, I suppose I'd use online delivery. Or get my partner to do the megashop.