Another buggy in wheelchair space thread

[MsAR]

I got on the bus at the same time as a wheelchair user was queuing to do so. The driver told the wheelchair user there wasn't room, so I quickly checked and saw it was a buggy and a shopping trolley in the space.

The driver told the wheelchair user there would be another bus in a few minutes and they didn't seem to mind and weren't particularly insistent about getting on.

Was I being unreasonable to step in at this point and tell the driver that the person with the buggy should get off as wheelchairs have priority? He was pretty annoyed when I did, and kept repeating that there wasn't space.

I'm in London, and there are clear signs on every bus stating this is the case. I've often had to get off a bus when a wheelchair needed to get on and would never question if asked to do so.

Would it also be unreasonable for me to complain to TFL? I know I'm being a busy body but the driver's attitude really irritated me! I'd like the mumsnet jury to help me decide what to do, if anything.

Well done for speaking up for the disabled. If only more would do so!

Fifty years ago, at age 14, I spent several months on crutches after an accident; and the world of 1966 was a lot less crutch-friendly - let alone wheelchair-friendly - than it is today. It was an eye-opener and has made me permanently more aware of the needs of the chair- and crutch-user.

And as my father was blind I grew up knowing my responsibilities there.

But you know what? I have to control the tendency to be annoyed with deaf people - and so did my father. It should not be so, but it is, and I fear that it is hard-wired into our species. Which is no excuse for not resisting it in ourselves.

You have to control yourself to not be annoyed with a deaf person? Why?!

Fanjo why not?

Because, NeedACleverNN, I am not an angel and it annoys me when I have to repeat something when a hearing person would have heard. So I fight it in myself and try not to be annoyed or at any rate not to show it. I hope I generally succeed.

I doubt you hide it very well tbh....

Irritation is very easy to see in someone's face especially when you rely on lip reading..

If a blind person walked into you, would you get cross because he should have looked at where he was going?

No, of course not, not least because of my father.

I've had decades of practice in not showing it so I hope I have the knack.

Can I offer a comparison? One day last week there was a "dam" in a narrow passage in the Tube station caused by a very elderly and infirm chap making his slow way on the arm of (I assume) his wife. Somebody yelled Hurry up there and I and others snapped He can't, have some patience - that in my case deriving (in part) from having been in the same position myself all those years ago.

We all have the weak point in the armour!

It's just a weird one to find irritation with.

I try my hardest to follow conversations but I've had people try and give up halfway through because "I won't hear them properly anyway so why bother"
I've had doctors (audiology doctors no less) cover their mouth with their hands whilst talking and then get cross I've turned to someone else to repeat what they have said. Sometimes they don't even bother asking me in the first place but just talk to my dh as if he is my carer!

The clues in the name

Disabled toilets should be for disabled people, not for people who don't want to queue or who have a baby.

When the only baby change is in the disabled toilet I get really annoyed and have complained to more than one place - and one did actually change their layout to give them their due!

How many times does the disabled toilet get used in one day though by a disabled person? if it's free and someone needs to go but has a baby with them what's the issue? I'm bloody sure if I'm out with the baby and desperate for the toilet I suffer with IBS and there's no changing unit I will use the disabled toilet and I have done before rather than having the embrassment of having an accident. It's not just for physical disabilities

Not the point. If everyone thought it was OK to use it it wouldn't be free ever, so people should leave it the hell alone unless they are disabled.

I get really anxious about this because my baby is in a pram and that would be a logistical NIGHTMARE to collapse. It's a ginormous silver cross so what the hell would I do? I saw a PP saying about having already paid my fare I definitely agree that I shouldn't be asked to move but what then?? I'd feel terrible that a disabled passenger couldn't travel because of me...

Should be asked to get off the bus - sorry. Not move, of course I'd move!

Gahh **shouldn't.

Apologies.

Oh we're onto young parent bashing now?

Funny, the vast majority of young parents I know would fold their buggies in a heartbeat. I'm a young parent and said I'd get off the bus (purely because mobility issues would make it too difficult to fold the buggy) if someone in a wheelchair needed the space.

But no, ageism is only ageism when it's against older people. Glad to see not everyone shares that attitude.

Its a whhelchair space
Pmsl as posters moaning about agism

You don't take an enormous silver cross on the bus. If you do, you get off. Our local buses have it in their rules of carriage that only foldable prams are allowed on. If they actually enforced it, it would make life much easier all round.

As the mother of a disabled child I often have to wait for the toilet for him, generally while people are using the baby change,

Yorkie if you are using public transport a lot maybe consider changing for a more suitable pram or a sling?

Read my post again samcro. It's ageism to say that all young parents don't move for a disabled person/are entitled/whatever Foggy said.

Not "it's ageist to expect people to give up their seats for wheelchair users".