2 strollers per bus

[GingerBeverage]

How many times have you been told you can't get on a bus because there are already 2 strollers on board?
I'd have thought that any analysis of London bus users would highlight that people with strollers are some of the biggest users of the service.
Would it be SO terrible to have a little more space for us, and for wheelchair users?

You can’t hold a baby and fold a buggy. The child needs to be able to stand independently so you can do it. Surely?
Assuming just one child:
Take sling with you. At bus stop, place child in sling, fold pram. Lug pram on bus and pay/sit etc.
End of journey- lug pram off, unfold, replace child.

It's difficult, but not impossible. Unlike if you are disabled and need to use that space, you have options even if it makes your life more difficult temporarily.

I used to nanny in central London and regularly had to take a bus trip in rush hour with a toddler and a small baby, I used to have the baby in a sling, nappies etc in a backpack, toddler in a very lightweight maclaren (think it was a volo) wearing reins. When the bus arrived, toddler out of the pram with the reins around my foot so he didn't run off, fold up the pram and carry it with the shoulder strap. Not the most relaxing way of getting the bus but it's certainly not impossible.

@SleepingStandingUp ahhh twins... fetches out the violin

Walk. Taxi. Uber. Take a friend. Sling. One in a sling one in a folding thing.

@Widdlin

It's actually quite easy holding a baby or toddler in one arm while collapsing a buggy once you have practised a few times. Reins also a must for toddlers. It's not impoble by any stretch of the imagination. Thete was usually dome kind person willing to put the buggy into the rack aswell.

Melrose. Put baby in a sling. Get an easy foldable buggy for toddler plus reins. Take toddler out hold reins and fold buggy. Get on bus put buggy in rack job done. It's not hard.

@sleepingstandingup you're a mum of twins aren't you? I mean obviously not really, all twins on Mumsnet are invented for the pirposes of trolling, even the ones doing their homework in my kitchen right now

I got a off road long distance walking buggy and walked mostly. I got a a small £20 buggy from Argos for the bus for the really long journeys

the same selfish pram pushers who refuse to move out of the wheelchair space

No one would do this surely?!! you say it like it's a regular thing.

Walk. Taxi. Uber. Take a friend

Imagine you said that to disabled people, or any other group of bus users.

@straycatstrut It wasn’t me who made that comment about pram users refusing to move out of the wheelchair space, but I can absolutely confirm that people do indeed do that. I’ve seen it myself several times. I had an argument once with a woman who refused to fold or move her pram as her toddler was sleeping, despite me needing the space for a child in a wheelchair who was on a school trip. The driver refused to make her fold her buggy. It was horrible.

Having a child us not comparable to having a disability. I'm sure tne uber comments was meant tongue in cheek, people can board buses with multiple children plus fold buggy spaces down, no one has to get off or walk.

Werking did u report tne driver? .that's terrible. Honestly what is it with parents these days, carnt wake a sleeping child? Please😕

my2bundles yes, the school reported the driver. We managed in the end by having the wheelchair somewhat in the aisle and not in the correct space. As it was a child’s wheelchair, this was possible. We couldn’t have taken the child off the bus without taking all the children off the bus, and while this argument was going on most of the class had settled in to the upper deck. I’d like to say I was surprised that this woman would be so selfish, but unfortunately I’m not. Some people really don’t care about being considerate, even to those whose disability means they legally require ‘special’ accommodations.

The driver and lady should be ashamed. I'm pleased everyone could still travel but that poor child shouldnt have had to go through that.

And this is a very good reason why wheelchair spaces should be kept reserved for wheelchairs only. Allowing buggy spaces the courtesy to use them on the condition they move or fold when needed obviously isn't working.

Allowing buggys not buggy spaces. Stupid autocorrect.

Its generally another example of how women particularly mums arent thought about properly in planning. Buses, trains coaches - you'd think mums werent meant to travel.

TBF Trams in greater manchester have lots of space for prams, wheelchairs eyc at off peak times so it goes to show it can be done if you start from scratch and don't assume everyone is an umbrella and brief case wearing man in a bowler hat.

Also courts have now ruled wheel chairs have precedents and drivers enforce this now

precedence *

Those using the excuse of “some prams can’t easily be folded”, okay, well if you’re going to be using public transport and you don’t take that into consideration then it’s very much a you problem, and you’re leaving yourself open to either learning how to fold and hold baby at the same time or getting off the bus.

It is a wheelchair priority space. Unfolded prams are only allowed there as a courtesy when it is not in official use.

Why would I get off a bus for a journey I PAID for? Everyone has places to be

shas19 Because you paid for the journey knowing you were unable/unwilling to fold your pram and as such will use the wheelchair space, which needs to be vacated the second a wheelchair user wants to use it.

You don’t have to get off unless you cannot or will not learn how to fold and hold your baby at the same time.

sleeping standing up , you make your points well but I can remember the old London route masters which only allowed one folded up pushchair to be put into a tiny space under the stairs, but only at the bus conductors discretion and some of them were grumpy buggers - though many weren't, and would sometimes hop off the bus, probably illegally , to help.

Life honestly was tough in those days if you wanted to get about with a small child, or several small children, and shopping. We all did a lot more walking.

Also @shas19 if you have to get off, you should be able to get the driver to give you something to show the next bus driver that you’ve already paid.

To reiterate again what others have said but in different words: you don’t have an unconditional right to the wheelchair space. You get to “borrow” it until a wheelchair shows up. You haven’t paid for that space.

To the pp who said it was soul destroying having to wait 45 mins for a bus, you have no idea the meaning of soul destroying. Honestly!

Can I point out not everyone lives in London, one buggy/wheelchair space here arms only 30 seats .