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?

As a mother, I have empathy for other parents who may struggle to fold down a pram and manage a baby. Prior to my illness, I have offered to help before, usually holding bags or a baby, if I didn’t know how to fold their pram down. I’m definitely not the only person who helped. Back in the day when there weren’t ramps, people fell over themselves to help parents get their prams off buses and trains. The thing I noticed was that if you directly and politely ask for help, many many times you get offered it. People get wrapped up in their own lives but the vast majority of the public aren’t twats and odds are, someone will help. I often get on the train with my 2 crutches and not get offered a seat but as soon as I ask, people snap out of their bubble and I get offered about 5 seats.

If parents cause issues with folding prams, they may risk it going back to how it was some years ago and the rule being that all prams will be folded. I don’t agree with this but parents need to think about it before they kick off. Chances are, mostly you won’t need to fold your pram.

To those who think it’s acceptable to compare parents with small children in buggies to people who use wheelchairs, please just think about it. I occasionally use a wheelchair, I am not the same as a child. I am protected by law in that space. I’ll share it with you, happily. If I’m able, I might even be able to get out of my wheelchair and fold in but don’t assume and don’t compare. I am often infantilised, as a woman and a mother, it’s infuriating.

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

Folks, don't feed the goady fucker. Will only derail the thread which, actually is a good point. Buses should make more allowance for buggys. And bikes. And should have more than one wheelchair space. The offering should be way more flexible than it is.

Where I am now bikes are put on a bike rack on the outside front of the bus.
I looks like a really smart idea.

@SleepingStandingUp bit of a drip feed that, that you don't just have twins but also a 4 year old on o2 - in which case your buggy is medical equipment/aid!

My point was, if everyone who CAN, reduces the size of the gear they use, there's more space for those who cannot. I haven't once said buggy pushers shouldn't be on buses, and in my initial response I pointed out, some of those buggies are actually 'medical equipment' ie, wheelchairs 'in disguise' -but some folk would prefer to pick an argument I never raised!

If bus companies demand that you fold a pushchair and cannot bring unsuitable equipment on the bus (just as you cannot bring bicycles or large mobility scooters on the bus), then manufacturers will be forced, by the demand from parents, to make better designed, easier to fold one handed, equipment.

Currently the situation seems to be that buggies are VAST, parents are in competition with each other to have the latest hugest, 'safest', bestest buggy that is designed to fit in the back of a big car NOT on public transport, and the very last thought anyone has when buying it is 'can I fold this down one handed at the bus stop to get on the bus'.

If I have to buy multiple pieces of expensive equipment to get ME around, for the entirety of my life and fit in with the various places I go and transports I use, why don't others do the same?

I don't know what area of the country you are in OP,but I have NEVER witnessed the driver of a bus that I'm travelling on (and I use buses twice a day,nearly every day) tell a pushchair user that they cannot board the bus as there are already two pushchairs on it. On the contrary,I have witnessed drivers letting a fourth pushchair get on! That was fun.....

@WiddlinDiddlin no drip feed, he walks. The only ones in the buggy are the twins. My point was it isn't as simple as ban budgies, everyone's situation is unique. A wheelchair user wants to get on, we move, as do most people. Drivers should be empowered to enforce that. Peer pressure should rightly make people move I f they bitch and whine altho it should also mean people offering help not looking out the window ignoring the new mon struggling. That's the answer, not demonise people that haven't done anything wrong

Seriously the entitlement in this thread its a wheelchair space clue is in the name. I bought a large heavy pram as I'll be walking everywhere even upto 3 miles to some places same as i do now at 9 months pregnant or i have a wrap sling for when i do need to take a bus journey and may buy a small buggy i can sling over my shoulder too. It's not rocket science your not the first one to have a baby it's something you take into account whilst buying and planning for your baby

I've never actually seen anyone get off a bus to let a wheelchair user on saying that.

I've done this a number of times.

I found it a faff to fold when I had shopping so I just got off, no big deal. WC users 100% take priority over my choice not to fold.
In London if you get another bus in 30 mins it's free anyway, loads of people have passes or the driver can print you a ticket for the next bus so you don't need to pay again.

And as someone who uses buses more frequently without dc I don't think we need more buggy space.

3.5 hours each way to a 10am hospital appt with the twins

Is this in London? Is that 3.5 hours on the bus?

We do need more empty space, it can be called buggy space and during peak times more people would be able to fit in and stand in those spaces. London peak times are a nightmare.

I disagree we need more standing room on buses in order to pack more of us in.

I have very often seen drivers refuse 3rd buggies even if they are folded / say they will fold. Perhaps this is also because I have seen folks say they will fold and then try to squeeze in unfolded. I would be happy to fold but drivers dont seem to want to allow this / wait around my way - south london. I always fold or get off for a wheelchair user btw and have only once seen anyone reluctant to do this (and driver stopped bus until they did leave).

I agree it always comes to this parents saying they need more buggy spaces but when someone suggests campaigning they never do because they are happy piggybacking on the successfully campaign of wheelchair users and abusing the spaces they fought for. Campaign, honestly see how it goes but I'm really not sure how far it would get you because there's so many other groups of people on buses to also consider like the elderly and disabled.

There is a lady who used to bring her 2 children on the bus into the city I live in, then she was told (by the bus company) that she can non longer have both of her children on the busses at the same time, from then on it meant that if she needed to be somewhere with her children she would need another adult to go with them.

One adult and one child would have to get on the bus (if there was space) while the other adult and child waited to get on the next bus (if there was space).

Imagine (if you can) the logistical nightmare of doing that every time you need to catch a bus with 2 children, she will be doing this for the rest of her children's lives simply because her 2 children have to use wheelchairs.

Personally I would like to see another wheelchair space on every bus but that's unlikely to happen because the bus companies already provide the legally required minimum adjustments for wheelchair users to be able to access their busses.

@1DoesNotSimplyWalkIntoMordor so agree. if your in a wheelchair you can't get a bus with your friend who is in a wheelchair.

@helpneedshoes 3.5 hours was in reference to the comment buggy users who can't fold should just walk. I Google mapped. The route I'll do to hospital (Midlands) on Monday with 4 week old twisn and 4 yo would take 3.5 hours at Google speed. God only knows at 4 yo speed 😂😂

Personally I would like to see another wheelchair space on every bus but that's unlikely to happen
Tbh I never understood why both spaces aren't wheelchair usable, whether you make them both designated wheelchair spaces or you leave one designated and one first come. It seems silly to me that people using wheelchairs can't use the 2ns space

@SleepingStandingUp right got ya. And not in London, that's a long trip by bus (& on foot!)

It's about 60-70 minutes on bus assuming we can get on every bus. Its Birmingham Children's tho so worth the commute 😊

Buses where we are are okay for pushchair/wheelchair spaces. Two on each bus, and you can usually get four pushchairs in if they aren't too big.

What really drives me bonkers is how many trains have no space for pushchairs. You aren't supposed to put them in the wheelchair space or the bike space (fair enough), so you either have to fold them, which is fine until your two-year-old needs a nap, or you have to put them in the corridor and then jump up and move them (and your sleeping child) every time you stop at a station, and risk not hearing when your child wakes up, OR you have to go and sit in the corridor for the whole journey. Which is fine if you're on your own, but a right pain if you're travelling with another child.

Would it kill trains to put in multiple spaces for wheelchairs/pushchairs? Some do and it's brilliant, but we travel on Virgin Pendalinos a lot, and they are impossible if you travel over nap time. And it's pretty hard to avoid if you're travelling long-distance. You can hardly go up north for a week with a toddler and not take a pushchair.

People should absolutely move for a wheelchair user, we always do. There are signs on our buses saying it's a legal requirement to do so. I do agree that buses should refund your ticket if you have to get off though.

I absolutely agrer the wheelchair space is for wheelchair users and should be vacated if a wheelchair user wants to get on. Without this basic rule it makes it impossible for wheelchair users to use buses.

I do think that if a parent with a pushchair has to get off they shouldn't have to pay again for their journey. They should be able to get on the next bus free of charge. This would remove this argument as to why they will not get off.

Of course pushchair users should think about the pushchair they buy if using buses. If you can't fold easily then you need to be prepared to get off. The problem nowadays, though is that there is often no where to put a folded buggy except in the wheelchair space (or pushchair space if there is one) so folding often doesn't help.

Everyone saying 'we all managed folding our buggies' - well, you may have managed but some disabled people can't manage so before being able to wheel their pushchair onto the bus they wouldn't have been able to use buses atall. I have a disability that meant at times I couldn't fold the buggy, hold the baby and toddler and hold the shopping etc. When buses started allowing you to have pushchairs on the bus - it made a massive difference to my freedom. I still of course would have got off if a wheelchair user needed the space. But I was glad to be able to use that space if a wheelchair user didn't need it.

I’ve been told many times that I can’t get on because 2 are on, one driver told me I couldn’t get on because a double buggy was on despite the fact it was a tandem one so still room for me!