Pushchair fight on bus

[Partygal]

After picking my child up from her child minder today, I arrived the bus stop to find two women with buggies waiting.

Knowing that the driver wouldn’t let three of us on, I walked round the corner to the previous stop and got on there.

When it arrived at the next stop, sure enough only mum was allowed on - the other was told to wait 30 minutes for the next bus. I was screamed at and called a cunt and a queue jumper by one mum who tried to shove me off the bus.

I don’t think I did anything wrong, nor did the police when they turned up after being called by the driver.

What the fuck is wrong with people?

It's perfectly acceptable to use the wheelchair space whilst it's not needed by a person in a wheelchair. It isn't hogging if you're using something no one else currently needs. The idea that the space will be reverential left empty on a packed bus at 5.30 pm is ludicrous. Its filled with standing passengers and old peoples trollies. And yes drivers absolutely should ensure anyone in a wheelchair can still access it when they need it.

Public transport needs redesigning for the needs of women with babies and small children, and equally for the needs of disabled people, people with health conditions meaning they can't leap to the back of the bus, etc.

but what is the etiquette if the bus has a buggy space and a wheelchair space? If a second wheelchair gets on, should buggy user be folding/vacating, or does the wheelchair user wait in this scenario? @PotatoScone1 on our buses (big city) there's no second wheelchair space. It's wheelchair space on one side with the special back and a narrower buggy space on the other side. Wheelchair space can be used by a buggy if it's not needed by a person in a wheelchair. Other side can't and drivers would not let two people on in wheelchairs.

Also disappointed not to read about 2 mums hitting each other with pushchairs!

You did nothing wrong OP. You could have walked to the other stop and missed the bus in the process. You could have had the bus turn up with 2 buggies already on the bus who got off at the next stop and so missed the bus whilst the other 2 ladies got on it. It’s the risk you took and it paid off. They could have done the same but didn’t.

Public transport, until approximately the last decade, was always designed for non-disabled people with no children or babies involved.

I have a lot of respect for the disabilities charities that campaigned for public transport that is usable for people with disabilities.

Women with babies and small children also need this consideration.

The answer is to increase the adaptable spaces (e.g. flip-up/flip-down seats) so that there is more space available for both wheelchair users and pushchair users.

Can’t believe people are saying YABU. She could have easily done the same thing

@SleepingStandingUp nah....if they are bickering to the extent the police are called then can't see the selfish mares getting off or folding for a wheelchair.....ludicrous!

Damn, I can't believe I betrayed my feminist principles here!:
"Women with babies and small children also need this consideration." Aaarrrggh!

I also believe strongly that:

"Men with babies and small children also need this consideration."

While people with disabilities, also.

The answer is to design a public transport that is better for the needs of people with disabilities, and also for people with babies and/or small children needing a pushchair, and room for it.

But your talking about one example and using that as an example of why I wouldn't be able to get my three kids 15 miles across the city because I simply couldn't have managed to collapse a double buggy four times (2 buses each way) in my own with young twins and a disabled child (no mobility needs but he's n o2 so I've got his cylinder to manage too). And were talking lock down babies so no, people wouldn't have willing offered to hold two young kids plus a 5 yo on o2 whilst I collapsed the buggy

merry England, of course!

And to clarify, the 15 miles is he distance to our hospital for appts for eldest.

Yes, public transport is really needed to meet people's requirements as they actually are .

TBH I think you were a bit sneaky and it wasn’t a particularly kind move.

Why couldn’t one of you fold their buggy?

This. What an asshole move.

but you did a shitty thing jumping the queue like that

Seriously? Nobody jumped a queue. OP was smarter.

When my twins were in a double buggy, I used to do this all the time. Sometimes, I would have to walk back two or three stops to get on first. It's not queue jumping, if you put the effort in to walk to another bus stop.

Instead of people rubbing their hands at "catfights" - yeugghh - can't we have public transport that serves the needs of all parents with babies and / or small children; and equally serving the needs of disabled people?

(I'm just waiting now for a member of the "non-disabled community" to drop in and tell me how hateful I am to the "non-disabled community"! 😂)

YANBU and I see comments saying you were selfish and should have folded but… I don’t know why the others couldn’t fold? I’m assuming a buggy is just a normal stroller. Frankly the other two could have literally walked to the other stop as well. lol So that’s on them. The unreasonable one was the one trying to literally fight you off the bus. It’s tough luck but it happens.

More facilities needed on public transport for parents of babies and small children, and also for people with disabilities.
Not rocket science.

You dirty ableist! 😂

What's benefits got to do with anything?

Yeah unpleasant bit of chavvy prejudice operating here!!! 😂

I think in the end, what is needed are better bus services. More frequent and with more space for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The idea of standing out there for an extra half-hour, bbrrrrr.

😂