Taking the buggy off of the bus for a wheelchair

[GoAgainstNicki]

I know in other places in the UK, there are buses that have no back doors so there’s a space for a wheelchair user and then buggy users. It’s not like that in London so the one space that’s available is for wheelchair users. Buggies are allowed to use the space if not needed by a wheelchair uses but need to get out of the way if necessary.

There’s been quite a few times where there’s been myself and another buggy on the bus when a wheelchair has needed the space. Each time, the other parent refuses to get off of the bus (even when I’ve got on first), so I get off to make space for the wheelchair. I also don’t like embarrassment so I’m not going to argue with another parent when a wheelchair user needs the space.

Now I’m always happy to get off for a wheelchair especially as buses come super frequently. However my issue comes with drivers not giving me a ticket to say that I’ve already paid to allow me on another bus. Just a few days ago, I didn’t have much money on my oyster but enough for my journey. I needed to take two buses within the same hour which I could afford with the money on my oyster. A wheelchair wanted to come on so I started to get ready to get off, no problem. I asked the driver if he could print a ticket as I no longer had money on my oyster (the one hour was up) and he said no!

Luckily a bus driver let me get on without paying but AIBU here? Why can’t it be standard practice for drivers to give you a ticket stating you’ve already paid if you have to get off for a wheelchair user?

I've just been in Florida. Two wheel chair accessible spots on the buses. All pushchairs, zero exceptions, have to be collapsed regardless of those spaces being used or not. A universal, no grey area rule makes it much easier as absolutely everyone knows and prepares. Bag for all their stuff, any loose bits in well in advance of bus coming. Tiny babies = bring a sling for the buses etc.

I wonder if we make things harder by having grey areas. A simple, no exception rule and thousands do fine on the crammed buses there, seat or no seat

The change has already happened.

I specifically bought a buggy that could be collapsed with one hand but it's still not easy trying to hold a wriggling child and keep yourself steady while you collapse a buggy on a crowded moving vehicle. (And handing baby to random person is not really desirable)

Personally I think whoever is on the bus first should keep the seat. You've paid for it afterall. I can think of no other service where it's acceptable for someone to take what you'd paid and to give it to someone else.

I didn't say it was a good place to start did I. I am saying can see why it would get exhausting to have to keep explaining it and why people may be a bit angry.

Yup but loads of people ignore it as they don't care

The thing is if the wheelchair user lives halfway in the route they then have less chance of getting on the bus as the space might be filled with a pram. It's hard enough to find accessible accommodation without trying to ensure it's right at the start of a bus route.

Busybody2022 · Today 08:55

I've just been in Florida. Two wheel chair accessible spots on the buses. All pushchairs, zero exceptions, have to be collapsed regardless of those spaces being used or not. A universal, no grey area rule makes it much easier as absolutely everyone knows and prepares. Bag for all their stuff, any loose bits in well in advance of bus coming. Tiny babies = bring a sling for the buses etc.

This would mean parents with twins (or more!) just couldn't use the bus at all though. I was only able to.use a bus with my 2 by going in the wheelchair spot.
Had to get out a few times (but not that often) for wheelchair users which is fine because I'm in London and it was never that long till the next one but if I'd have had to pay twice I'd have been annoyed like the OP.
And even more so if I'd been left stranded.
I think.this is a situation that TFL just haven't accounted for and they need to start.

Some pushchairs physically cannot be folded one handed though. Mine has two levers on either side of the handle that need to be pulled up simultaneously.

@HelsyQ presumably you're happy not being bale to get on several buses because someone wants to stand in the buggy spaces / has their trolly there / an empty pushchair / their dog. You're happy that the driver refuses you entry to the bus because there's no space because Bob is stood there and doesn't want to move elsewhere? Even if you need to get to nursery and work, a hospital appt, a job centre appt, it's pouring down with rain, it's - 5°C?

How many buses are you cool go in g past you that you can't use because people are standing in your space or using it for luggage or pets?

This is MN. Unless you have an umbrella pushchair and can hold 3 kids in one hand, plus your shopping, a fold the buggy in advance despite not knowing how long until the bus comes, get on quickly and don't let your child cause any noise, you're a terrible human being, akin to the lowest of the low. Doesn't matter that you'd move.

"Practical" means different things though. I don't get the bus often and our car is an Aygo. The main practical consideration for us was a pram that folded small enough to get in the boot of an Aygo which doesn't give a lot of options. It takes two hands to fold it. Which is fine, and I'd happily get off the bus if needed. But it's not as simple as just "buy a more convenient pram". We have the most convenient pram we could afford for our overall situation.

ffs its a wheelchair space for a wheelchair

Sorry!!!! I see now you’re one of ‘those’ MN users! So I won’t be engaging anymore.

have a beautiful Xmas hope it’s better then today x

❤️

Get an easy to fold up buggy for journeys involving a bus - I picked up an old maclaren buggy off freecycle (you can get newborn inserts for them) and it was a game changer when DD was little and we lived in London - 10 times easier than her bulky travel system.

Saying that you definitely need a seat so you can wrangle child and hold folded up buggy, so if no seat then yes, getting off was the only option. But I always managed to walk on to another without paying another fare (this was pre hopper) if I explained. I wonder what/if there is a policy the drivers have to follow?

It won't be. But thanks. You too.

Because if they come in more than one part people say they carnt fold them. If they plan to use buses they should buy easily foldable buggys.

Why? If they're happy to get off if needed, who cares what pram they have? There are other factors besides "what pram is best for the bus" that needed to be considered.

No good throwing about hearts and Christmas hugs when you are the rude, entitled fecker refusing to move for a wheelchair.

I have always hated this system. I think they need more standing space to accommodate both. I used to store the supermarket shopping on the buggy. Juggling the baby, the shopping and the folded buggy was really difficult/impossible. I guess the people who design buses or make up the rules are men who have never had to go on them with a baby and all their shopping.

@Riu my husband works with adults with profound and multiple disabilities many who use very large wheelchairs.
As part of his job he had done consulting sessions with Transport for London about space and facilities on public transport.
Apparently on more than one occasion the big pushchair manufacturers have been invited to these sessions. They never attended.

Buggy spaces on buses are not a “fairly recent thing” 🙄 they absolutely had them 20 years ago when I had my first DC. People get very 4 Yorkshiremen on these threads. How about a bit of mutual support for other parents on a parenting website. Rather than sticking the boot in, just for the sake of it 🤦🏻‍♀️

Buggy spaces on buses are not a “fairly recent thing” 🙄 they absolutely had them 20 years ago when I had my first DC. People get very 4 Yorkshiremen on these threads. How about a bit of mutual support for other parents on a parenting website. Rather than sticking the boot in, just for the sake of it

But they are not "buggy" spaces they are wheelchair spaces that also happen to fit buggies. Wheelchair users have campaigned for decades to get these spaces long before anyone here was a buggy user. They are a legal requirement to ensure public transport is accessible for disabled people. If buggy users have such an issue giving up this space for wheelchair users how about you start your own campaign for your own space? but you won't because it will be an issue for you, for a tiny percentage of your life not every day for the rest of your life. Chances are the wheelchair user at the bus stop has already had to deal with plenty of obstacles just to get to the bus stop from the moment they got out of bed, why would you want to add another one to their list. Do you not think life is difficult enough for them?

You made me chuckle! 🥰

No, I get it. When I was younger the area was specifically for wheelchair users and pushchairs, I’ve learnt on this thread wheelchair users specifically campaigned for that area. Perhaps this was more of a problem in ldn, I’m not from there and haven’t been on the bus in many years, my mind has been changed. Much love x

how about parents were more supportive of wheelchair users and stopped trying to take their one hard campaigned for space on the bus.
move/fold/get off, are the parents choices. Wheelchair user has the right ot use the wheelchair space.

Clearly no one at the push chair manufacturers have ever had to juggle a baby, shopping and a folded buggy on the bus.