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?

If people keep blocking the wheelchair space I can see them being locked with a radar key like the toilets are.

YANBU to not want to pay twice at all, but YABU to blame the driver if the facility for him to give you a ticket doesn't exist, and refusing to get off as a pp suggested isn't going to change that.
It's definitely something that needs to be addressed if someone needs to get off because a wheelchair user is boarding and buggys are using the space and so need to get off the bus to make space for them if it's not feasible to fold.

This post is one of those ones where I think people on MN are all stupid or nasty. So many people commenting on things that are completely irrelevant to OP’s post or situation, being rude, aggressive or patronising and just making themselves look foolish.

OP, it is not unreasonable at all that you expect to get a ticket and not to have to pay twice for a journey because you get off the bus for a wheelchair user.

Whether she could fold the pushchair or sit on a seat or whatever is completely irrelevant as that’s not what she’s asked. The fact she should get off for the wheelchair user is also irrelevant as she has clearly said she does without any issue. That she could challenge the other buggy user is also irrelevant as she’s explained she doesn’t want to.

@Riu yes you'd think the pushchair manufacturers would care about their customers?
Maybe they don't really care as long as people keep buying their products.
I do see some ridiculous designed over the top impractical prams and pushchairs that I often wonder "what were they thinking?"

I have been in that situation in the past and it's totally unfair that you have to pay twice.

I had two babies under two (and for a while was heavily pregnant with a toddler), so folding my buggy down was never an option. There needs to be more access spaces and it should be on a first come, first server basis.

Campaign for it then. The wheelchair spaces didn't magically appear, it took years of hard work and campaigning.

From what you’ve wrote I would have thought your son qualified for a wheelchair space. If he was older would he be in a wheelchair instead of a pushchair?

If you can, you should and if you can't, then people should accept that.

I’n really glad some of you aren’t in charge of the country. If that were the rule, how many parents do you think would suddenly start saying they couldn’t do it? I’m guessing most of them.

The rule is there for a reason, thank God, and I wish drivers would be more assertive in enforcing it. It drives me mad how selfish many parents are. Instead of being grateful that years of campaigning from disability rights groups secured them a space they can use - no campaigning required - they try and co-opt the space on a permanent basis because they’ve decided to buy prams the size of tanks. And then ask for kindness from everyone else for their behaviour.

Ugh.

In this case you have a genuine need for a wheelchair spaces because your son's buggy doubles as a wheelchair.

I can’t really understand that because of how you write and use grammar. Never the less, if you’re arguing further about something I’ve agreed with now, please feel free to refrain.

Pressed quote on the wrong comment! Oops, this was for you lovely.

@HarvestThyme
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

There needs to be more access spaces and it should be on a first come, first server basis.

Is being pregnant a disability?

No, it isn’t. The spaces on buses are wheelchair spaces. You are breaking the law by occupying that space and not moving, if there is a wheelchair user who needs the space.

Or would you like to swap the space for a disability? No, thought not.

You don’t understand?

what don’t you understand about the law? Or the life-long impact of having limited
mobility and using a wheelchair?

An able-bodied parent with a child does NOT need a wheelchair designated space. Unless you’d like the disability as well?

Personally, I don’t understand why some with such limited insight is allowed to raise children, but apparently anyone can reproduce.

I would always move for a wheelchair however my son has severe autism and it would then lead to a violent meltdown. Because he doesn't "look disabled" I get a lot of dirty looks when he has meltdowns. These involve him attacking me in frustration. Us getting off the bus then waiting for another one would be highly stressful for him. However... I would still do this rather than leave a wheelchair on the side of the road

I don’t understand how someone can throw insults around without reading the rest of what I’ve wrote.

Personally, I’m more concerned for your children with an attitude like yours.

Read the rest of what I’ve wrote then shut up.

For those with disabled children who use their buggy in the way an older person would use a wheelchair these are handy to stop having to explain why you can just leave the space or fold.

stickmancommunications.co.uk/product/disability-buggy-card/

Jeez Louise, there are some selfish fuckers on here. I am a wheelchair user. I am 64. I was part of the group that fought (and are still fighting) for accessible transport.
There are many stations, both under and overground that are inaccessible.
Anyway, let’s look at me going somewhere. It takes around 40 minutes to get washed and dressed. Then breakfast is half an hour, but look, I have tickets to an event. Off I trot )roll) to the bus stop. It’s starting to rain and it’s bloody cold but the bus will be here soon. Oh here it is, but there’s someone with a baby, all wrapped up in snow suit and blankets. Impossible for me to do that, in the warm I’d overheat and may not be able to get things off, and of course nowhere to store adult sized clothes. In the rain, I can’t hold a brolly and manoeuvre my chair. I have a rain cover but it’s not good if it’s cold and unlike a baby I can’t move about to generate heat. So hypothermia is an option I’m left with if someone wants to operate on a first come first served basis.

I don't this a few times in the past while on the bus with a pram/buggy

Once there was another mum who had 3 kids or something, looking massively stressed...I felt it should be me who came off as I just had the one baby in a pram

Another time this women with a buggy and a couple of kids just started kicking off, swearing about not wanting to get off the bus

I decided to come off with my baby and wait for another bus, she was so unpleasant I had zero interest in engaging with her

This is all SE London

Yes it's true those not wanting to get off may be worried about not being able to pay for another ticket

Thank you I didn't know about that.

I'm hoping to get less looks when we buy the larger special needs pram in the new year

I remember my DM doing it with my sister - and the busses had two quite steep (as I remember them) steps up to get to the driver. But people did help, bus drivers waited. And we're talking about back when there were bus conductors.

30 years later when I had DS, everyone would suddenly find something very interesting to look at in the opposite direction to you, the driver absolutely will not help and nobody wants to wait for you to sort yourself out - and god forbid you should wait for the bus to actually stop before standing to get off, even with a baby or toddler.

But @Samcro you’re having a go at the wrong person. She gets off the bus to accommodate the wheelchair user by choice. She just wants to be able to get back on without paying again. Anyone who thinks she was being unreasonable needs to re-think their motivation in coming on a parenting website and sticking the boot in…

@EilonwyWithRedGoldHair I can believe it! Because I've had many of arguments when getting my pram OFF the bus because the bus driver didnt want to lower the thing down and sometimes your pram isn't near the curb to edge the wheels of the pram onto the curb.

I even had one say.... "I didn't ask" sh.t head he was!