AIBU to think it will always be hard to take disabled daughter anywhere ( bus spaces )

[Itsamission25]

I think I just need to vent tbh ! Today we took a 9 year old and a toddler on a day out to a well known theme park. 9 year old is sick/ disabled and had her wheelchair. The way from our house is a bus / coach service. We paid for our tickets etc
they are “ disabled friendly and adapted ) with the logo proudly on the front of the bus.
we went to the bus and there was a load of us including pushchairs waiting. I folded toddlers stroller down ready whilst I was doing this the 2 other pushchairs got on but didn’t fold down. They went to the wheelchair space, this was very clearly marked and had s sign saying wheelchairs take priority if needed please fold pushchair.
we then got in and asked for them to fold the pushchair and asked the bus driver for the space, one was a sleeping toddler so parent refused because he was sleeping, the second refused because she has no one to help fold her stroller and bus driver said he agreed with them. We ended up being left on the side watching the bus go with the next one not for another 2 hours.
we ended up paying over 100.00 for a taxi so a day trip cost us way more than it should. Should I just accept that this will always be the case and realise that the system doesn’t work for her :(

No you should complain to the provider. That’s bang out of order.

I pretty sure there's a legal question there for the bus company in terms of the disability discrimination act and access to certain spaces.
I despise people who do this. It's NOT a space for prams, and lazy, entitled people need to realise this! I'm so sorry this ended up costing you so much.
I accept that the toddlers may be disabled but that's not what you were informed, so you are absolutely not being unreasonable. The other people are just ***

I think this is why most people get a car surely? I know several parents with a child
with disabilities and they all have motorbility cars (paid for).
Shouldn’t be like that no, but public transport and disabilities doesn’t mix well.

This makes me very sad and angry on your behalf.
your child who is a wheelchair user had priority and the driver plus the two other women behaved in an unacceptable way.
Yes it would have been a nuisance to have to wake a sleeping child, but these very selfish actions on this mum’s part had significant consequences for you and your family.
I hope that despite this and the huge taxi bill that you and your family managed to enjoy the day after this.
I would report the driver to the bus company if you feel able to.

@AlltheFs Unfortunately DLA high rate mobility is not that easy :(

You have priority. I hope that you complain. The bus driver has to give wheelchair passengers the space.

I almost think now that all parents should be made to fold the buggies and the wheelchair space should be ring fenced just for wheelchair users. It would mean that at times it is empty but at least it would be slightly fairer.
that way, the only reason a wheelchair user couldn’t access it would be if there was already a wheelchair on board…

Those parents were disgusting and the bus driver not acting in accordance with the law. Your wheelchair using daughter had priority.

I would complain to the bus company and set a scan of your taxi receipt if you have one, asking them to cover the cost.

A sleeping toddler doesn't take priority. And surely someone could have given the lady a hand with the pram.

They should feel ashamed and the driver clearly needs more diversity training. YANBU to feel angry.

Contact the bus company and explain what happened. Ask for the payment for the taxi as you could not reasonably wait for 2 hours, and ask that all drivers have updated training.
Disabled people should be prioritised over pushchairs.

@Itsamission25 please complain to the bus company. That is completely not on.
@AlltheFs my daughter uses a wheelchair sometimes but not always so we wouldn't qualify for help with a car. Not every wheelchair user does qualify.
Sorry but wheelchair trumps pushchair Every Single Time - sleeping child or not.
You can hold a sleeping toddler - you can't hold a non mobile 9 year old.

I hope you feel able to complain. Your child and her wheelchair should have had priority for that wheelchair space and the parents should have been made to vacate it.

If your DD requires a wheelchair she should meet criteria for higher rate DLA

Please please get some
Advice and support to challenge DLA award

Please complain, this is completely unacceptable. If those parents weren’t prepared to collapse their buggies, they should’ve been asked to get off and wait for the next bus.

Complain complain complain what bus service was it? That is awful a sleeping child has no priority over the wheelchair space ever. So angry on your behalf.

@TwoThousandZeroZeroPartyOverOopsFoundMoreTime unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. She has a wheelchair from wheelchair services. She had a life threatning illness and struggles but because her wheelchair usage is dependant she only qualifies for low rate mobility but high rate care.

Definitely do this.

I think the problem is they don’t have the power to enforce it
I would of just shamed and refuse to get off

Op my son gets low rate mobility middle rate care and has no problems walking at all. He has autism so more needs someone with him to help him stay safe. Get help with the form next time as wording and repetition is key.

re my comment about ring fencing the space just for wheelchair users. A step further could be it being somehow locked and only unlocked for a wheelchair user…then there would be less ‘excuses’ if the driver didn’t want to make people fold prams.

YABU to think it should always be like this, there are already rules that mean the bus driver and the other passengers in this situation were wrong! The bus driver should be pulled up on this so even though I’m sure you have more than enough to do, it deserves a complaint.

@MoreSleepPleasee she gets low rate mobility for her wheelchair usage
we are waiting for tribunal 🙈 which has been 6 months so far

Absolutely complain. That's outrageous and I'm sorry that happened to you all. Bus company should refund your taxi fare as a profound apology and gesture of good will, but I won't hold my breath

Of course the bus drivers have the power to enforce, they just cba. They can order the space freed and not move on until that happens/worst case, call police.

OP i just saw a Twitter thread by a wheelchair user on that very topic. She refused to move out of the door and didn't let them depart until she was accommodated. Sadly you'll have to be a great deal.more assertive in dealing with entitled assholes. in the meantime, definitely go after the bus company for a reimbursement- escalate to local paper/MP/whatever if necessary.

It doesn’t matter if the op’s daughter is or isn’t entitled to high rate DLA (pip etc) motability cars aren’t free! The op may not have the means to afford a motability car.

what the ops daughter IS entitled to, is the space on the bus. That she should have been given.