AIBU Proof of disability is fine ?

[Itsamission25]

My previous post was about an incident regarding daughter ( 9 in wheelchair ) being refused the wheelchair space on a bus in favour of a toddler in a stroller and a sleeping baby in a stroller.
anyway, I have tried to gain some online support regarding the company and also put in a complaint with the bus company but this has caused a debate about invisible illnesses.
apparently companies should not be allowed to ask for evidence of disability ? I find this a bit odd. There is certain things that annoy me now about this for example how anyone can buy a disabled toilet radar key, how sunflower lanyards ( I think ) are readily available for anyone so lose there authenticity I find.
now my daughter has a wheelchair - yes and has a physical medical device that is visible, however we still need to show evidence for things like blue badge / parking. Carers tickets / ride access at theme parks etc.
surely this is correct, I have never had an issue with needing to. If you took away the rights of companies or organisations being able to do this surely everything would just be abused ?

As the current rules stands you need to show evidence for access passes so what do you do at the moment ?

@Inkblue I think you're just being purposely argumentative. I don't take delight in any of it, i lolled because it seems to be a common thing to make younger people feel uncomfortable for using something they are entitled too!

You said it was for a pushchair so actually you are not entitled to it.

I’m not arguing with you. Read my posts again.

Huh?

@Itsamission25 well I think my 6 month old would find it hard to get on the bus by themselves and use the designated buggy area

But your original comment was literally a full on rant about old peoples on trolley and your baby in a pushchair and the only thing you were annoyed about was that no mention of your annoyance over the fact you are as vunerable as them ?

I have no intention of pissing off.

If it’s a designated buggy area and not a designated wheelchair area then that’s fine.

I didn't feel the need to mention it at that point. I was making an observation while I noticed people talking about designated wheelchair spaces and buggy areas

I’m so sorry, that is terrible. I’m similar. Sometimes I’m ‘ok’, sometimes I’m not. But having that blue badge is often the difference between going out and actually having the ability to participate in life, as I’m sure you will know.

I really wish it was different for you. What a disgusting way treat people.

I never use the wheelchair area I only ever go for the buggy area.
Btw our local buses state something like "please give up this space if a wheelchair user needs it" so I think that means it can be used by anyone but it must be given up if someone in a wheelchair gets on

Anyone, so that would include old women with their shopping trolleys then?

@davegrohll you are very lucky to have designated buggy areas as they are not legally required and not all locations have them ( we don’t on our tfl buses ) but our or curiosity what would you if there was not a buggy area ?

@Inkblue oh you're still replying to me. The wheelchair space states that, the buggy space specifically states the area is for buggy's. The old ladies like to use both areas.

Please don't promote this money grabbing company . A photo of dla/pip is proof enough and other photo ID can be provided if necessary. They are notorious for not adding the plus one symbol on for children justifying it as children need a carer anyway. Yes they do but a parent with one disabled child who needs one to one care then can't take the other children.

If the buggy area wasn't free I would put the pushchair in the wheelchair area and stand up by the pushchair. If then a disabled person got on I would get off and walk the rest of the way. Some people are considerate believe it or not. I'm not some evil person because I said lol at getting death stares of old ladies. It's called making light of the situation

@Itsamission25 they are Arriva buses btw, some slightly differently planned out but all have both areas

@NewNovember unfortuntly DLA won’t be enough for some places
merlin is slowly switching over to only dealing with access cards / nimbus
now it’s access cards but they will do it for proof of carers and a lot of theatres are doing the same. You can get the plus 1 on a child’s on with proof that they need 2 carers not 1.

they also do the plus one if the needs meet standard of 1-1 so would need their own parent and couldn’t take other kids in the family.
my daughter has plus 1 on hers my partners son doesn’t we queried why

Like a poster up thread, I am a foster carer to a child (2 years old) with complex needs, blind, unable to sit unsupported, can't walk, talk or have any foods orally as their swallow is unsafe, can't even roll over in bed, in a wheelchair. But because of their age the wheelchair is a buggy type (albeit with a specialist seating system). My little one has a blue badge and qualifies for DLA at the higher rate for their age group and in a few months time we will be getting a wheelchair accessible vehicle via their DLA mobility component. Plenty of people mistake the chair they are in for a buggy despite the fact it is provided by wheelchair services.

I know that the majority of people who refuse to fold their buggies are not in our situation but a few of us are, I can't fold our buggy because the person sitting in it cannot sit safely on a lap and definitely can't sit on a bus seat.

If you have to use the bus, get a buggy that folds easier. They're often available on free cycle or Facebook marketplace in the free section.

@bloodywhitecat in that circumstance you are fully entitled to use the wheelchair space and no one would say otherwise ❤️ We had a swifty chair before her wheelchair like many younger wheelchair users have before being older enough for a wheelchair. They don’t fold like regular strollers.

I have PIP letters now, but for a long time I didn’t because I didn’t need the money so I didn’t apply. I wasn’t less disabled before, and I don’t think you should have to show total non medically trained strangers a medical diagnosis to access things.
I have a radar key that I bought because I have Crohn’s disease. I had no idea how else to get one and when I first started having symptoms I didn’t know what was wrong with me just that I needed the toilet quickly and many embarrassing incidents later I bought one.

i suppose my point is lots of people have issues that need things like radar keys or that sunflower lanyards are useful for way before they have any sort of diagnosis or a Pip/DLA award especially these days when diagnosis can take years.