For being annoyed I was asked to stand on a bus because of dog allergies?

[anywayhereswonderwall]

I went to visit a friend in London today and I took my dog. It's worth noting she is a mini poodle, and hypoallergenic, and well behaved. You can barely even tell she's there. I got on the bus as part of my journey. It was the middle of the day so there were a few empty seats (but not loads).

I got on and sat down, and the woman a few rows behind me said 'can you move , I have a dog allergy'. I apologised and moved a few rows forwards, the furthest forwards I could go and still get a seat.

She then shouted forwards 'not far enough, you're going have to stand at the front'.

I was confused, but did it. I spent the rest of the 35 minute journey standing right at the front of the bus while the woman was 3/4 of the way along, sitting.

I did what she said for the journey, but when I got off I felt annoyed and I'm not sure if I'm justified.

@anywayhereswonderwall

Sometimes it's only after the fact that we stop and think 'hang on, why did I just do that?'

I've picked up a random dog shit from the floor before, after a woman asked me to - purely because I happened to be walking by with my dog at the time.

It was only after that I became incredibly pissed off that a) she asked me to and b) I actually did it.

Moving away from her in the first instance should have been enough. You were both paying customers.

Yes it must be that , I’ve read a lot of people got dogs during lockdown

@Fourteenhouses

For what it is worth, if I was the dog owner in that situation, I would have left. Not because you were in the right or because you had more right to be there than me but because your son was distressed and I used to work with children who had autism so I do actually understand

You sound absolutely determined not to check if dogs are allowed in somewhere.

It’s not made up.

im not a liar . Just because you don’t like what happened I get called a liar ?

That just made me cackle thinking back to the time I was in Turkey travelling on a small bus. Some men had a box of chicken from the market and they broke free, 4 or 5 chickens flapping all over the bus while they frantically tried to catch them 🤣

I’d have said no.

Or maybe you should just fucking ask seeing as your child has such an extreme reaction to dogs.

No, I didn't say anything about what the cafe owner did nor did I come anywhere close to suggesting that I didn't like the fact that someone prioritised [your] son etc...

I responded to your comment where you said in relation to being directly asked "what you would do if it was a guide dog" and you replied:
"it would depend who was there first in that instance. If we were then yes they’d have to leave, if they were already there then we would have had to leave."

And you knew neither person with a dog had a hidden disability and part of their therapy is going for a dog walk and coffee. The poor cafe owner if they were regular customers as they won't go back or will post on groups to tell others to avoid. What would you do if a child with autism and their dog came in, because they knew it was dog friendly who has a meltdown because they aren't allowed to stay and have the drink and snack they have come in for.

I am not into dogs (non guide/assistant) in shops etc, but they are allowed on buses, in premises with owners permission. It rules out Starbucks and John Lewis as premises to go into if you want to avoid dogs.

How do peipme with issues being around d dogs get on in other countries? Italy, for example dogs are allowed in shops unless there's a sign outside saying no dogs. Similar in France. You don't see people fighting over this, it's only in miserable old Britain where half the population doesn't have sex with their husbands and takes the resulting misery out on other women 🤔

He has phobias to multiple things. I can’t even say some of them as even the words are a trigger. Would people prefer I just never take him out so as not to inconvenience anyone else

I have severe allergy to dog dander. I literally stop breathing if it enters my lungs and I have to carry epipens. Unfortunately it means going anywhere by public transport is always tricky. I have often had a severe asthma attack after sitting on a train, with no dogs in sight, though presumably they had been in before me. If I see a dog in a carriage I move carriage. Not possible on a single decker bus. If I got on a bus and saw a dog already on it then I would get off. If I was already on a bus and a dog got on, I would have to ask the owner to keep the dog a quite a distance. It’s nothing against the owner or the dog. It’s simply to minimise the risk of a severe reaction. People who have no experience of the potential severity of allergies tend to get defensive when asked to move away, or to not eat peanuts on flights. They’d happily ask a Covid positive person to move away or get off a bus though, I am sure.

Reminds me of when I was in a&e with my one year old in December so peak time for bugs and peak location of course. It was also very busy and hot and stuffy, almost unbearably so. A woman marched in and immediately shut the only door. I spoke up and said no thanks we need that open (there was at least one child in there with croup) and she replied that it had to stay closed as her kid was non verbal autistic and likely to run off. I told her she would have to chase him - he was only three or four max.

She wasn’t happy but the door did get opened by someone else and she didn’t try to shut it. She sat right in front of him on thr floor so she was actually managing the situation well in the end. I don’t think one child’s needs have to trump those of others although it’s not easy.

The photo I uploaded is classed in my case as a "medium risk" allergy, so not severe. Tbh people never really believe it but are always shocked when they actually see it, even in its mild form of just eye swelling and how quickly it happens!

"I struggle to believe you've never seen a guide dog irl."

I'm not, so self righteous and entitled that she walks around with her eyes closed. That poor cafe owner, like they haven't got it fucking hard enough at the moment.

I can't stand dogs but just ask if it's dog friendly ffs.

I think they are quite common that's all..I see them frequently. Maybe you just haven't noticed them around.

Sorry for being rude though. I appreciate life must be hard with an autistic child.

What is with all the hypothetical scenarios regarding what happened to us. What if this ? What if that? It’s not relevant . Just because for some reason nobody agrees with the owner for turning them away in favour of us you want to make up imaginary scenarios where we might have had to be the ones to leave ?

What are you taking about ? What agenda ?
People asked question and I’ve answered - this is ridiculous

Maybe it’s possible I’ve been near one and just not seen it I guess. I’ve just only ever seen blind people with sticks and/or someone with them

I have travelled on a bus in Ghana with someone's goat on my lap (a very hot sweaty journey!)