Wheelchair vs buggies. Showdown on the bus

[SweetiePi3]

Today wasn't a good day for me. I had to go to the Princess Royal hospital. I waited for the bus, but when it arrived, the ramp wasn't deploying properly.
After the 3rd attempt, I lined up my chair, and as it came out, hanging an inch or so from the ground, I stormed up the ramp and into the bus.
Coming back, I had to change buses. The bus was full with three buggies in the wheelchair space.
The driver opened the back door and told me he had asked them to make space, but they refused.
I put my good foot in the doorway, preventing him from closing it and driving off.
He told them that I was holding the bus hostage until they made space. One mum folded her buggy, and one moved out of the way.
The third still refused, and while I was trying to explain the law to her, over her shouting, her partner started yelling at me.
I asked them what the sign said, but they said they were there first. I told them that the bus went move until I'm on it.
Meanwhile, people were leaving the bus. They gave in and took their buggy off while I boarded the ramp, then came in after me.
The bus driver drove off with the four of us lined up, one folded buggy, the other two, and me

The court case is law.

It's legal precedent. Definition below in screen shot:-

Hi, OP -

I have been following your thread with silent indignation since posting earlier. I am sorry you are now being subject to silly semantic hairsplitting about concerning the outlier situations. This by PPs who do not seem to understand how case law works. Or in some instances, even their own buggies.

Entitled parents need to get a buggy that folds up instead of status prams/buggies.

Wheelchair users take priority including disabled children

this

And if the pram user still refuses to move, then what? When it runs to the end of the drivers shift, then what?

the chances of it getting to that point are very slim. Most would see sense and move when it came clear the bus driver was sticking to the rules.

and realistically in most cases if the parent moves to let the wheelchair into the designated space then they will still be able to travel - especially if they are a sensible parent who plans their pram to suit there bus use!

Same as they would do anytime some passenger is causing trouble and refusing to leave the bus. I'm not sure what the usual protocol is but I'd image it would involve calling for some backup.

Why, what do you think should happen? They should just tell the wheelchair user 'sorry some people are refusing to vacate the space you're legally entitled to, tough shit' and drive off?

Protocol is to contact control to call a taxi if a wheelchair user is unable to board an infrequent service. On a frequent service you can let them wait onboard for the next bus to arrive.

The bus company make the regulations for their buses which are wheelchair priority

Back up? The drivers are lucky if management answer the radio.

As for abusive passengers, drivers are expected to just carry on to keep them happy.

I would assume if someone refused to leave the bus while in breach of their contract with the bus company they would be trespassing and the driver could call the police, I’ve seen it happen when someone got on the bus without paying.
while the police could not arrest them for anything the bus company could ban them from their services.

As an autistic parent, having to suddenly fold up the buggy and juggle bags and a baby and an older child would 100% be too much for me to handle. I would end up having a v distressing melt down. But I guess I would just look like an entitled parent.

Surely then your best planning ahead assuming you will have to fold, and make sure you avoid the wheelchair space to reduce the risk?

Bloody well done OP, in my buggy days I'd have moved for you in a heartbeat and too right I should! Much respect for the foot in the door move. You should never have to put up with being dismissed like that.

The wonderful combination of both patronising and wrong! 🤦‍♀️

@ClemFandango1 in that case you need to be prepared before you take the bus. Fold the pram up first/have a support person with you/use a baby carrier instead of a pram/practice folding the pram while holding the baby etc.
As an autistic person you are entitled to use the fold down disability reserved seats, you are not entitled to park your pram in the wheelchair space.

Thank you. It's encouraging to see open debate, because, hopefully, it will raise awareness .

@SweetiePi3 I hope you don't feel like my posts are being antagonistic but I hope you understand that the drivers are in a tricky situation too 😔 They deal with an awful amount of abuse daily for a shocking wage!

I found one of these new electric two wheel scooters on the space and when I asked her to move it, she said she was also disabled. I told her that it wasn't about being disabled, it was the only safe space for a wheelchair user to be. She could stand, walk and balance.

I don't find you or anyone else offensive. We're all looking athe same thing through different lenses. That said, I take a deep breath every time a bus arrives. What will happen when the doors open?

Are the large disability buggies treated with same protection as wheelchairs?

Just to play devils advocate with those saying absolutely fold the buggy or get off…
What about someone with a newborn in a bassinet? They can’t be folded.
And even if the can be folded, what do you do with the baby while it’s being folded? What if you’re on your own? Absolutely no chance a stranger is holding the baby while I use both hands.
Why is one persons journey more important than another? Should it not be a wheelchair space but a first come first served for anyone space?

Well they could not get on the bus in 'first ,place with,such a ridiculous pram
how hard is It to understand that it's a wheelchair space not a pram/buggie, space and they are only supposed to use it if it's not required for a wheelchair?
it doesn't matter how many imagined, scenario,s you,make up.wheelchairs take priority

What about them? Carry the bassinet, or use a sling. If you can't do anything, get off the bus and wait, or walk.

You have options. You have the ability to do all of the above. The wheelchair user does not. They can't just get up and walk. If its first come first served, it would be full of buggies while the person in a wheelchair sits at the stop while bus after bus is full and they cant' get on.

You chose to have a baby, you chose to use a pram you can't fold. They didn't choose to be in a wheelchair. If you really think about it, your question is pretty stupid.