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

Or the child could just sit with the adult. it’s not a choice between using a space designed for a wheelchair user if they need it or running amok dangerously.

(11% speaking out @Mummyoflittledragon)

I voted yabu
Not because you are U for wanting to claim the space as you are legally entitled to.

But the way you went about it. It was unnecessarily rude and quite unhinged by saying you are holding the bus hostage 😐

The OP states that that was said by the driver.

Exactly this!

What should OP have done, given the selfish pricks with buggies wouldn't move, the bus driver wasn't doing anything, and the rest of the members on the public just sat and watched? I honestly despair for humanity reading things like this 😔

What was the driver supposed to do?

Ensure that the law is followed and the space goes to the correct person who holds priority not the entitled parents who have decided to claim the space for their own?

The signage is clear. You can use the space so long as a higher priority i.e. wheelchair user doesn't need it. If they do, you need to move. If you can't do that, you get off the bus and wait for the next one.

The bus driver has a responsibility to ensure that the right person receives the priority space. It's tough for them as people shouldn't need telling and people who do need telling tend to also be abusive and entitled and don't want to budge.

Three cheers for you! And I wish for a lifetime of fungal toenails for those parents that wouldn’t move. I’m so sorry though as you SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THIS.

Put in a complaint

Not sure if it's the law or Citizen Advise need to change their website

"

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/help-for-disabled-travellers1/rights-of-disabled-passengers-s/rights-of-disabled-passengers-using-buses-and-coaches-s/

TFL - you should share, not you must.

I'm not trying to be rude, it's just really bad.

tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility/getting-around-with-your-buggy

Must/should debate

Last week when I got off the bus there was a wheelchair user (elderly lady and her husband/partner) trying to get on the bus driver told them there was no room due to buggies, to my shame I didn't intervene 1 1/2 hours later I was back at the same bus stop (its a circular route) the elderly couple were still there and it was drizzling, as the buses are every 1/2 hour it meant two buses would have refused them entry, when the bus came it was the SAME driver who had refused them when I saw them 1 1/2 hour before I tried to intervene at that point but the driver was very rude and basically told me and the couple it was tough, I stayed off the bus to wait with them in case they had problems with the next one, as it happened they didn't live to far from me so I phoned a taxi to take us all home, I have made a complaint to the bus company so I will see if they reply.

Disgusting

@Betterbear This is the scenario parents are voting for by not accommodating wheelchair users. These wheelchair users are people, who need to go to work, hospital, the dentist, buy food and so forth. Some also have kids of their own to take with them as well.

These spaces were campaigned for by wheelchair users for their explicit use. If parents want their own dedicated space, they are free to campaign for one. Most won’t as their need for this space is transient rather than permanent unlike in the case for a wheelchair user.

Parents do have a choice what buggy to use. No one is dictating to parents. But choices bring consequences. They can get off the bus and walk places unlike a wheelchair user. Comparing the two is chalk and cheese.

There needs to be legislation so that passengers are obliged to fold or get off.

The bus driver said it, not the OP.

Thankfully I rarely need to use public transport but when I did one driver switched the engine of the bus off and made it very clear that until DS in his wheelchair was able to be safely secured on the bus he wasn’t going anywhere. The quick, clear action from him meant that the woman who was refusing to move soon realised she had no choice.

If you report the driver he'll get bollocked for that.

You would also get some comp if you complain.

DH manages a bus depot. Absolutely not your responsibility to make people move. It was the drivers job to ensure you travelled safely and easily.

Then the parent gets off and waits for the next one if a disabled user needs the space. It's not for parents. And if a parent chooses to have a difficult buggy to fold knowing they need to get the bus regularly, that's on them. Disabled users take priority in their space.

Just to add to the people saying "all they can do is ask them to move" - you're wrong.

When DH was a driver he would park the bus until someone moved or the next bus arrived. In the meantime he would radio control for support and often an official would be sent out (if a difficult area for official to get to they just wait for next bus). If still no luck they have been known to call the police to have the person(s) removed. Obviously a driver cannot enforce the law but there definitely steps they can take to make the message clear - if you blatantly discriminate a fellow passenger there will be consequences. This will usually result in being removed by the police then you can be barred from boarding busses again in certain areas (most bus companies are actually privately owned and have the legal right to do so).

I can see both sides, it doesn't necessarily make the mother's selfish.

But there really aren’t “two sides” to this @Betterbear People who use wheelchairs have no choice; most mothers do.

And it absolutely does make the mothers selfish.

Totally selfish

im a rollator user and have the same trouble. Using a bus seat causes me pain so I only sit on the rollator. People prefer to stand in the wheelchair area and don’t get out of the way, I’ve moved (i always do) for a wheelchair user, but the buggies refused to move. The guy was fuming, not at me, but at the buggies.

the worst bit is when you are sitting down correctly, and the buggies box you in. When you try to get out, they do the slight shuffle and act annoyed that you cant get out.

Ive had buggy pushers grab my equipment and attempt to fold it, and act like i peed on their cornflakes when i told them to stop. Buggy pushers asking me to move so they can get their buggy in.

Also people standing in the wheelchair bit leaning against the padded bit because "its comfortable" and refusing to move.

ive had to park in the aisle before because I'm not going to fall over for anyone.

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