Bus driver refused to make passenger leave

[MobilityCat]

Last night on the very crowded bus I was unable to get to the wheelchair space to park, as it was full of luggage and people. The only place available was in the doorway.

A person stood next to me in the doorway and refused to move to allow people off, saying it was I that was in the way.

I asked him to move out of the doorway so other passengers could get off, but he wouldn't so I told him that he was being inconsiderate and he started shouting and swearing at me. I told him to move away and leave me alone.

He persisted so I called twice to the driver to get him off the bus, but the driver took no action to make him leave, so I was left to manage his abuse.

He then stood in front of me and threatened me, so I raised my walking stick and pointed it at him as a warning. He backed away but carried on threatening me.

I told him that I didn't want to hurt him but if he didn't leave me alone and continued threatening me I would.

He moved further away from me, but continued to swear at me, but since he was no longer a threat I just ignored him.

I was bullied as a child, but learned to stand up against bullies as they are basically cowards, but Is it asking too much to expect the driver to protect their passengers?

There is already a shortage of bus drivers, a lot of it due to the abuse they get. If they start getting involved in stuff like this then there will be even less of them soon. Sorry OP but your issue is not with the bus company but with society.

Seriously ? A disabled person in a wheel chair cornered and abused ? The walking stick was an act of defence, bravery and completely warranted.

It is not the bus drivers fault they have no authority to do anything

Sorry this happened to you, OP. Was this in London? If so, you should definitely complain to TfL. My understanding is that there are special laws in London (not sure about the rest of the country) that mean wheelchair users take precedence and bus drivers are supposed to enforce this. It's mentioned on TfL's website in relation to buggies needing to move out of the wheelchair space. I've certainly been on buses where the driver has refused to move the bus on until space is cleared for the wheelchair user.

You could also report to BTP as the bus likely has CCTV and they may be able to look into it for you.

This sounds too much of a one-sided story and I wonder what actually happened

Don't be ridiculous. Stuff like this happens to wheelchair user every time we leave the house.

I agree. Just from other threads there seems to be a lot of these situations happening to OP.

People just don't want to get involved. He was a big man and I suppose that they felt rather me than them. I know better than to expect anyone to help me, it seems everyone lives in fear, one way or another.

Although they're called British Transport Police, they police trains, not buses or the road network. Silly name really.

BTP would ensure if it is not them that they would tell you who it is.

A quick search showed four bus drivers a day are attacked in London, not sure what the UK picture is. Screens for the driver's protection predate Covid. No wonder not always willing to be involved.

Sorry this happened to you.

How can I possibly know why he said and did what I have explained? Every day people are being mugged for men phones, even schoolchildren are targeted. Other people have posted similar experiences on this thread.

Sounds like the bus was full when you got on.
Wheelchair or not if the bus is full you wait for the next one.
This could have been avoided.

Obviously the other passengers were being twats. But I agree with those who say bus drivers are not paid to put themselves in danger by trying to lay down their law with potentially aggressive customers.

Same as how I saw Greggs employees completely ignore a shoplifter walking out with a load of food. At the time I was surprised but afterwards realised they are not well paid and definitely not required to put themselves at risk by challenging someone who could have a knife for example.

No, the luggage should be moved from wheelchair space.

The driver and other passengers usually will not come to your help. They are too frightened of being hurt themselves.

It isn't a 'duty' at all.. My partner is a bus driver. They rely on the common sense of passengers in the hope they might do the right thing. They are not police officers. They can not make people get off busses. All they can do is press the alert to notify control there is a problem. It is then up to control to determine what to do. Not the driver.

OP, I think you know that Doug Paulley from Weatherby won a legal case to say that wheelchair users have rights over pushchairs in the disabled space but that the bus driver cannot compel,people to move out of the space it they won’t.

Personal opinion posted as fact. Your understanding is wrong. Perhaps you can show us the legislation or guidelines that say bus drivers are supposed to 'enfofce' anything of the sort?

My husband is a bus driver and tbh, if the bus was that packed he shouldn't have let you on because there would have been no room to park your chair even though it is common decency for people to move but where would they move to, if you get what I mean?
People are unhinged and nasty bastards and will literally start trouble in an empty room.
Bus drivers cannot get into an conflict as they have no protection themselves and also they are not allowed to leave their cab.

Things like this are why I am increasingly of the opinion that the wheelchair space should be closed until it is needed by a wheelchair user.

Travelling when disabled is hard enough without selfish people making it even worse

Indeed. When people talk about trouble on their bus journeys, they forget that they may get that occasionally.. but the driver is doing this day after day after day all day or night. They can't get involved in arguments between passengers, attacks on drivers are already at a very high level. They're not security guards and they aren't paid enough to deal with every wanker on the bus for you.

How would that be the best thing to do when there's an idiot there preventing people from getting off?

This driver should have refused to move until the wheelchair space was cleared when OP got on the bus.

Surely it’s discrimination? Expecting a wheelchair user to wait for another bus just because some twat has put their luggage etc in the wheelchair space.

Wheelchair users should receive an inferior bus service because there’s nowhere for their chair to sit?

Thing is though during a 12 hour shift most drivers won't pick up a single wheelchair anyway so following that logic people who could have used the space for keeping luggage out of the way can't do so on the off chance, when the likelihood is no wheelchair is going to enter the bus during that entire shift anyway. How often do you even see a wheelchair using the space during the course of a week? I use several routes in east London and I think a month ago I saw a wheelchair on one bus.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/buses-and-coaches-features-and-help-for-disabled-people/buses-and-coaches-features-and-help-for-disabled-people

says here, that the bus driver must tell passengers to move their stuff.