To hate three wheeled /over sized buggies with a passion

[Ryoko]

I know I'm going to get flamed over this but I don't care.

I can't stand the things, I think they are stupid, day after day I see them clogging up the shops and buses, they are nothing more then the baby version of a Chelsea tractor.

I hate walking past them in the shops what with them having spikes on the wheels for off road and they take up far too much space on the bus, the things can't even be folded properly not that anyone even tries to fold em even when someone gets on the bus with a wheel chair.

Why do people buy them? they are so stupid, this is London, there is no off road to be had, why do you need a Travel system that costs more then a small second hand car with your carry cot attachment, car seat attachment etc and then spend all day clogging up small shop aisle with it and blocking the gangway on the bus with it?.

Whats wrong with a simple small, light folding buggy that can be bought for less then half the price and in most cases can carry a child up to an older age then the Travel Systems.

Agree that shouldn't have to justify use of buggy-even though I have .
And it was me who said they don't let more than 2 on and I get out ALL the time and always use buses as hate driving in London.
Around here- SW London- they very very rarely let more than 2 on and if they do it's a great topic of conversation as everyone is so shocked. You just get used to letting buses go past until you can get on.

All the "Ben Hur" chariot pushers tend to look chunky to me.Selfish mentality, lets take up all the pavements space for me and my precious bundle, sod everyone else.Tired Mum you are always moaning about dogs,sorry to use the word bleat, perhaps this was abit too gentle.Anyway bye for now I have lots of stuff to do.

I don't live in London. I do, however walk for long distances, use public transport and have two children under 4 and manage fine with a Macarens and a sling, so I don't think that a big pushchair is particularly neccessary for most people. I don't mind if people want them, though.

But the thing is, none of us know what is necessary for other people.

Just because A manages just fine with X, doesn't automatically mean than B will as well. We have no idea of B's needs vs A's, nor their day-to-day life, nor what exactly they use their pram for. It's ludicrous to even debate it.

I don't get why that's so hard to get.

YAB a teeny bit U.
I have 2 buggies. A Maclaren Quest for when we are going in smaller shops, and on the bus, and a Mountain Buggy 3 wheeler for when I have proper shopping to do (no car, and the buggy has a huge basket) and for days when I do lots of walking. I try my very best to use whichever one is goign to get in the way least that day (I am a bit of a charity shop lover and try to use the Maclaren on days when I go and trawl them) but it's not always possibl. Both of mine were secondhand so didn't break the bank.
I think the main issue though is that as first time parents you don't have a clue just how much your shiny new beast of a buggy is going to get in the way of people. Most second time parents I know get a Maclaren from birth, though I'm not so keen on the baby facing away aspect of that, and the rattly wheels startling a newborn.

belgo

Buying a big arsed travel system does not suit going on a bus, thats not what they are made for so why buy one and then annoy everyone getting in the way?.

They are for cars and they cost so much money if you are going to go on the bus you can buy another small light buggy for going on public transport.

My mum had three kids all use the same maclaren that she bought second hand for £7 many many many years ago, she used to carry shopping home in it (fizzy drink bottles and things) and had us walk beside it from the age of around 4 and it was often used for carrying stuff, it only got chucked out eventually to make room in the shed.

I have a M&P thats suitable for a newborn for when it finally desides to come, so either all normal 4 wheeled buggies have suddenly turned rubbish or people are just nit picking and not wanting to admit they like having there statues symbol.

which is what a lot of it seems to be, people saying it's the mothers choice and then saying they hate seeing kids bent over in rickety little buggies, it's like saying I hate seeing people couped up in those rubbishy looking Kia cars instead of being in BMWs.

Clothilde - that is very nice for you.

Ryoko - that's nice for your mum. I hope your M and P is nice for you.

rubybuckleberry - I realise I am coming back late (anhour late?) to this.

Its NOT about my dd2 feeling "safe"

It is about her needing to be off school for several days about this as she can't go to the toilet unaided

It is about her needing months extra in a wheelchair/major buggy as her hip deteriorated that rapidly if she was allowed to stand for a couple of minutes

Its about her never being able to have kids as her pelvis is getting so distorted

Its about her, as a woman younger than I am now, needing a hip replacement.

It is not about her feeling safe. It is about her hip health for the rest of her life!!!!

Recently we have been told she can walk again. How would you feel if you found out for the first time in 2, almost 3 years, that your child was allowed to walk at all. I don't have to carry her up to the toilet any more. I don't have to carry her to the table for tea! She can have a shower rather than a bath!!! She can stand while she gets dressed!!

For goodness sake, get some priotiry in your life.

I understand why a lot of SN parents never go near the rest of MN!!!!

tvfriend

Let buses go past until there is room?, not here, they will be trying to force there way on the back, pressing the doors open buttons etc from the outside (this is everyone I'm talking about now).

I don't know what the idiots are trying to achieve it's obvious the bus isn't going to go when it can't even shut it's doors but they stand there refusing to get off, then the driver turns the engine off and waits for the angry mob already on the bus to shout or push off the ones who will not get off and let the doors shut, or calling the police.

Bendy buses are the worst but I don't blame the drivers for giving up the fight, they must get sick of the hassle within a few days.

My Mum also had a basic MacLaren. (and indeed still has it 40 years later. However, if she's looking after my DCs she also quite likes using my P&T because at the age of 70 she's not too keen having a 16 mth DS in a sling and a 2 year old DD running across the road.

But since when is a pram a status symbol?? If you think pushing a certain pram makes you cool you're pretty much deluded

Ryoko- fair point, but here they just patiently wait, I promise!

oh well good on your mum; bet she would have loved my phil & ted's double though. It's certainly made my life easier in comparison to my 2 quid second hand mclaren buggy.

Do you know I have lived in London for almost 5 years now, getting multiple buses everyday, walking around shops/markets etc and have never ever encountered these horrible buggy users.

Yes some of the buggies are big, but it has never been made my problem and I have yet to actually see any Mum actually refuse to move for a wheelchair user. Besides the buggy tetris that is played on the bus is entertaining.

No way I'm ever going to lug home bottles of fizzy drinks though, double buggy or not. My kids get water out of the tap.

Not sure why everyone is saying that you either have to have a huge three-wheeler or a tiny umbrella fold stroller. There is a middle ground!

I have had a Mamas and Papas umbrella fold pushchair (which is the only pushchair I have used over the last 4 years). I bought a carrycot attachment for when the DCs were newborn, and it has been perfect for my needs (both rural use and town - with a lot of walking). It fits into a small car perfectly, and folds down small on the bus.

Anyway, back to OP! I agree with you - YANBU. I really think they become status symbols to a certain extent. Double buggies are a slightly different matter if you have 2 under 2, but there's no excuse for buying a single huge all-terrain buggy when you live in a town or city. I think its ridiculous that the tyres can puncture as well! Surely that's the last thing you need!

Me neither Morloth- although from other threads I vaguely think we live near each other.
The buggy games on the bus are usually quite bonding

Maybe Ryoko live in one of those NotLondon places like Enfield, Croydon or Barking? starts whole new argument

Indeed tvfriend all the "sorry's" and "No you go first" etc are quite nice.

I sometimes think I live in a parallel universe from much of Mumsnet, either that or I just don't pay enough attention to my surroundings to become suitably outraged.

I live in SW London which is nappy central an most seem to rub along together OK.

Undercova - are you allowed to have an all-terrain buggy in a town or city if you walk everywhere and don't use public transport?

Feck me - people don't need excuses to do anything! They do what they want and what suits their needs.

And as for the tyres - they're so much easier to drive (and so much more smooth and comfortable a ride for the person inside) than the plastic wheels that bump and jolt over every little pebble and stone. This was actually one of the reasons we chose the system we did - for the tyres.

Nope, Ealing/wembley area actually, on the border-ish.

Nobody cares.

Its about having a "nice ride" for your baby isn't it?

Nobody cares.

Its about having a "nice ride" for your baby isn't it?

Ah well, WEST, there's your explantion right there.