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Was told I don't give a shit about my baby today.

246 replies

Flossam · 18/01/2005 17:39

My pram is (unfortunately) too big to fit through the front of the buses where I live (london) but luckily buses here have back doors too, which many people use to get on and off them. I got on the bus today at the back, and as I was doing so heard the hydrolics go for them to shut, but obviously the driver realised I was getting on and stopped. Anyway, I went to the front to pay and the driver said to me 'You pull a stunt like that again on my bus and you won't get on' I had to ask him to repeat it, and then tried to explain to him that I was sorry but I couldn't fit through the front. He said I should of 'asked' first. Anyway, I wasn't too bothered, walked away having paid and two more passengers got on. To the first he said 'did you see here with that bloody pram?' And to the second he said 'obviously dosen't give a shit about here baby'.

To this I saw absolutely red and went to the front of the bus again, when he repeated what he said again, and told me I could of killed my baby (I don't think so strapped in to a secure, if bulky pram). I told him I would complain and asked him his name, he laughed, asked him the bus number, again he laughed. I decided I couldn't stay on and got off the bus at the next stop, then thought about it and asked for my money back. Surprise, surprise, he refused. I went home again, cried all the way home, and have phoned a complaint through, but still felt the need to rant here, sorry. Did he really have any right to call me that? I think it's hard enough to be a new mum without people casting such dispersions over you.

OP posts:
LapsedGymJunkie · 18/01/2005 19:31

Or Steven Schhindler

SoupDragon · 18/01/2005 19:32

Erm... I've never been on a bus that has any appropriate space at all for a pram or pushchair unless it's folded.

Socci · 18/01/2005 19:33

Message withdrawn

Fimbo · 18/01/2005 19:40

Sorry Floss, meant to say that I hope you get an apology from the bus company. It would be nice to have a letter of apology to wave under the nose of the next crappy driver. I am learning to drive at the moment and hopefully one day I will pass and can give up on the bus/pram thing for good although I wouldn't fancy learning to drive in London.

Caligula · 18/01/2005 19:41

Fimbo, driving anywhere is easier than using buses with children.

franch · 18/01/2005 19:42

Totally on your side Flossam. Even if the driver had a point (which he didn't), he was totally out of order speaking to/about you so aggressively and rudely. As a mum you've got enough on your plate without being victimised like that.

The banging legs thing is a ridiculous red herring - don't get sidetracked by that kind of irrelevance. at the Steve Schindler idea .... possible though .......

Fimbo · 18/01/2005 19:43

Yes I agree, after having my second baby I have finally decided enough is enough.

RudyDudy · 18/01/2005 19:43

Flossam - just want to add my support as I think you were treated outrageously and the driver was completely out of order as well as incredibly rude

I was on a bus in Wolverhampton recently and was asked to fold up my buggy despite their being a special place for it on the grounds of safety. Thought this was absolute bollocks as don't see how DS is safer on my lap than strapped into his buggy!

Well done you for confronting the driver as well. I'm afraid I would have just got angry and upset in my seat and then cried buckets when I got off. For the sake of all of us London bus-travelling moms please follow this up with a letter.

franch · 18/01/2005 19:44

Let us know how the bus co. responds, won't you? It's a very important point that you're making to them.

LapsedGymJunkie · 18/01/2005 19:44

Socci

Yes He/She did.

Sorry Flossam didn't mean to hijack your thread but people on here disagree with each other all the time, but rarely as a agressively as VP. Curious, after all that has gone on recently.

Slinky · 18/01/2005 19:51

Nothing to add except the driver was well out of order for being so rude.

However, to pick up on the points about it being safer for babies to be strapped in - this I totally agree with, however the bus company operating locally have NO buses AT ALL where a pram/pushchair can be taken on without collapsing. There are no facilities for wheelchairs either.

I have my own car now but when DD1 was a baby, I relied very heavily on the local buses and it was a complete nightmare - trying to hold her, collapse pushchair, dealing with the shopping etc - along with the bus drivers tutting because you're holding them up! In the end, got so fed up that I started using the trains and going to the next biggest town - much easier just to walk on/off the trains with the pram.

IloveMarmite · 18/01/2005 19:54

Little sod. I thought the point of Ken's little game was to make travelling on public transport better, not worse. Maybe you should complain to the top as well as to the bus company. If you can muster the strength put it on paper as a formal complaint.

RudyDudy · 18/01/2005 19:57

Good idea ILM. You should definitely copy Ken in on your letter Flossam. And if you're feeling really inspired maybe call his office to follow it up. Oh, I think that bus driver is going to regret taking you on today

Caligula · 18/01/2005 19:57

Well laydeez, maybe we should all put on superwoman costumes and cavort around town stopping traffic - then perhaps the media would become interested in the fact that public transport is not a realistic option for a mother who wants to go anywhere with her children, and we could get the congestion charge waived for people transporting children, seeing as how Shank's Pony is the only other safe method of travel!

Flossam · 18/01/2005 19:58

Yes Slinky, I think that Is what I'll do. I love near a town centre but was travelling to a bigger tescos in search of the ultivent bottles for DS's expressed milk! Decided that instead of going to the next town for a mothercare, M and S etc, I'll go to oxford street, I can get in a lift at westminster and walk, it will do me good anyhow (see long term slimmers to back this up ) Don't let VP's comments get to anyone, it hasn't got to me, and perhaps she hasn't seen the buses with their dedicated pram/wheelchair space. Or else she may well be a t r o l l!

OP posts:
lockets · 18/01/2005 19:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Fimbo · 18/01/2005 19:58

Caligula

IloveMarmite · 18/01/2005 19:59

Maybe we could get Fathers For Justice to do a job for us and get them to dress up and push pushchairs with dollies trying to get them on and off buses, into the tube etc.

Actually - there is one very good reason why this would NEVER work - THEY CANNOT MULTITASK

Sorry to make weak jokes, but I couldn't resist.

Flossam · 18/01/2005 20:00

LOL caligula! What do you say, meet at trafalgar square, 11am tomorrow... I'll be batwoman!

I suppose a letter of my experiences (and there are more I haven't even mentioned here!) could be sent to Ken?

OP posts:
pinkdiamond · 18/01/2005 20:00

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morningpaper · 18/01/2005 20:01

SO awful for you! So glad I moved to the country and didn't stay in London. I've never DARED go on a bus yet (and dd is two) because I've no idea how I would cope with it.

How do you remove shopping and fold a pram with one hand? Or do you pass the baby to someone else?! Nightmare.

Bit depressed that no on else stood up for you too.

franch · 18/01/2005 20:03

ILM is right, "cc" Ken in on your letter - definitely.

Love the Superwoman idea! Many a true word ...

morningpaper · 18/01/2005 20:05

VP: watch out for all those selfish people in wheelchairs who think they've got a right to use public transport. They might bang your pretty legs.

Socci · 18/01/2005 20:05

Message withdrawn

Tinker · 18/01/2005 20:05

VP has been around for ages. Suspect she also has another name but uses VP for stirring.

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