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Parenting

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Original poster

public transport - shopping on my own with lo in pram

37 replies

hallomutti · 22/12/2010 15:00

soooo fed up. went out to get some last bits for xmas. i have no car and my husband is at work. try to get on tube - lots of stairs to get on platform - no lift, asked staff if they could help me with my pram. answer no we are not allowed to lift anything heavy. ok fair enough, but couldn't be asked to wait till someone finally would help me. so i thought i will take the bus. after waiting 5 min in the cold, getting on the bus only to be told off by the driver(a women!). prams are not allowed on the bus, only buggies and pushchairs.oh i love this child friendly world.merry xmas everyone

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Laquitar · 22/12/2010 20:24

What difference does it make that the driver was woman?

Get a buggy and a sling. If you find it much to use the sling the whole day (like i did) use the buggy when you walk then at the tube station swap and fold the buggy.

5 minutes wait for the bus?

Laquitar · 22/12/2010 20:27

Rockin i think more wheelchair users use public transport nowdays. They used to be 'public enemy' ones back then.

Original poster

hallomutti · 22/12/2010 20:33

thanks for your reply.my pram is not massive!and my dd just dont like being in a sling for some reason.will be swapping to a pushchair soon anyway.i do not expect people rushing around to help me!iam just annoyed sometimes how unhelpful people are. And yes maybe i should just stay at home till after xmas so i wont be in anybodys way with my huge pram!

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PolkaDotRudolf · 22/12/2010 20:42

If:
a) your pram is not huge
b) your pram folds down
and
c) the bus was not overcrowded

I think the driver may have been in the wrong. Go to the bus company's website and there should be a link for comments/complaints/compliments etc.

RockinRobinBird · 22/12/2010 20:54

But I thought the accepted wisdom was that if a wheelchair user wanted to board and you couldn't fold your pram then off you get. That's a different scenario.

Laquitar · 22/12/2010 21:08

But some people take ages to do that and moan about 'child unfriendly world' and swear so maybe its best that you have to fold it before you get on. Especially this week when the buses are usually full.

I'm not sure if this is a policy thu. If it is then nothing to do with the driver and certainly nothing to do with her gender.

sarah293 · 23/12/2010 08:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Woodlands · 23/12/2010 10:49

poor op, i detest going on public transport with my pram/pushchair (have the graco symbio, recently changed from carrycot to pushchair setting). i have found on the tube people are always happy to help on stairs. buses are a bit misrable if there is another mum who is grumpy. 9 times out of 10 i take the sling if am going on public transport which i far prefer - always get a seat for one thing! but not posible if i'm doing lots of shopping, or like last week i left him with my mum so she needed the pushchair.

apols for bad typing (bfing)

Orissiah · 24/12/2010 11:20

I live in London and use public transport nearly every day (buses and the Tube) and rarely have a problem. My Bugaboo Bee is light enough for me to carry down the stairs by myself but most times people tend to offer to help me anyway. Waiting 5 mins for a bus is normal but again my buggy is narrow enough to fit on a bus and if there's no room I wait. I think I must be lucky that my experience of public transport in London is 90% positive.

splashy · 26/12/2010 01:12

I think some people are being unnecessarily harsh to the OP.

OP I have found people rather unhelpful on public transport as well. I was so shocked by peoples attitudes to me when I was pregnant on the tube that I always take my baby in a sling because I am afraid I would be stranded with no one offering to help with a pram.

Some people are not able to lift even a light weight pram/buggy plus baby on their own, or find wearing slings uncomfortable. Both of these apply to me, I just have a very slight build and am not very strong! I don't think its unreasonable to hope for some help. I know however that's not likely to happen on the tube, so put up with the back pain of wearing a sling (I had a bad back before baby).

Fourleaf · 26/12/2010 10:11

'there is very rarely a need for a buggy or a pram'
I have to say I find this kind of comment quite difficult to stomach. I have a bad back (not at all 'rare' amongst new mums) and am physically incapable of carrying v heavy 14month old ds in a sling for longer than 10 mins (and yes i've tried all the different kinds) let alone carrying shopping too! I find comments like this narrow minded as they fail to take into account the large number of people who can't carry their babies in slings, however much they would like to.
OP- I think as long as there was space the bus driver should have let you on. Maybe go back again soon and give it another go- it may just be a one off. I am v lucky that my local buses are all accessible with plenty of space for mums, disabled people and all. This is the way it should be IMO as they are often the ones who need buses the most! Good luck OP- hope you find a way that works for you and your LO.

Rosebud05 · 28/12/2010 23:11

Although I used a sling A LOT with both my dc (especially dd as she loved it), I never found it that convenient to go shopping with tbh. I don't have any back problems and had small babies, but still found the weight of sling and changing bag more than enough, even without shopping.

I use the tube regularly, and have never had a problem with people offering me help (although I carry the pushchair by myself usually), so it surprises me that no-one offered to help you.

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