Pushchair vs walkers which has priority in buggy space

[Sarahrhiannon]

First time posting as in need of advice.

Bit of background my son is nearly 2 years old but I always take him in his buggy on the bus if going to swimming due to having extra bags. Every Wednesday when we go there is always a couple with a walker and the person who doesn't use it, sits on it in the buggy area even though there are disabled seats opposite. So if there is another buggy parked in the wheelchair space and this couple are on the bus I usually have to park my sons buggy in the disabled seats as this couple refuse to move from the buggy space.
Any ideas or suggestions on what I can do as I don't like putting the buggy by the disabled seats

I'm afraid you need to say, "this is the pushchair space can you please move?"

Every sympathy as a wheelchair user people can be such dickheads over protected space, thank you for not wanting to park in the wheelchair space!

Are you not uk? What’s a walker? I’ve never seen separate disabled and buggy spaces on buses. There are 2 spaces and they are disabled and can be used for buggys if free

I've only ever seen disabled spaces and wheelchair spaces, which buggys can use if they are free?

What’s a walker? If a mobility aid then it would have priority over a pushchair - if one person is sitting on this walked, where would they put it if they weren’t sitting on it - surely it would be taking up the same space?

Also not sure what a walker is, but in London the rule is definitely that wheelchairs take priority over buggies. The idea I think is that you could fold up the buggy and sit with your child on the seat whereas someone disabled doesn't have that option.

What's a walker?

The walking frame with a built in seat that many older people use. It can take up a lot of space in either the aisle or the bay.

I have asked the couple several times to move the walker/rollators but they always shout that it can't be folded even though the person who uses it sits in the priority seats and her partner sits on the walker/rollator in the buggy space and doesn't even fold it

This sounds like a losing battle OP, i know exactly what you mean as well. You will just have to use the wheelchair space and cross your fingers! Good on you for trying your best.

Yeah I definitely try my best but I don't like having to park the buggy in the wheelchair space if I can help it

Does it matter if there is no wheelchair user on the bus though? I think I live in a much quieter town than many mumsnetters - I get the bus sporadically with my children and I have genuinely never come across a single wheelchair user getting on. Surely you'd just jump up to fold your buggy or whatever if you did?

You have options. Disabled people don't. That is why people with disabilities take priority over people who "don't like having to park buggy....". You're being entitled

Does it matter whether they are sitting on the walker? Even if they sat in a seat, where would they put the walker, surely it would take up the same amount of space wherever they put it?

Is there anywhere else they could put it? If there is, why can't you put your pushchair there?

I would just get the earlier or later bus to avoid them 🤣 there is a person who gets on my bus with one of these and takes up the whole aisle with it, and they can easily be placed in the area with them in the priority seats and a buggy could also get in the space. Some times the driver sorts this out but not very often it's like a free for all usually. I wouldn't be to fussed using the wheelchair side with the buggy but I would be willing to get off the bus if a wheelchair was to get on anyway (as I've done before)

The person who uses the walker doesn't sit on it, it's her husband who is able to walk and doesn't use it that sits on the walker

The woman who uses the walker sits in the priority seats next to the buggy space and tells her husband to sit on the walker in the buggy space. It wouldn't be a issue if the person who uses the walker was sat on it but it's her husband who does

Where the couple sit isn’t really relevant to where you put your buggy so let that go. You are right not to want to use the wheelchair space but I don’t think you can ask them to fold a walker if you won’t fold a buggy. Mobility aids are always going to take priority over pushchairs. In your position I’d just use the wheelchair space and save the argument with the couple until a wheelchair user needs the bus at the same time as you and them.

Mobility equipment and those who need to use it take priority over a healthy adult and healthy child in an unfolded pushchair.

A pushchair is a large piece of luggage for you to take on a bus, it’s reasonable to assume there might not always be space for it.

I have asked them several times to fold their walker but they always shout at me saying they can't fold, I suffer from chronic pain otherwise I'd fold the buggy

I suffer from chronic pain which is classed as a hidden disability which is why I can't fold the buggy down also other people have got on the bus with walkers and sat in the disabled seats but this couple refuse to and will either sit in the wheelchair space or buggy space

How do you know there isn't a problem with the walker where they can't fold it? If you are having trouble folding your buggy down due to your own disability, there are lots of lightweight buggies on the market that might suit you better - the Cybex Eezy Twist is a good one, or if you have a bigger budget, the Bugaboo Butterfly can be folded with one hand, or a cheap umbrella stroller can be bought. Check out facebook marketplace too. I get that it's annoying but the pushchair years go by so quickly when you look back, and mobility aids always take priority.

Maybe they suffer from chronic pain and can't fold their walker...?

Are you in the U.K.?

I've never seen a space specifically for buggies in the UK.

I'm disabled and use a wheelchair. A walker/rollator is a mobility aid and so in most places would be considered a disability aid and would have higher priority than a buggy.

(For those that don't know what one is it's this:

https://www.completecareshop.co.uk/mobility-aids/walking-aids/rollators-and-wheeled-walkers?svtax1=google&svvtax2=generic&svtax3=mobilityyaidsop&svvtax4=rollators&svcampaignnid=20187018906&gadsource=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4tTEtaaGhgMVcYlQBh1JZAg-EAAYASAAEgLFPvDBwE

Not all rollators fold.

So they are leaving the wheelchair space free and finding the most suitable space for their mobility aid. I don’t see the issue personally.

So they could sit on a seat? Where would the walker thing go then?
If they can sit, then it seems that maybe they should.

Ah, found the bit that says neither of you can fold.
What does the driver say if you point out there’s nowhere for you to go?

Our buses have 2 spaces one marked wheelchair and the other marked for pushchairs. You get some absolute cunts who will deliberately use the pushchair space because they don't agree with them. Our priority seats are designated to include parents with young children on knees and if a parent with a toddler on the knee sits on one you should hear the grumbling. Some people are not very nice (we even get a special seat with a spot for a guide dog to sit next to their owner and a rack for umbrella fold buggies some buses)