Special Needs Wheels

[TracyShave]

Hello There,
Do you have a child with an ASD or ADHD who use a special needs buggy while out and about?
Do you use a special needs buggy for any other diagnosis?

We'd like to hear from you if you live in Essex as we've set up a campaign called Stand up 4 Special Needs Wheels. We're getting the local bus company involved too because we want to make people more aware about the importance of these buggies in a bid to educate bus drivers and the general public to see that it's not always easy to just fold it up.

If you can help with this campaign in any way please get in touch with me at [email protected]

Thank you!

by helping this could be just telling me what it is life for you - have you had any problems? Are people quite good with your buggy? What are people's reaction on the bus etc....
Thank you!

I'm not in your area so no direct help but can tell you that my son who is 8 has a Maclaren Major. He has a congenital brain condition meaning his motor skills are poor. He is clumsy and tires easily so while he can walk and even run if he fancies he can't go for long which is why he needs the buggy. This in itself can raise a few eyebrows.

He gets stared at a lot when in his buggy and we have had a few run ins with (London) bus drivers who do not percieve the buggy as a wheelchair. If someone could offer him a seat it would be possible to fold it up but he couldn't stand on the bus as he would fall over (can't balance well).

I think it wold be helpful for drivers to be educated that an older child in a buggy with whatever diagnosis is there for a reason (we wouldn't do it if we didn't have to) and they should be accomodated as disabled adults are.

Good luck

I am in Essex, used a mac major for DS2(6yo, hypermobility syndrome and chronic asthma both affect his ability to walk at times) for a couple of years, now only use it on very bad days, but I am reliant on the bus service, as I'm registered disabled myself due to epilepsy. Which local bus company? Just First? Because I tend to find that I have more problems in my Essex town with The TGM buses that are Network Col.

And yes I've had problems, as I'm travelling at peak times of the day to get the DS's to school by bus. Luckily most of the bus drivers know me now, but I still get the comment or two from new drivers about folding for a pushchair occasionally. I just say he's disabled. it's the equivalent of a wheelchair, I'm not folding. One driver asked me to get off once (not many are brave enough to do that to me lol). He got told I had paid my fare and wasn't going ANYWHERE, and what was he going to do about it, with a face. And this was before DS2 could walk at ALL. . But then I developed my SN mum rhino skin when DD was little, and she's almost 12yo now. And I'm not backward about coming forwards. I also am the gobby loud one who tells asks people to move from the wheelchair are for a disability buggy/wheelchair....

(DS2 also has asd, I didn't read your initial post thouroughly)

I do Riven, even if it's not my SN buggy...

wheelchairs are better for getting people's ankles with though

wanted to let you know that I have managed to get the bus company in our area to put up our Stand up 4 wheels stickers in 500 buses! Our website launches on Autism Awareness day - go to www.standup4wheels.co.uk this friday. please show your support by adding something on our support page - we're also putting together a leaflet from people's experiences which will be distributed to bus staff and general public. Thank you for your comments above! Hope you can visit our site - we're also on face book. Look for Stand up 4 wheels.

One person really can make a difference! x

I used to live in Essex till very recently and found when ds had a Major that it was not recognised as sn buggy though some of this was down to fact ds was small .mind then again I lived in a town not small one either where if your disabled you could not get on a bus at all!!!

But I did find things easier once ds was using wheelchair though Essex often refused to ask mum to fold if she was on there first helpfull since I had get on half way through route

Compare that to where I live now 3buses a hour at end of lane but am in tint village and bus drivers that even made a mum fold buggy move shopping do me ds could board

Hello all,

I'd like to let you know that we now have stickers on the First Bus Operator Buses and have money for another 1,000 with other bus operators already showing an interest in the campaign.
We also have cards that can be issued to parents/carers to show the driver that the buggy (even if a "normal" one because the child is still small) should NOT be folded.
We've also now got a sn buggy for people to borrow for the odd day out or holiday too!
I've just redesigned our website so please feel free to have a look.
Check out the One The Buses page to see if your area are already supporting us.
If you are on facebook come along and join our group there too. the group is called Stand Up 4 Wheels - or find me Tracy Shave and add it through there (add me as a friend). I want as many people to join the fb group as possible as a kind of pledge that they understand.
Thank you for all your feedback - your comments allowed me to mould this campaign even more so thank you!

I moved from Essex to Herts and can tell you here the bus drivers are so much more aware