Prams on buses

laurenweird

My take on it has always been this (I am a mother to a 3 year old and a 1 year old so have had experience with prams on a bus):

Before a baby can sit up unaided I'd say they are just as "disabled" as an elderly person. Collapsing a pram and balancing a young baby is a difficult task and I think they have just as much of a right.

As soon as a baby can sit up aided I think a pushchair should be bought - small to enough to fit on a bus and easy to collapse if needed. I hate seeing older children (say, 8 months plus) in the big bulky prams when a smaller pushchair would easily do the job.

Now my son can walk (the youngest) I often collapse the pram to get on the bus if it looks too full. It can be awkward but it's easy enough.

However, some "old" people can be very rude - often there is little wrong with them over than they think they have an entitlement to sit at the front over anyone else. I have often had menacing looks from the elderly (talking about 50 years old, completely capable of walking) when I've come on with a pram, even if there is loads of room. It makes me feel very bad even though I always try my best to be considerate.

It works both ways. There are inconsiderate mothers with prams and inconsiderate "old" people. In the same respect there are old people who genuinally need the space and there are many mothers who would collapse prams and pushchairs where possible.

Just my take on it. In that particular situation, if the pram was collapsable and the baby of a certain age and the elderly person was really as frail as you saym the lady should have collapsed the pram and held her baby - or at the very least showed some appreciation to the woman for moving.

Just my take on it.

Mupette

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/northampton/bus_access/low_floor_access/wheelchairs.php

As part of our commitment to providing accessible travel for wheelchair users virtually all our buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair users; other passengers are asked to give up the space for wheelchairs.
When your low floor bus arrives at the bus stop you can ask the driver to lower the step and/or ramp to allow you to board.
Please ask the driver for assistance if you require any help. If the bus is full or there is already a wheelchair user on board unfortunately we will not be able to carry another wheelchair user.
You should reverse your wheelchair into the dedicated area on board (so you are facing the back of the vehicle) and apply the brakes.
Aisles and gangways must be kept clear at all times.
Wheelchairs do not have priority over buggies, but to ensure all our customers are treated fairly and with consideration, other customers are asked to move to another part of the bus to allow you to board.
Unfortunately, if a fellow passenger refuses to move you will need to wait for the next bus.
Non-low floor or 'Step Height' buses are not able to accommodate wheelchair users.

custardy

I actually saw the sign on an LRT bus the other day.
paraphrasing.

max of 2 push chairs on the bus with one folded.
they must be able to fold
push chairs must be prepared to fold down if a wheel chair requires to get on

all the LRT buses are wheelchair accessable with a ramp and ability to lower the bus

Nicki

Interestingly I tried to board a bus yesterday which was half empty but had two pushchairs on board. I was with my sister and took the baby out of the pushchair to fold it down and get on, but the driver shook his head at me, closed the doors and drove off. From which I surmise that bus drivers would prefer babies in pushchairs on board their buses not being held in arms with buggies folded.

I certainly wouldn't fold my pushchair without another adult with me to help, and actually now having had to miss a bus and wait in the rain for 20 minutes for the next one, won't try and do so in any circumstances again, whatever disapproving looks or tuts anyone wants to throw my way.

I also noticed that the sign on our buses, which has been much discussed, has a written clarification underneath which says that the space is for wheelchair users or buggies. It is definitely not intended as a generic disabled space, but a space for wheeled people carriages be they for babies or the disabled.

QuackQuack_2

Imotep wrote: »

Maybe I can clear a few misunderstandings up.

As a bus driver in Kent (stagecoach) we have specific rules when dealing with pushchairs, wheelchairs and the elderly.

When an elderly person gets on, it is an assumed right that they get to sit at the front. The bus company do put stickers up in the front windows to indicate that people "should" give up the front seats for the elderly, but they dont have to. Everyone has all paid the same price for getting on the bus and everyone has the right to sit where ever they like, so long as its in a seat and not causing a problem for the driver/other passengers.

Pushchairs have to use the wheelchair area. They can be folded up but this is usually done by the parent, whilst the driver or another passenger holds the baby. Many a time I have had a child sitting in the cab area with me, simple reason is because it is easier for me to hold the baby rather than figure out how a pushchair folds up.
If there is room in the wheelchair area however, they are to go in that area without having to fold up. If people have to move, then they have to move. Some of the newer buses have enough room for elderly to sit down in front and for the pushchair to fit in space, so its not an issue.

When a wheelchair wants to get on, the wheelchair has priority. Regardless of which elderly person wants the seat, regardless of how many pushchairs are on. The pushchairs have to move and may have to fold up if there is no room, the other choice is they get off the bus and walk. The wheelchair always has priority, this is due to the discrimination laws that apply.

Hope that clears it up a little.

But the only part of the manual missing is what happens when you have three buggies on with disabled children in them, and a wheelchair tries to get on. I was on a bus in September when this happened and none of them were willing to give an inch.

Bus driver calls controller. Controller does not know what to do and calls manager. Manager calls Stagecoach Chichester to ask advice from his manager - all whilst a the bus stop waiting. In the end a taxi is called for the wheelchair. The bus driver then goes to pull away and the bus packs up - it overheated. In the end we all had to get off and, I'm told, the driver lost a chunk of his break - for which he is not paid - because he was late back to the depot. The wheelchair user was in a taxi and gone before the replacement bus arrived.

Stagecoach fear one thing equally - or more than - discrimination laws - bad press.

QuackQuack_2

Imotep wrote: »

Have been in a similar situation, where I was the driver.

"Peer pressure" works well here. By simply stating to the pram owners that the bus will not be moving until the wheelchair is safely secured in the wheelchair area, if they refuse to move then the pressure is then on them.

I have seen a few times where other passengers will make comments, until the offending person gives in.
Not an ideal resolution, but effective none the less.

But who has 'priority?' (if there is such a thing) The wheelchair user who is trying to board the bus, or the three registered disabled children in adapted pushchairs that are already on the bus *and* who managed to kick off in the past in the local press? To make matters worse, they were all headed to the same education centre, and there is one bus an hour.

You can see why the driver did what he did :-)

williamD1964

Surely, by insisting that a person or persons with a pushchair get off the bus to allow a person in a wheelchair get on is discrimination!

mothering_unit51

Thanks for the clarification Zaksmum, I was just about to add the same thing. The wheelchair sign indicates priority should be given to those with a disablitiy and the old lady WAS disabled due to mobility problems. When you're a teenager, it's hard to imagine what it's like to be old and frail. Poor attitude is the crux of this incident, lots of people need to be more kind and tolerant and manners cost nothing. I have to say I agree whith the point made by others about the prams and buggies being far too large these days.

C_Mababejive

They are just lazy !!!!s.

Buggies should be folded and stowed,not pushed on board to block the aisles.

Alternatively,when the so called buggy slots are full,no further buggies should be allowed on board.

In my world,there would be no buggy slots. There would only be a wheelchair space,some spaces for elderly/infirm ,pot smokers would be thrown off,and mobile phone jammers would be fitted to all buses.No cash payments would be allowed on buses,only pre purchased tickets or other means of smart purcahse.

Azari

C_Mababejive wrote: »

They are just lazy !!!!s.

Buggies should be folded and stowed,not pushed on board to block the aisles.

Alternatively,when the so called buggy slots are full,no further buggies should be allowed on board.

In my world,there would be no buggy slots. There would only be a wheelchair space,some spaces for elderly/infirm ,pot smokers would be thrown off,and mobile phone jammers would be fitted to all buses.No cash payments would be allowed on buses,only pre purchased tickets or other means of smart purcahse.

Buy a car.