Ignorant People

Cyclamen

I am a wheelchair user and have used trains afew times.. either prebooking or just turning up.. the guards etc have been great.

The guards explained they can't force someone to give up the wheelchair space if a buggy is there but they will put up a good argument. One couple were asked politely to move buggy for me (I'd booked) then told more forcibly.. they spent the whole journey glaring and muttering.. not a very nice experience... i do appreciate buggies are hard to manouvre but there were two adults one to hold kiddy and one to fold it up.

When i didn't book it was areally busy train, as i was only going two stops on train i parked in corridor by doors and left mum with buggy and two toddlers sat in space.. on our return journey the guards gave us a voucher for a taxi home as the station was so busy, i was expecting to wait for the next train.

I think it has to work both ways.. i try to give way to others and wait my turn on narrow pavements, and always says thanks when someone opens a door or helps me.

When we sit at park benches.. hubby has mobility issues and uses a stick.. he will relocate, sit on floor etc for someone approcahing if they look like they need the seat..

The problem is how do you tell who to offer seats to? Who to give way to? Not all disabilities are visible.. i just look like a healthy person sat in a wheelchair.

I tried to find out about buses, haven't been brave enough to try normal ones.. I telephoned them to ask about access but they weren't very helpful.

On the whole i think people here are really helpful but they always look stunned when you say thank you.

Indie_Kid

singlehouseholder wrote: »

On the topic of using public transport. Has anyone any experience of not being able to board a bus because buggies are in the wc section? I'm yet to use public transport and to be honest the thought of it fills me with dread.
My horror scenario being, I wait for a bus, board bus , pay fare, only to see the wc sections are taken up by buggies. Then what happens? Should the buggies be folded up and child put on parents knee? Should I alight the bus, taking my ticket/refund with me and wait for the next bus?
How does it work ? Thankyou. I am a relatively new wheely, July 2013, after going down the formal complaint procedure with my local wheelchair services I am now the proud passenger of an invacare xlt and want to get the most out of it, and my life. Thankyou.

This has nothing to do with what you're asking - but have you applied for a disabled persons bus pass?

Where I am, there is a notice up about the legal requirement for pushchairs to vacate the space if a wheelchair user requires the space and the driver would ask the parent to fold the pushchair.

abudabi

cattermole wrote: »

Seems to me your the petty one bringing this up after all this time!!

I very rarely log on here,but am entitled to answer back? no doubt you are on here every day, and fight your own battles, it seems this place is very cliquey:mad:

singlehouseholder

Indie_Kid wrote: »

This has nothing to do with what you're asking - but have you applied for a disabled persons bus pass?

Where I am, there is a notice up about the legal requirement for pushchairs to vacate the space if a wheelchair user requires the space and the driver would ask the parent to fold the pushchair.

I didn't know you could get a disabled persons bus pass? When I logged onto my local travel operators site they have a subsidised taxi card thing, it entitles you to the first three pounds , then you pay the rest. Annoyingly they only accept applications two months in the year

I will look into the bus pass, thank you indie kid :beer:

singlehouseholder

Well there you go, just rang and left my details for the free bus pass, I had no idea , cheers indie kid , will ask about the wheelchair policy on buses when they call back. Next step, or whatever our equivalent is, working up the courage to use public transport eek!!

carlislelass

I`ve been on buses when there`s been arguments between wheelchair and buggy users...driver has left them to it. There are signs saying wheelchair has priority

disabled_NCIS_fan

I have had good and bad experiences. I have had some bus drivers who were great and some who weren't. Same with passengers, I don't use the bus much, thankfully dad drives. DVLA class me as too much of a risk now. What annoys me is the people who talk to my parents about what I would like or who walk over me. Seriously I am down here people, I can talk. I didn't know they did disabled passes, I will have to look up on the LA website.

nannytone_2

i'd never experienced any problems to do specifically with my disability ( i am blind) until a few weeks ago.
i had a dentist appointment and, as usual, my PA came with me. i told the receptionist my name and she replied 'sit HER down', obviously ignoring me and talking to my PA.
i said... OK I will sit her down, but you'll have to tell me where the seats are!
when i thought about it after, it annoyed me. for the first time, i had been treated as a 'non person'.
but i bet she wont do it again

Indie_Kid

How rude! I can't say I'm that surprised though. I guess I'm lucky - I've never had others talk to whoever is with me instead of me. (unless of course, it's been a medical appointment and the person is asking my relative about my medical history etc)

Did once have someone talk to me really slowly when I told them I'm partially sighted. Still can't work out their logic. At the time, my ears were perfectly fine.

malebolge

I'm not writing this to disagree with anyone's experiences. Just to say that I've had different ones, thankfully.

The OP mentioned that no-one seems to care these days, specially the younger generation. I've found the reverse, that the younger generation, those that I've come into contact with, have been great.
I now use a wheelchair all the time, but a few years back could make journeys using sticks (stubborn old !!!!!!, I used to struggle) I had a 2 month period when I had to use buses/trains every day, and on every occasion it was a young person, usually a teenage boy, who offered me a seat. I did have some rude people who ignored me - I remember one 30 something woman with a buggy and shopping who knocked me over and just carried on, but I also remember the 2 young lads who helped me up, picked up all of my stuff and checked I was ok. They had hoodies and used a lot of 'innits'; in fact a tabloid's stereotype of a certain type of youth, but they were 2 little stars.
I've also found that the younger generation are, if anything, the ones who are least likely to feel ill-at-ease talking to someone in a wheelchair. I've recently been away for 3 days and found that all the hotel staff and restaurant staff were helpful, but it was the younger ones who were more friendly and chatty.
Perhaps I've just been lucky, but I'd prefer to think that it's because the majority of teenagers are thoughtful and kind at heart.