"priorty" seats on public transport what is your experience and opinion?

Viberduo

I have a disabled bus pass, and whilst I have no physical disability(a few health conditions but none that affect my walking most of the time) but I notice that a lot of time when I get on buses people just go straight for the front seat regardless of who needs it.

Now I am the sort of person who looks at logic, I wont move just for a old person who is bubbly and walks like a young person, I would for a frail old person or if no seats were downstairs on a double decker but a lot of time the people who use them are stereotypes like teenagers, drunks, single mums who to make matters worse have their pram in the wheelchair part not even folded up then their kid is taken from pram and sat besides them whilst people are standing up meaning they have just wasted 3 seats i.e if they folded up pram and sat next to it or had their child on their lap it frees up seats.

Plus the same single mums seem to think that me with a disabled bus pass HAS to move for them if they need a seat i.e they either stare or outright give you abuse and demand you move not even thinking that you need the seat or you have shopping under you etc.

Old people are quite bad too, expecting people to move automatically for them and moaning at you if you dont.

Anyway what are your thoughts and experiences on this?

Indie_Kid

Of course, there's no chance that the mother with the pram could be disabled...

Viberduo

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Of course, there's no chance that the mother with the pram could be disabled...

Of course thers no chance the person sitting in the seat can be disabled.

I was expecting people to try and poke holes into the discussion.

Oh and for your information the ones I have seen getting on have not used bus passes, there has been times I have got on with my medication making me barely able to drag my foot across the ground and in agony and no one has offered me a seat

Indie_Kid

It doesn't matter whether they've used bus passes or not. I am disabled and have had to pay because I've left my bus pass at home.

Viberduo

I was trying to avoid getting into that because the same can be said about me sitting in the disabled seat, the person has just expected me to move for no reason and not thought if I am disabled, you seem to be saying that maybe the person expecting me to move was disabled.

I never denied they CAN'T be did I?

Indie_Kid

Did you tell them you were disabled and your disability means you can't move?

kingfisherblue

How do you know the mums are single, and why is this a problem? It sounds prejudiced to me. I've been a single mum for over nine years, although I was married when my children were born. I'm certainly no different now to when I was married - except perhaps stronger and happier! I've never shouted abuse to anyone, and have never seen it happen either (with regards to who is sitting in the frontmost seats on a bus).

I don't have a disability, but I do have a disabled son, and we have found that the only problems on public transport tend to be getting his wheelchair on and off. Thankfully most buses are now far more accessible than they used to be. On the train, passengers tend to be great. We take the train into Liverpool and there are plenty of stereotypes such as those you describe. However, even when the train is full to bursting, it is rare that my son is not offered a seat. Frequently, I am also offered one myself. Teenagers and young men tend to be the ones who give up their seats so that my son does not have to stand.

As for older people who seem to walk like a younger person, well, my mum is eighty and looks younger. She can walk well enough onto a bus, but it takes her a long time to reach the bus stop, as she has to walk very slowly. She has a heart condition, but you can't tell by looking at her. She lives five minutes away from the bus stop, but sets out fifteen minutes before it is due, to get there in time, and to be able to stop on the way to catch her breath. She would never expect anyone to move for her, and would not say anything on the bus if she had to sit further back (but would tell me later), as she is polite and does not like confrontation. On the other hand, when someone does move further back to allow her to sit in a front seat, she is grateful and audible in her thanks (quite embarrassingly so, IMO, as she tells everyone what a lovely young man/lady the person is, and how well mannered they are).

Fortunately, we don't seem to encounter many drunks on public transport in my area, but then again, I don't use buses at night (although I do use trains occasionally).

kingfisherblue

Viberduo wrote: »

I have a disabled bus pass, and whilst I have no physical disability(a few health conditions but none that affect my walking most of the time) but I notice that a lot of time when I get on buses people just go straight for the front seat regardless of who needs it.

Now I am the sort of person who looks at logic, I wont move just for a old person who is bubbly and walks like a young person, I would for a frail old person or if no seats were downstairs on a double decker but a lot of time the people who use them are stereotypes like teenagers, drunks, single mums who to make matters worse have their pram in the wheelchair part not even folded up then their kid is taken from pram and sat besides them whilst people are standing up meaning they have just wasted 3 seats i.e if they folded up pram and sat next to it or had their child on their lap it frees up seats.

Plus the same single mums seem to think that me with a disabled bus pass HAS to move for them if they need a seat i.e they either stare or outright give you abuse and demand you move not even thinking that you need the seat or you have shopping under you etc.

Old people are quite bad too, expecting people to move automatically for them and moaning at you if you dont.

Anyway what are your thoughts and experiences on this?

Quoted....

Viberduo

kingfisherblue wrote: »

How do you know the mums are single, and why is this a problem? It sounds prejudiced to me. I've been a single mum for over nine years, although I was married when my children were born. I'm certainly no different now to when I was married - except perhaps stronger and happier! I've never shouted abuse to anyone, and have never seen it happen either (with regards to who is sitting in the frontmost seats on a bus).

I don't have a disability, but I do have a disabled son, and we have found that the only problems on public transport tend to be getting his wheelchair on and off. Thankfully most buses are now far more accessible than they used to be. On the train, passengers tend to be great. We take the train into Liverpool and there are plenty of stereotypes such as those you describe. However, even when the train is full to bursting, it is rare that my son is not offered a seat. Frequently, I am also offered one myself. Teenagers and young men tend to be the ones who give up their seats so that my son does not have to stand.

As for older people who seem to walk like a younger person, well, my mum is eighty and looks younger. She can walk well enough onto a bus, but it takes her a long time to reach the bus stop, as she has to walk very slowly. She has a heart condition, but you can't tell by looking at her. She lives five minutes away from the bus stop, but sets out fifteen minutes before it is due, to get there in time, and to be able to stop on the way to catch her breath. She would never expect anyone to move for her, and would not say anything on the bus if she had to sit further back (but would tell me later), as she is polite and does not like confrontation. On the other hand, when someone does move further back to allow her to sit in a front seat, she is grateful and audible in her thanks (quite embarrassingly so, IMO, as she tells everyone what a lovely young man/lady the person is, and how well mannered they are).

Fortunately, we don't seem to encounter many drunks on public transport in my area, but then again, I don't use buses at night (although I do use trains occasionally).

I cannot be certain they are however a lot of times they are regulars or stick together(thats when its bad, a busy time of day with 3 girls all with prams and some have more than 1 child)

It seems you think I have a problem with single parents, nope none at all its just you are so used to people thinking less of single parents you went on the defensive, and one of the points I wanted people to think about you mentioned yourself, you cant always tell if someone is disabled, people expect me to move as they assume I am not disabled and they are more important, I also say single mums as the people who do this are females and not with men, you get some young girls on the bus with a pram with a male partner and never once had a problem with them its the ones who on their own that I have a problem wth hence "single"

I suppose its worse to be a male in this situation as in the past I have fallen forward or back due to the bus pulling out as it doesnt wait for people to sit down and never have I been offered help, just like in the street I have had bags split, or things fall out people never help but we have these old fashioned notions that men have to be gentleman, I wonder if that is part of why people expect me to move but the general point is people do not think about potential disability they look at the persons sex and age(it also seems common people expect others to move if they have children under teenage years regardless of if you have problems such as heavy bags)

I am a 30 year old autistic male, I look at the little things in detail, in my area a lot of people with bus passes outside the elderly are people on drugs or drink problems which isn't that fair to others, back to the single mums they are from a local council estate which is majorly single parents and drug dealers(not a stereotype, I know people from college who have drug dealers, can list about 20 alone on 1 small estate) some talk about how they go clubbing to meet men(and leave kids at home)

I DON'T just look at a girl on her own with kids and think "single mum"

To go back to the basics, I get on the bus, people mutter about me or stare because I may not move for someone, most of the time though when I get on a bus the people with prams are already on the bus(since they live further up on the council estate) and block the 2 seats/wheelchair area with an empty pram, have kid sitting beside them yet people are standing on the bus yet I have a disabled bus pass and sometimes get agonising circulation problems due to medication, I have sometimes been so much in pain I can barely move my leg let alone lift it and they just stare and make rude comments.

The same people who do this expect people to move for them when they bring a pram on regardless of the persons age or disability.

tomtontom

Viberduo wrote: »

I cannot be certain they are however a lot of times they are regulars or stick together(thats when its bad, a busy time of day with 3 girls all with prams and some have more than 1 child)

It seems you think I have a problem with single parents, nope none at all its just you are so used to people thinking less of single parents you went on the defensive, and one of the points I wanted people to think about you mentioned yourself, you cant always tell if someone is disabled, people expect me to move as they assume I am not disabled and they are more important, I also say single mums as the people who do this are females and not with men, you get some young girls on the bus with a pram with a male partner and never once had a problem with them its the ones who on their own that I have a problem wth hence "single"

I suppose its worse to be a male in this situation as in the past I have fallen forward or back due to the bus pulling out as it doesnt wait for people to sit down and never have I been offered help, just like in the street I have had bags split, or things fall out people never help but we have these old fashioned notions that men have to be gentleman, I wonder if that is part of why people expect me to move but the general point is people do not think about potential disability they look at the persons sex and age(it also seems common people expect others to move if they have children under teenage years regardless of if you have problems such as heavy bags)

I am a 30 year old autistic male, I look at the little things in detail, in my area a lot of people with bus passes outside the elderly are people on drugs or drink problems which isn't that fair to others, back to the single mums they are from a local council estate which is majorly single parents and drug dealers(not a stereotype, I know people from college who have drug dealers, can list about 20 alone on 1 small estate) some talk about how they go clubbing to meet men(and leave kids at home)

I DON'T just look at a girl on her own with kids and think "single mum"

To go back to the basics, I get on the bus, people mutter about me or stare because I may not move for someone, most of the time though when I get on a bus the people with prams are already on the bus(since they live further up on the council estate) and block the 2 seats/wheelchair area with an empty pram, have kid sitting beside them yet people are standing on the bus yet I have a disabled bus pass and sometimes get agonising circulation problems due to medication, I have sometimes been so much in pain I can barely move my leg let alone lift it and they just stare and make rude comments.

The same people who do this expect people to move for them when they bring a pram on regardless of the persons age or disability.

It does come across that you are the one with the problem. Your posts are so full of stereotypes it is like reading the Daily Mail!

Viberduo

tomtontom wrote: »

It does come across that you are the one with the problem. Your posts are so full of stereotypes it is like reading the Daily Mail!

By the way I am autistic so the way I write/think things is different from many people, please take that into account.

And the problem is what can you do to describe someone, i.e say "people with prams often seem to take up a lot of space or ask people to move" then I would be accused of stereotyping people with prams, or mentioning teenagers I would be stereotyping teenagers.

The world has become PC to the point when anything you say seems to be potentially offensive to someone in some way so its difficult, the best way to look at it is instead of thinking I am talking about ALL people in the category assume(correctly) that I am talking about certain people within a category its like saying that most people on benefits are lazy when its more that many people on benefits want a easy life therefore they choose to be on benefits and a huge amount want to work but find it hard and have barriers that make it seem they are lazy.