Should wheelchair users get priority over a baby in a pushchair?

[leonnib]

speaking as someone who takes london transport daily and has a 16 month old.

im often on buses where pushchairs are asked to fold them down when a wheelchair comes on.
and often babys that are really young.
Most of the time the mother says no.

in my personal view and im sure not everyone agrees but i dont think there should be a priority.
if a baby cant travel in a car without being in a car seat why should we be asked to hold them on a bus?

As a parent we have to wait for 3/4 buses sometimes to get a pushchair space so i dont see why a wheel chair should then be able to demand that space.

OR do you think it makes a difference to the age of the child also?
i would fold it if my child was 2/3 years for a wheelchair and for a younger baby if they needed a space.

 

[angel fingers]

hmmmm, interesting question.

well when my 2 older girls were little, you couldnt actually get a pushchair on a bus because of the way the entrance was designed. so my options were to fold the pushchair or walk.

i'd say the priority should probably go to the wheelchair user since they dont have this option.

but it would be good if busses had more space provided for pushchairs and wheelchairs. some busses on my route now have flap down seats so you can either use them for sitting or use the space for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

 

[Zo Zo]

This is a little contentious in my opinion.

I would happily fold up a pushchair and hold a baby to give the space to a wheelchair user.

I also know someone who had a baby in a buggy on a bus and the bus stopped suddenly, the buggy went over and the baby fell out and had to be taken to casualty. (He was ok.)

I think we should be grateful for the use of our limbs and to be able to fold down a buggy and hold a baby.

 

[leonnib]

but you could say neither does a really young baby.
i dont like the idea of holding them in my arms on buses and never have. unless of course they are slightly older then id fold it.
i think it does make a difference to their age.
at my sons age i have no problem folding it he isnt a tiny baby and his pushchair is very simple.

but i do understand why mothers with younger babys dont wont to fold it.

my aunt is a wheelchair user her whole life and if someone doesnt offer to clear the space she doesnt get on.

at one point they were going to phase out double deckers and use bendy buses which has so much more space but ive heard they arent going to keep using them now.

 

[Zo Zo]

I think you're being a little selfish and I kind of wish you had never started this thread and I kind of wish I had never replied HOWEVER, how would you like to be in a wheelchair? Presumably you are fit and healthy? And you have a child which in itself is a privilege.

 

[Ruth Mills]

Sonia (my wife) is a wheelchair user, and there have been times when we've taken a bus into town, and there's been a distinct lack of wheelchair accessible buses on our route for the return journey. And at that time of day, it's a half hour wait for the next one.

If the bus isn't accessible, or there's no available wheelchair space on the bus, then Sonia can't get on. End of story. Whereas at least it's possible to fold a pushchair up.

I can imagine we'd both be more than just a little miffed if, on the last available bus back home in particular, the wheelchair space was already occupied by a perfectly able-bodied mum with a pushchair that could be easily folded up, at minimal hassle or danger to either her or her baby.

It would mean a major hassle for us - we'd have to source a wheelchair accessible taxi home, even assuming there was one available - and it would probably be harder for Sonia to get into the taxi than it would into the bus (the ramps on the wheelchair accessible taxis tend to be a lot steeper than those on buses).

Also - Sonia's condition means that it's very painful for her to be in her wheelchair for any length of time - so any unnecessary time spent faffing around waiting for alternative transport would almost certainly cause her additional pain from her arthritis and whatnot. As well as waiting for an extended length of time being very hard for me to take mentally due to my Asperger syndrome.

It's pretty hypothetical now anyway, as we've decreed never to get the bus into town again (after the hassle we had last time when neither of the two buses that came first were wheelchair accessible, and I had to take the penultimate bus home in case the last bus wasn't accessible and I needed to drive back to fetch Sonia). It's the car or our wheelchair accessible minibus every time from now on, even though it will kick out more carbon dioxide!

 

[High Hopes]

There is no comparison.
If i was on the bus with my buggy and a wheelchair user needed to get on but i was taking up the space i wouldnt even think twice about putting it down. And if i was concerned about holding my baby on the bus whilst standing i would sit on the floor.
To think that someone using a wheel chair has had to walk home or pay silly money to get a taxi because ive been too lazy to put down my buggy is ridiculous.

Silly thread.

 

[leonnib]

Sonia (my wife) is a wheelchair user, and there have been times when we've taken a bus into town, and there's been a distinct lack of wheelchair accessible buses on our route for the return journey. And at that time of day, it's a half hour wait for the next one.

If the bus isn't accessible, or there's no available wheelchair space on the bus, then Sonia can't get on. End of story. Whereas at least it's possible to fold a pushchair up.

I can imagine we'd both be more than just a little miffed if, on the last available bus back home in particular, the wheelchair space was already occupied by a perfectly able-bodied mum with a pushchair that could be easily folded up, at minimal hassle or danger to either her or her baby.

It would mean a major hassle for us - we'd have to source a wheelchair accessible taxi home, even assuming there was one available - and it would probably be harder for Sonia to get into the taxi than it would into the bus (the ramps on the wheelchair accessible taxis tend to be a lot steeper than those on buses).

Also - Sonia's condition means that it's very painful for her to be in her wheelchair for any length of time - so any unnecessary time spent faffing around waiting for alternative transport would almost certainly cause her additional pain from her arthritis and whatnot. As well as waiting for an extended length of time being very hard for me to take mentally due to my Asperger syndrome.

It's pretty hypothetical now anyway, as we've decreed never to get the bus into town again (after the hassle we had last time when neither of the two buses that came first were wheelchair accessible, and I had to take the penultimate bus home in case the last bus wasn't accessible and I needed to drive back to fetch Sonia). It's the car or our wheelchair accessible minibus every time from now on, even though it will kick out more carbon dioxide!

I have a prosthetic leg so have used a wheelchair for a few years but i didnt really travel by bus and they wernt adapted for wheelchairs back then and alot still had steps.

i still class myself as healthy however

my son is slightly older i did say it is easlier at his age to fold his pushchair as i said before ive never been in that situation and was never asked when he was a younger baby.
However as your child gets older 18 months/2 and you can give the space to another i dont see why you shouldnt.

I did clearly say it depends on their age.

i dont think im selfish at all.

i was interested i peoples opinions as i can see from a mums view and a wheelchair view.

i didnt think it would offend anyone so i wont post anymore on salon geek if thats the case. i was discussing it at work and was interested in what other people thought.

 

[Ruth Mills]

I have a prosthetic leg so have used a wheelchair before (very young) but i didnt really travel by bus and they wernt adapted for wheelchairs back then and alot still had steps.

my son is slightly older i did say it is easlier at his age to fold his pushchair as i said before ive never been in that situation and was never asked when he was a younger baby.
However as your child gets older 18 months/2 and you can give the space to another i dont see why you shouldnt.

I did clearly say it depends on their age.

i dont think im selfish at all.

Sorry. I wasn't implying you were being selfish. It was a hypothetical situation anyway; we've never been in a situation where we've had to take the next bus because the wheelchair space was already occupied (either by a wheelchair user or a pushchair) - we've only been delayed because they put a couple of geriatric buses in succession on our route that didn't have wheelchair access. And the chances are that you'll never be on a number 24 bus in Shrewsbury anyway. :hug:

And, like I've said, we've decided that it's safer for us not to rely on buses in the future...

 

[deanosnana]

There is no comparison.
If i was on the bus with my buggy and a wheelchair user needed to get on but i was taking up the space i wouldnt even think twice about putting it down. /quote]

1,000,000% agree!

 

[leonnib]

sorry ruth that was meant to zo zo.

tbh where i used to live i never saw it like now.i wonder if it becuase people get the bus less because of this.

only now ive lived in west london its something i see all the time a few times a week.

and as said a few times it depends on age
there is a difference to me in a nearly newborn...
and a child around my sons age 17 month/2.

so i do agree that in cases where it is minimal effort to the mother they should clear the space for wheelchair user or even a younger baby.

 

[bombini]

I drive so never get the bus but if I did then I would absolutley fold up the pram for a wheelchair and to be perfectly honest I wouldn't think twice about it. If I was a passenger and saw another mum not bother then I would damn well point out how selfish she was.

If I did ever need to take a bus then I would take the sling with me to so I could pop baby in that whilst the pushchair folded up.

Im a bit suprised at the question to be honest. Most wheelchair users don't really have the option of folding it up and popping it away so yes they should get priority.

Complete no brainer in my opinion.

 

[leonnib]

i thought i would be ablo to get people view without being cast as selfish. and have used a wheelchair myself.

but i think im just going to not post anymore.

as im not selfish at al.

 

[Kim Lawless]

I would always give priority to someone in a wheelchair, as I'm sure that they'd love the ability to be able to get out of their char and fold it up for a pram.

 

[Zo Zo]

in my personal view and im sure not everyone agrees but i dont think there should be a priority.

So far no one has agreed with this statement. This is a ridiculous thread:evil:

 

[nikinoodle]

I just had to put the point from the other side, sorry. I had a brand new bambino & an 11 month old & had been stood in the rain for 40 mins waiting for the bus, I also was the first person in the que! The que was very very long and when the bus finally showed up, he told me because there was a wheelchair right at the end I couldn't get on, I was so shocked I never said anything & not one person stood up for me, then the lady in the wheelchair zoomed past me - not even a thankyou, she may of well run over my toes!! So as you can maybe tell I am quite bitter about this:lol: But my point is it's not always the case of a wheelchairs user who gets the short straw!!:irked:. Thanks for reading I have been holding this grudge for nearly five years:lol::lol:

 

[High Hopes]

I just had to put the point from the other side, sorry. I had a brand new bambino & an 11 month old & had been stood in the rain for 40 mins waiting for the bus, I also was the first person in the que! The que was very very long and when the bus finally showed up, he told me because there was a wheelchair right at the end I couldn't get on, I was so shocked I never said anything & not one person stood up for me, then the lady in the wheelchair zoomed past me - not even a thankyou, she may of well run over my toes!! So as you can maybe tell I am quite bitter about this:lol: But my point is it's not always the case of a wheelchairs user who gets the short straw!!:irked:. Thanks for reading I have been holding this grudge for nearly five years:lol::lol:

my solution to this would have been to have asked the bus driver for some help with my buggy, or indeed anyone else in the queue. When push comes to shove, although yes it would be difficult, you are able to sit on a seat on the bus with your children. I dont understand why it has to be pushchair or wheel chair. Maybe thats just me being naive but i would be shocked if i asked someone in the queue to help me onto the bus with my buggy and they turned round and said no.

 

[Ruth Mills]

my solution to this would have been to have asked the bus driver for some help with my buggy, or indeed anyone else in the queue. When push comes to shove, although yes it would be difficult, you are able to sit on a seat on the bus with your children. I dont understand why it has to be pushchair or wheel chair. Maybe thats just me being naive but i would be shocked if i asked someone in the queue to help me onto the bus with my buggy and they turned round and said no.

That does sound rather unfair to me too! I would have felt a tad guilty in that situation if it was Sonia and I who were able to jump the queue just like that - especially in the rain!!!

 

[High Hopes]

That does sound rather unfair to me too! I would have felt a tad guilty in that situation if it was Sonia and I who were able to jump the queue just like that - especially in the rain!!!

I dont by any means think someone in a wheel chair should be allowed to "jump the queue" just because they re in a wheelchair but at the same time i cant understand why it should be either or. A push chair can be put down. Folded tightly.

I cant imagine their being a situation where both parties cant get onto the bus. Even someone with a double buggy can hold two babies on there lap. Ive done it.

xx

 

[Ruth Mills]

I dont by any means think someone in a wheel chair should be allowed to "jump the queue" just because they re in a wheelchair but at the same time i cant understand why it should be either or. A push chair can be put down. Folded tightly.

I cant imagine their being a situation where both parties cant get onto the bus. Even someone with a double buggy can hold two babies on there lap. Ive done it.

xx

I did wonder if that particular bus driver that was mentioned might have been a bit of a jobsworth when it comes to "health & schmafety"...