Was I being unreasonable not to fold my pushchair when travelling on a bus?

[mummycake]

I have recently read an article in the news of the world by veteran journalist Carole Malone who debated whether parents should be allowed to sit at the front of buses with their pushchairs as she believed that they take the spaces reserved for people with physical disabilities. She stated that pushchairs are designed to be folded flat and should therefore always be folded before going on a bus journey to avoid inconvieniance to others particularly wheelchair users. I used to be a regular public transport user when my son was tiny and rarely folded up my pushchair thinking that these spaces where meant for pushchair users also! Was I wrong to do this, as I would never for one minute want to inconvieniance anyone particularly those who would struggle to sit elsewhere. What are your opinions on this?? This is a genuine thread due to my interest in this matter and the hope that I have not made life difficult for people with more need for the seats than me. By the way I would have always given up my seat for wheelchair users but was concerned that people wouldnt come on the buses if they saw that these spaces were filled!!!

[damnedchilblains]

Carole Malone ! I believe if your child is a toddler and not sleeping, possibly. But you have a right to not fold up the pushchair as pushchairs are allowed on the bus. I have no time for waste of space, pain in the arse journalists who have no idea what it's like to get on a bus with a crying baby in the feckin rain because you are unable to drive for whatever reason.

By the way, when was the last time carole malone had to get on the bus

[alicet]

I don't always fold my pushchair unless there isn't space to leave it unfolded (as happened on Sat) or a wheelchair user needs the space.

You are right that the spaces are there for pushchairs too and personally I think carole malone (don't know who she is and haven't read the article) should shut her mouth - she clearly has never tried to use a bus with young children or it is so long ago she's forgotten how difficult it is to juggle 2 small children, shopping and a pushchair.

Always collapse pushchair if it is necessary to allow a wheelchair user priority to the space or if there are any other specific problems but ffs makes no sense to collapse it in a bus with loads of space and no wheelchairs!

[junglist1]

What do you do with a newborn while you fold the pushchair? Balance her on your head? Put on the floor?? In London all the mummies fight to get their buggy on and if a wheelchair space is needed THEN they fold. Why fold if the space isn't needed yet

[MrsC2010]

YANBU if no-one else needs the space. If a disabled person gets on they have rights over you as far as I know. If the bus is really crowded as well I would say you were far more reasonable to fold.

[ilovesprouts]

i have a mac major elite its not always easy to fold down as you have to take the hood and footplate off ,but if need be i will fold it down for wheelchairs

[sweetnitanitro]

I think you should be prepared to fold your buggy if necessary but there's no need if there's plenty of room. I don't use public transport much but I was once on a very crowded bus so I folded up the buggy and carried DD. I was surprised and pleased at the amount of people that jumped up to help me

[birdworthington]

Yanbu. I have had to do this when my two were in prams. If someone needed the space I would move. It's not just for wheelchair users.

This woman really irritates me, she is so full of herself, she comments on things that she knows nothing about. Today she was taking the piss out of the large girl in the film 'precious'. She was annoyed that people were telling her that she looked beautiful instead of fat. Had she called me the names she called her I would have taken her out!

Also makes me laugh how she is the expert on her 'good friend' Jade Goody when in the past she has also been vile about her.

[Missus84]

It depends - if the bus isn't busy and no wheelchair user needs the space then it's fine to leave it unfolded. If the bus is busy then fold it up.

If you have a toddler in a Maclaren and someone with a newborn in a pram needs the space, then fold it.

It's about being considerate of other bus users. Unfortunately some people think they have a divine right to take their monster buggy on a bus no matter how crowded.

[HaveToWearHeels]

YANBU, I never fold my pushchair, and I have never seen a Mum do so. The buses are always full of Mums and babies/toddlers in pushchairs, yet I have never seen a wheelchair user on the bus. I would do my upmost to get out of the way to move should I see a wheelchair user on a bus but it is a rare site around here. The two people I know who have wheelchairs have cars under the Mobility scheme maybe that is why !
Carole Malone has probably never had to use a bus let alone with a pushchair.

[damnedchilblains]

When my dc's were young I have let buses that were full go past because there was no space to fold down the pushchair, when they got older it was less of a problem folding down the pushchair as they could walk onto the bus themselves; and when my youngest dc got to 2 I stopped using a puschair altogether because I couldn't be bothered with the hassle anymore. In al honesty however, I have never encountered a problem where a wheelchair user was unable to get on a bus because the space was being occupied by a pushchair. And I do wonder how many times Carole Malone has seen it . Ok rant over - I do dislike that woman though

[damnedchilblains]

"because there was no space to fold down the pushchair" should have read to keep the pushchair unfolded. gah I'm knackered

[mountainmonkey]

The buses where I live have signs saying "this space may be used by buggies if not needed by a wheelchair user. Buggies may need to be folded at busy times." That's a pretty clear statement of the rules.

I've never needed to fold mine because the few times there's been a wheelchair user there's been enough space, but like to think I have enough courtesy/common sense to do so...though it might be difficult juggling baby and shopping.

[TheCrackFox]

They tried this very experiment in Edinburgh. It failed.

The general rule is that, if you have a pushchair that won't fold down, when someone using a wheelchair gets on the bus you have to get off.

[4madboys]

yep we have signs saying that certain spaces are for buggies or pushchairs, some buses have a space on one side for a wheelchair, with special support bits and then on the other side for buggies and you can fit two or three regular pushchairs, prams in them.

i use the bus a lot, always have done, once mine were toddlers i would get them out and fold up the buggy, but if they are little or asleep i would leave them in, unless of course a wheelchair user needed the space

[Portofino]

I have travelled to and fro into central Brussels daily for 4 years on the bus. In that time I have seen a wheel chair on a handful of occasions. In fact i think it was the same woman! Otherwise the space has often been filled with pushchairs.

[Rockbird]

"The general rule is that, if you have a pushchair that won't fold down, when someone using a wheelchair gets on the bus you have to get off."

Hmm, I don't know about that.... you all pay your money, first come first served... I don't know, that doesn't seem particularly fair to me.

[smokinaces]

When DS1 was 4wo we had to fold the buggy to let a wheelchair user on. Luckily I had ex-DH with me to hold baby whilst I folded.

After that I always kept a sling under the buggy - if I needed to fold I would chuck baby in the sling and fold buggy.

Now DSs are 3 and 2 we have a cheap stroller and I nearly always offer to fold it for other pushchairs (always do for wheelchairs) - apart from the other weekend when our bus was 1hr late, and DS2 had fallen into a fitful sleep and I was desperate to keep him that way so asked the other lady to fold hers (and she was very nice about doing it as her DD was 2 and happy to climb out)

Its having respect for each other and making each others lives easier is it not?

[jybay]

""The general rule is that, if you have a pushchair that won't fold down, when someone using a wheelchair gets on the bus you have to get off."

Hmm, I don't know about that.... you all pay your money, first come first served... I don't know, that doesn't seem particularly fair to me. "

Having a child is (usually) a choice. Having a pushchair that won't fold down is definitely a choice. Using a wheelchair is not a choice.

It would be daft to expect parents to fold buggies if no one else needs the space but wheelchair users or disabled children (who cannot easily come out of a buggy) should have priority.

[Firawla]

Yanbu i have never folded my pushchair on a bus and wouldn't consider doing so (i would move for a weelchair user but ill either just block the isle area a bit or if really no room i would just get off and get on next bus)
i don't see many people folding their buggies down either.
if it was a single buggy easily foldable and i had a toddler who was sensible to stay in one place on the bus then maybe, but with a double its not really possible and even with just ds1 i wouldn't as he's quite hyper and would run up and down the bus
theres no need to fold, 2 buggies will fit in unfolded

[withorwithoutyou]

I have very limited experience of using pushchairs on the bust. When my baby was about 3 months we went on a virgin train. I was standing in wide aisle bit near the door outside the toilets so the puschair didn't get in anyone's way as I ddn't want to fold as baby was sleeping.

The conductor came and told me (very nicely) to come and park the pushchair in the wheelchair spot - he was horrified I was standing in the aisle when I could have been sitting.

[ginormoboobs]

Fold if the child is not in it.
If child is sleeping then leave it up.
If they don't want to be in the buggy, fold it.
I always feel mildly peed off when I get on a bus and find an empty buggy taking up the buggy / wheelchair space. Fold it people!
I used to fold mine when the kids were babies as it was far nice to give them a cuddle. I find it easier to fold buggy with a baby than with a toddler who runs away

[MrsC2010]

So, the wheelchair user, who doesn't have a choice but be in their wheelchair, has to not bother getting the bus because someone can't/won't fold? Those spaces were designed for wheelchairs. If they are not needed, then they are available to buggies.

[ageing5yearseachyear]

have to say that i havent been on a bus with dc3, but when i had older 2 there was always others, usually older, retired men, who would help me fold down the buggy if needed or hold a baby while i did it. i always travelled during the off peak times though!

[mazzystartled]

Buses round here clearly state 1 side for buggies, 1 side for people using wheelchairs but may be used by others if not needed.

I am always hyper conscious of trying to be considerate of other people, so if I can manage it (which is hard with a 5yr old, a just 3yr old and 35 week bump) I either try not to take the buggy at all, or fold it if it is not laden with stuff as well as child.

Always move for people using wheelchairs. But by the same token have no qualms about asking perfectly able bodied people to move further back if I need the space.