public buses with wheelchair access

Yesterday I got stuck under a bus in the doorway for thirty minutes nobody could move me.

I got stuck getting on the bus so the driver lower the bus but it trapped my wheelchair under the bus and the bus would not go up too as it broke down.

Driver was helpful but he couldn't free me and then afew more helped but the chair was jammed under the bus so everyone got off the bus as the driver phoned for a jack for highing the bus but this really tall man came walking by and he pulled me free by lifting my chair up.

Next time I will wait for the bus to be down first but I thought it was down as the driver was looking at me.

Has anyone else had problems with access on buses

I have no recent experience of busses Karl but had a friend who found the situation hopeless as he lived halfway along the bus route and by the time the bus reached his stop the wheelchair space was always taken up by kids buggies and as it was first come first serve he could only get aboard once in five tries.
We were both on the transport users advisory committee, now defunct, and were unable to change anyone's mind on the issue.
When I could walk I found many of my internal bleeds were caused by bus use but this only became apparent once I had a car!

Have you both heard about the case that went to court about the wheelchair user who couldn't use the wheelchair space on a bus because the mother refused to move her pushchair from the disabled place because her baby was asleep? And it's caused a right who harr because the wheelchair user lost the case so now it means if someone has a pushchair in the disabled spot they don't have to move it if a disabled person comes on the bus and wants to use the disabled spot!! It's ridiculous! I never use public transport anymore if I go out on a short journey I use a taxi.

Yes, I did hear about the case but the problem has always been a fact here, I don't know if the rule is local to particular council areas but that is what my colleague found to be the rule here and we couldn't get anyone to change it: If the space is taken up by a buggy the mother cannot be asked to move it, if she volunteers to do so fine but the driver will not under any circumstances require her to do so. The use of the space is strictly first come first served. Ludicrous as a policy it means that accessible public transport is still a privilege not a right, while the claim can be made that the buses are now accessible!

Last time I had to wait for 3 buses before I got on because the buses was full of buggies. I have a bus stop at the top of my street and every 5 mins a bus comes so it isn't too bad and buses are free. Taxis are about £8 to go into town so pretty expensive.

BUBBADOG14 wrote: Have you both heard about the case that went to court about the wheelchair user who couldn't use the wheelchair space on a bus because the mother refused to move her pushchair from the disabled place because her baby was asleep? And it's caused a right who harr because the wheelchair user lost the case so now it means if someone has a pushchair in the disabled spot they don't have to move it if a disabled person comes on the bus and wants to use the disabled spot!! It's ridiculous! I never use public transport anymore if I go out on a short journey I use a taxi.

I would have made damn sure her baby woke up

Even though public transport in India has seats/spots reserved for the differently abled, the access is pathetic. Low floor buses are not so common in India, and even in low floor buses, getting wheel chairs in isn't that easy. The scene is improving, though slowly.

Well Karl you do like to cause a stir eh? Here the buses mostly have ramps.But I've had drivers who are unable to lift the ramp.
However its zoom up a short ramp turn sharp right and then I have to get out and reverse park it into the bay - while avoiding the annoying pole thats there.!
Lot harder if its bin raining. In London you have to get on the ramp in the MIDDLE of the bus, so requires an accomplice to enter at the front!

In my city the busses are all accessible and the bus stops have castell kerbs which are supposed to make getting aboard better. I drive so don't have to use the buses thank goodness as the one wheelchair space can be already taken by a baby buggy and only if the mother agrees to move it does it get moved. The bus drivers are not o9bliged to insist as it's not part of their contract.
I used to be part of the Transport Users advisory committee and a fellow com. member once borrowed £5 off me to pay for a taxi as he lived halfway along the bus's route and the space was never available. The joke was on me as within a couple of days the poor sod died before giving me my fiver back!

ladyship wrote: Well Karl you do like to cause a stir eh? Here the buses mostly have ramps.But I've had drivers who are unable to lift the ramp.
However its zoom up a short ramp turn sharp right and then I have to get out and reverse park it into the bay - while avoiding the annoying pole thats there.!
Lot harder if its bin raining. In London you have to get on the ramp in the MIDDLE of the bus, so requires an accomplice to enter at the front!

Oh the annoying pole does my head in, but on the new buses there isnt a pole, just a drop down armrest. Its much better

But when its raining I find it easier to spin around the pole by sliding on the floor. I will teach you my driving skills lol

Tomrymer wrote: In my city the busses are all accessible and the bus stops have castell kerbs which are supposed to make getting aboard better. I drive so don't have to use the buses thank goodness as the one wheelchair space can be already taken by a baby buggy and only if the mother agrees to move it does it get moved. The bus drivers are not o9bliged to insist as it's not part of their contract.
I used to be part of the Transport Users advisory committee and a fellow com. member once borrowed £5 off me to pay for a taxi as he lived halfway along the bus's route and the space was never available. The joke was on me as within a couple of days the poor sod died before giving me my fiver back!

Some drivers will ask them to move the buggies in Hull, but some drivers cant be bothered about wheelchairs and might even moan about doing the ramp.

My idea would be to take away the luggage area on buses as no one uses these and this would make more spaces for wheelchairs and buggies.

I don't know @ Hull but on ours the luggage bit is above the wheel arch, so you can't really remove. Besides we need it for the folded up buggy!!