Yes or no: Are you annoyed when parents take an open buggy on public transport?

Question

Or even a wheelchair (no PC pls, lets be honest). I am a mum to a two-month-old girl and I don't have a car, so the bus or train is my way of getting around. I am usually met with disdain by others without kids. I am always very polite and say sorry if I bump anyone, but nothing stops the looks. If the bus is busy, I fold the buggy or walk.

Answer 1

i have 4 kids and only recently got a car, the one thing i discovered since having them is that everything thing we do as mums someone has an opinion on it, eg, we are in a queue and our baby cries, do we leave the baby to cry and risk people staring at us as if we are cruel, or do we pick up the baby and risk people staring at us for doing that, i used to take the bus and found that if i kept the buggy up people stared, but so did they if i took a couple of minutes to put the buggy down, they then would just sit there and watch me struggle with a baby in one arm, a toddler running off and a buggy in the other hand, the one thing i will say to you is grow a thick skin and learn not to care about what other people think, it is their problem, i am afraid i have become quite confrontational, especially as one of my kids is autistic, so hold your'e head up high and stuff them, you pay bus fare like everyone else.

Answer 2

No I am do not get annoyed. You have every right to take your kids and buggy on the bus. In the main when I have been on the bus, people will help the person on and off the bus with the buggy.

What does annoy me though is when I see people pushing these buggies onto the road first instead of turning the buggy around so it is facing the other way.

A precaution just in case a car comes speeding along the road and does not see the buggy. Years ago when people had proper prams they afforded a wee bit more protection for the child than do these flimsy buggies of today.

Answer 3

I am a bus driver and i have to say that I have no problems with parents bringing buggies onto public transport as long as the bus is equipped for it. A majority of buses in our fleet have low floors and designated wheelchair/buggy areas but we do still have some that are not so well equipped. When people with buggies try to board buses they have no chance of getting onto (i.e with steps or no floor space for them) then it does annoy me. I have been called many lovely things by mothers who cannot physically get their buggies on the bus. I know its not their fault they cant get on but it isn't the driver's fault either. The driver is allocated a bus by the depot inspector, you can't just pick which one you want. I don't see why I should be abused by passengers for something I have no control over whatsoever.

Answer 4

Hi, Claire,
Try not to bother yourself about what other people appear to think, and even if the bus is busy you can and should use it, after all it is public transport, as for any disdainful people, were they not young once,did they never have a family, I always offer assistance with buggies or elderly people even though sometimes I get "funny" looks from others on the bus, we all have one life and if you can assist someone, do it.
Good luck in your travels.

Answer 5

Never use public transport cause I can't afford it. The closest I can get to affording the bus is my Jag XJR. This isn't a joke either, a trip from Plymouth City centre to my house, a 4 mile trip costs £3.25 1 way, or £3.80 return. In a 360BHP car I can do this return trip on £1.60 fuel plus about £1 for additional expences, this totals £2.60,a lot less thant the bus.

But when I did use public transport it never bothered me, never really paid any attention, so I wouldn't pay any attention to fools that it does appear to bother. If something that small bothers them then I'd love to see them under real pressure, like when the post comes 20minutes later than usual!!! Or when their local shop has moved the sugar to the shelf above!!!

Answer 6

I live in the Midlands and travel by bus everywhere. We have specially built buses with floors which lower in order to make it easier for parents with children (shopping) and buggies to board and get off. If we see a parent in difficulties we always hurry to help. What life's all about really - helping each other through difficulties. Hope you don't get put off travelling by public transport because of a few ignorant people who should know better.

Answer 7

If the buggy is "sensibly-sized" then I don't have a problem. It's the Mum's who take the buggy equivalent of an SUV on board that annoys me...even more so when it's a double buggy that size, almost as long as the average supermarket trolley!

Answer 8

I get very annoyed when someone takes a buggy etc. on public transport....
and then gets snide comments or dirty looks. It's like victorian times - children should be seen and not heard etc! Virtually no-one seems to want to help with getting on or off. I could go on for a long time, but I'd sound like Victor Meldrew.
You have as much right to be there as anybody else, and so does your daughter, so just ignore them.

Answer 9

Not really a problem if the bus is empty, however, what I could not stand before I learnt to drive is mothers/fathers waiting until the bus had pulled up before they got their child out of the pram and then spent a few minutes trying to collapse it. When ever I used the bus and had my daughter in her pram I used to be ready to board as soon as the bus arrived. Same goes for old people not getting their money ready prior to boarding!!!!

Answer 10

No but when my wife and I flew on holiday with our 4 month old daughter on a budget airline we had to get on last or put up with those dirty looks or the rugby scrum to get on. Whether it is a bus, train or plane you seem to get these people who think you are weird to be taking a kid somewhere. Keep bumping their ankles!