TfL wheelchair priority

[3rd rail land]

I've never seen a time where buggies have had to clear the wheelchair space to allow a wheelchair to board in London. I am sure sure it does occurr though. I have taken many bus journeys in London.

What I have experienced many times is having to move out of the wheelchair space as a standee to allow buggies or a wheelchair to use the space. If I am making a short(ish) journey I'll usually stand and usually that'll be in the wheelchair space if it is vacant because its out of the way of people boarding and alighting.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Just to add a bit of balance to things...

I use London's buses regularly. I'd say around 1 in 10 of my trips has a wheelchair on board. In the last 3-4 years I've only seen one wheelchair user unable to board - and that was because there was already a wheelchair on board.

What I have seen plenty of times is, unprompted, people with buggies and luggage moving from the wheelchair space as soon as they're aware of an intending wheelchair user wanting to board.

There's doubtless the occasional issue which of course shouldn't happen, but it's not remotely on the scale that anyone reading this thread may think it might be.

So you're saying that a few social media clips isn't always the whole truth! Colour me shocked!

As I've said in this thread also, I'd imagine in most occasions people are good human beings and will try and help / accommodate a wheelchair user.

 

[Goldfish62]

So you're saying that a few social media clips isn't always the whole truth! Colour me shocked!

I'm trying to bring a bit of additional perspective to this thread from my own personal experience. That's all.

 

[mayneway]

So you're saying that a few social media clips isn't always the whole truth! Colour me shocked!

The clips don’t show you how many buses with empty bays the wheelchair user lets go past before finding one occupied to film.
Let’s be honest, a clip of a disabled person boarding a bus going straight into the bay isn’t going to get much interaction or views is it!

 

[Mattplans]

The clips don’t show you how many buses with empty bays the wheelchair user lets go past before finding one occupied to film.
Let’s be honest, a clip of a disabled person boarding a bus going straight into the bay isn’t going to get much interaction or views is it!

Oh please, I think that is overly cynical?

 

[Edsmith]

Oh please, I think that is overly cynical?

I think it's spot on, some people are just looking for arguments to film.

 

[BuhSnarf]

The clips don’t show you how many buses with empty bays the wheelchair user lets go past before finding one occupied to film.
Let’s be honest, a clip of a disabled person boarding a bus going straight into the bay isn’t going to get much interaction or views is it!

I feel you and the poster above missed the fact that my post was sarcasm?

 

[styles]

Just to add a bit of balance to things...

I use London's buses regularly. I'd say around 1 in 10 of my trips has a wheelchair on board. In the last 3-4 years I've only seen one wheelchair user unable to board - and that was because there was already a wheelchair on board.

What I have seen plenty of times is, unprompted, people with buggies and luggage moving from the wheelchair space as soon as they're aware of an intending wheelchair user wanting to board.

There's doubtless the occasional issue which of course shouldn't happen, but it's not remotely on the scale that anyone reading this thread may think it might be.

I think this is obvious about most public transport incidents which go viral on social media - they do so because they're less common than things going swimmingly.

It's hardly surprising - most people are, fundamentally, good people. A small minority prioritise their own convenience over a wheelchair user being able to board a bus, it makes "good content".

The same also applies with say priority seats on the Underground. If somebody with a walking stick or an obviously pregnant woman with one of the TfL badges on boards, most people won't even wait to be asked to move seats - they'll offer it up.

But I think people can underestimate the upset it can cause when people don't even take the reasonable action when politely asked. And it removes the equity many people are fighting quite hard for.