Whys this a story

[Qwerty133]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28471957

Kain Francis said when he walks, he has to stop "every couple of minutes or so"
A boy with a form of dwarfism says he has been barred from buses five times in a fortnight in a row over his bike.

Kain Francis, 17, from Kingstanding, Birmingham, said the bike was a "lifeline" to a social life as he did not have "much stamina" to walk.

Kain, who is 3ft 5in (1.04m) tall, said one driver asked him for proof he was disabled.

National Express West Midlands said it would issue Kain a letter to show on buses to allow him on with his bike.

Kain said he was not allowed on buses in Sutton Coldfield, Kingstanding and Birmingham city centre with the bike, leaving him "pretty disgusted", annoyed and "stressed".

'A freak show'
Kain said he told one driver the bike was "my wheelchair".

He said: "I use my bike to get around everywhere... My bike's a lot smaller than any of the other usual bikes."It's embarrassing when you have to get on the bus and then get off the bus.

"It's awkward, almost like you're holding up the whole bus."
His mother, Luan Cridland, 43, said she was "completely irate" when Kain told her one driver asked for proof he was disabled.

Miss Cridland said: "He's a good lad. He doesn't need people looking at him like he's some sort of freak show."

A National Express West Midlands spokesman said bikes were not allowed on buses for health and safety reasons.

"The area where bikes would go is already a well-used space with buggies and pushchairs which get priority," he said.

He apologised "for any offence, stress or inconvenience caused to Kain" and said it would issue him with a letter confirming he had access to the company's buses.

Kain said the promise of the letter, which he has not yet received, was "reassuring".

He shouldn't be allowed on with the bike, he can walk, even if he may not like doing so (most teenagers don't (including me)).
Think exactly the same about this man (sorry a 17 year old is not a boy), as the busker with no legs who uses a skateboard to get about - They should both get mobility aids which would make them a useful member of society and not a drain/ inconvenience on others. See the bike thread for points about what bikes in busy areas cause.
National express West Midlands should not have backed down, if he must take his bike places get there by... bike.

 

[CC 72100]

I notice that the headline on BBC was "Boy barred from city buses".

Not quite - that would suggest that the individual is not allowed on-board in any situation whatsoever, when if the reader reads the article, they learn that it is in fact when he has the bike which is the problem.

Would have expected better from the BBC.

 

[455driver]

Would have expected better from the BBC.

Why? They are no better than the Daily Mail now!
Its just another non story (with most of the relevent facts buried deep in the article) sticking the boot into the transport industry.

 

[Emyr]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-28471957
He shouldn't be allowed on with the bike, he can walk, even if he may not like doing so (most teenagers don't (including me)).

They should both get mobility aids which would make them a useful member of society and not a drain/ inconvenience on others.

The bike IS his mobility aid, it sounds like the most appropriate and affordable one at that.

A microscooter would probably be allowed on buses but wouldn't be anywhere near as useful.

I have a housemate who is sub-4ft and also rides an Islabike with 20" wheels, albeit with Brompton riser bars. We've been for bike rides and her "good workout speed" is my "leisurely", a little faster than "tedious".

 

[tony_mac]

He shouldn't be allowed on with the bike, he can walk, even if he may not like doing so (most teenagers don't (including me)).
...
They should both get mobility aids which would make them a useful member of society and not a drain/ inconvenience on others...
National express West Midlands should not have backed down, if he must take his bike places get there by... bike.

Do you realise how callous this sounds?
His needs are very obviously not the same as yours; he is going to come across very many problems throughout his life that you or I simply won't have to deal with, what's wrong with trying to make his life a little easier?

Do you say the same about wheelchair users who can also walk a little bit? Are they just a drain/ inconvenience on others as well? Would you tell them to just wheel everywhere? How would getting him to use a wheelchair help anyone?

I think he is rather more deserving of the space than many of the 'buggies and pushchairs' that currently get priority.

But, I can absolutely see why bus drivers have a problem with it, without being given any instructions. A letter from the bus company and a memo to staff should be able to sort this out reasonably easily.

 

[455driver]

Okay this lad needs his bike to get around, I understand that (and good on him for getting on with it instead of moping around) but if they let him on with his 'bike' then the laws on equality means that everyone else has to be allowed on with bikes.

The law is the law!
Even if people do take it to an illogical conclusion.

 

[DJL]

I wonder if he got a second bike , strapped them together and sat in-between if it would be treated differently?

 

[PermitToTravel]

if they let him on with his 'bike' then the laws on equality means that everyone else has to be allowed on with bikes.

This is incorrect.
--------------------
The bike takes up about as many standee places as a wheelchair - I agree with tony_mac that this could easily be sorted with a notice to drivers

 

[Qwerty133]

The bike IS his mobility aid, it sounds like the most appropriate and affordable one at that.

A microscooter would probably be allowed on buses but wouldn't be anywhere near as useful.

I have a housemate who is sub-4ft and also rides an Islabike with 20" wheels, albeit with Brompton riser bars. We've been for bike rides and her "good workout speed" is my "leisurely", a little faster than "tedious".

If you're on about these http://www.micro-scooters.co.uk/home2 have a look in the London Underground section, where one wasn't allowed on.
Bikes cause nothing but problems in town centres as people go faster than people walk, and people find it very difficult to avoid them.

 

[ECML180]

Seems pretty simple to me, in most cases (and sounds like this one too) companies ban bikes on buses. So should he be able to just turn up and get on with one because he's disabled? Not in my opinion, buses aren't designed to take bikes and in most cases they pose a (usually minor) danger to other passengers, they aren't just banned for fun.

Should he be issued with a pass/letter/notice permitting him to take his bike on the bus due to his disability...maybe, but at the end of the day that decision has to be made on a case by case basis and by the bus company too, not the news outlets.

I agree, shouldn't be a story, should be a simple phone call to the operator.