Streetlife

How right you are and the pushchairs these days are more like the prams we used to walk everywhere with.  Some are really too big to get on the bus.

I think it's way past time we had a code of conduct for the buses that EVERYONE has to adhere to.  It was once common pracice, like queuing, giving up your seat to  an elderly person, putting a very small child on your lap so an adult could sit down, not knocking everyone silly while you shove the pushchair through the crowd with bags hanging off all over the place, not shouting on your mobile phone, not letting your very small child go anywhere in the bus out of your sight etc etc etc.

I am planning to write to Sir Peter Hendy, head of Tfl and suggesting something like this has to be done urgently because these days travelling on a bus is like being in a cattle truck, except cattle are better behaved.It's a shame no-one actually walks anywhere any more!

Not all people with pushchairs are like that. I have a child in a pushchair and a wheelchair went to get on the bus so I moved my pushchair for him to get on the bus. But he couldn't get on as the bus ramp wouldn't work. The driver tried so many times and it just wouldn't work. How about people who get on the bus then stand in the space for wheelchairs and buggies. They are rude and never move most of the time.

I only ever went on a bus once with a pushchair when my children were small.  There is only eleven months between my two sons.  I had my youngest in the buggy that I collapsed before getting on the bus and was holding my other son's hand who was only a toddler.  I managed to put the buggy in the designated place while carrying my youngest on my hip and holding on to my toddler.  The bus driver did not even wait until I sat down before he started driving and I nearly fell over while I was carrying my younger son.  I never bothered again !

Its a long time since I got on a bus with with a pushchair, mine was if anyone remembers them a maclaren one which was quite compact I used to collapse it to get on the bus, and like Lorraine M had the buggy child and shopping in my arms and also my bus fare, when I think about it It was quite a feat really. The trouble is now the prams/pushchairs are huge and heavy so must be too hard to fold and lift, maybe only small buggies should be allowed on buses.

I do think there should be a size limit.  I seem to think there used to be but then back then we rarely got on buses but walked everywhere with prams.

I was on a bus the other day and a buggy came on that was so long, when it was pushed into the space it stuck right out and blocked the bus; that size definitely shouldn't be allowed on.

good on ya phil for ya moan,,, ditto esp bad when they pretend they dont understand english and totally ignore being told

Do they not allow bicycles on trains anymore, for similar reasons ?

Nice one Robert B, never stopped to think that it was only the foreigners!!

Pam I have just read your comments about 'buggies' and yes I agree totally. I like most other people walked everywhere. It is no wonder we have all these overweight people about and they are teaching their children to be lazy also. I'll tell you something, going on a bus nowdays is usually a vile experience.I am sorry to say. I would love to have the courage to get up and say it. Like the people who sit in the disabled seats like they should be there ! I can remember my father nudging me if I was sitting next to him on the bus to let anyone older than me sit down. As if I would dare not to give up my seat. I don't know if anyone agrees with me but I don't think most of these people even know they should give up their seat they are totally ignorant. Thanks again for listening, I feel better now.

OMG reading this makes my blood boil thinking of tomorrows commute! I think the person who thought it was a good idea to let buggies on buses had the brains of a rocking horse!
Everyday I & fellow travellers have to clamber around  these obstructions which are dangerous & always seem to cause arguments whether on the bus or at the stop when the driver says I already have too many prams on board. The other day there were already 3 on the bus - the woman trying to get on caused such a scene that the driver shrugged his shoulders let her on & she parked the pram across the door it was very difficult for passengers to get off, the driver was obviously at fault but when your a lone worker being abused you must want to give up.
What also makes me laugh is that so many people bringing the kids home from school only go a couple of stops & get off surely its less stressful & healthier to walk its not far. (I've done the school run & know what its like to get kids to school on time) .
My sister was visiting from Oxfordshire a few weeks ago with her young boys she was amazed at the buggies on buses as that is not the practice where she lives - they still have to fold it down.

Well Bernadette G, you're very lucky some passengers go two whole stops.  Over on Thames View they get on the bus for ONE stop; that's adults and kids.

The schools are an easy stroll from anywhere on our estate but you don't see many people doing the walk; they'll drive their 4 x 4s or bus it.

The free bus pass for school children really hasn't done them any favours because it encourages laziness.  I've seen primary age children wait 10 mins for a bus for a journey they could have walked in 3 mins.

Well the buggies are another story and another nightmare.  They are the Rolls Royce of buggies too quite often, built to charge!

what annoys me is the way so many of the mums park the buggy and then get straight down to the mobile phone texting! No interaction whatsoever with the child.  I have seen instances where the mum goes the entire journey without one word said to the child.  It is not right and I just wish I had the courage to speak up and say so, but I would probably be shouted down as an old fuddy duddy!  My son is now in his 40's and back then we used to actually talk to our children, not ignore them!
moan over!

I have been out with my daughter in her wheelchair and had access refused on a bus because there were two buggies in the wheelchair space!
I tried explaining to the driver that its a wheelchair space and he should ask them to collapse the buggies but he said he wasn't allowed to.....
I had to wait for another bus, it was lucky it wasn't raining I was fuming I can tell you

Neil I really feel for you as I have witnessed this  - I was under the impression (obviously erroneously) that wheelchairs had priority, but a wheelchair user is more often than not left at the bus stop. There is something fundamentally wrong with this system.
Pam D I see the one stop thing in Tower Hamlets but thought people would think I was exaggerating - especially as it happens near Mile End Park surely kids would benefit from running through the park they would certainly be less boisterous when they got home. The worse bus for prams that I personally use is 254 running down from Hackney to Bethnal Green. I havent a lot of experience of this nearer home in Romford what buses are bad in this area.

We've had arguments about this; the sign clearly says "wheelchair" space and so that is the priority.  Trouble is the people on the buses these days aren't bothered about anyone else, even their own children most of the time, let alone a wheelchair user.

We need a code of conduct written for the buses then we'd all feel happier using them.

Well I am glad it is not just me who gets wind up about this. Some of my friends say I am getting a grumpy old man, but as I say I am very happy to be one. Yes I feel the same with them using phones and not taking any notice of their kids. here i go again LOL

You cant expect people who dont even  have the manners to queue, to allow the elderly on first or even sometimes not pay to suddenly develop a different attitude when on the bus. Open top cattle trucks would be to good for some of these ignorant people !

And I am a 'Grumpy Old woman' but it makes me feel better to have a moan and to know that there are other people like me who would appreciate good manners !

By the way I was on a bus and a young child was trying to attract her mothers attention. An elderly lady said to the mother 'That baby wants to talk to you why don't you get off that phone' I admired her for saying that. You only have your children for a short time and what a lovely time that is. I wish I could go back to it.

Pushchairs are  becoming far too large.Why must they be so big when they are only going to be used for only a short time.Another thing dont let a there year old use a push chair it only encourges laziness and obseity.