The battle for one space

Ah, the public transport system … the one place where I always can find something to rant about and while it has been a while – the other day I saw something that made me laugh quietly. So first, let us set the scene.

It was a nice warm day with no children in sight and there was room to sit down as far as the eyes could see. The temperature of the bus was mild and neither too warm nor cold and the real condition of the bus made you think someone was going to be inspecting it at random as it was clean, repaired and overall a lovely place you may want to sit in for about 45 minutes.

So we end up going around the little villages and picking people up and at one stop, a person with a disability who needed a wheelchair wanted to get on. So we stop and the driver helped the person on and all was good. He went over to the one spot that is designed for wheelchairs in mind, put his breaks on and started to talk to people

However twenty minutes into the one bus journey I would say was like being taken to Heaven by Angels turned into a bitter debate. At the next stop, a couple got on with a double-size pram – had either twins or two young baby siblings and holy shit did the man who just got on had a right fit with his mouth.

Man B (the one who was a couple) started bitching that Man A (disabled person) was taking up the spot THEY needed to keep their children safe. Now I do not know if that is true or not but I do remember the debates where Man B was saying that people could help Man A onto a seat and then fold up the wheelchair and then I remember a counter-debate saying about what if there was a fire etc. And then there was another debate where the couple could fold up the pram and keep the baby on their laps and the worst part of that debate is how they yelled fuck you – what if we wanted to bring shopping home and we can not take this spot.

Now I do understand people use transport for shopping but if you had to bring shopping back either you would do it in the bunch, hope there is room but not use the spot for wheelchairs or a pram just so you can keep your bags on it and “always” get a spot for your shopping even where the public bit is filled with shopping.

Anyhow after a heated debate, the couple ended up folding up their pram and holding their babies but I still can’t help but wonder if they just wanted the space for their shopping, felt entitled or if they cared about their children’s safest (which I do hope).

Either way, I do wonder if those spots are safe – I can’t think they would be unless by safe they meant so you don’t have to handle your children while on the bus.

Which leaves this to you a lot now – who do you think should have the spot first – a person with a disability or someone with a pram? And don’t pick choice into a matter when it comes to children as some people who are unable to walk may have done it to themselves (such as a person who copied something from TV) just as much as someone decided to have children