I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT!

I was travelling on public transport, on the buses, on Sunday, after 1pm – bear with me, as I’m getting to the point.


Waiting with me, at the bus stop at High Road, Wembley, outside KFC, was a woman in her fifties, with her carer, who was a younger woman, also black, in her thirties, ready to push her in the disabled spot on the number 18 bus.

When her bus came, I didn’t take it, as I was waiting for the number 182.

Sadly the disabled woman and her carer didn’t get onto that 18 bus either.

Why was this so?

Because although the bus driver did lower the bus and ejected the tram, there was another woman, her race isn’t important, who was using the same space for her child, in the buggy, who wouldn’t eject either, from the said area.

The carer politely said to the recent mum, also in her thirties, the buggy can be folded up (although it was heavily laden with shopping from a superstore) and her child could sit in her lap, as her child was at least 18 months old.

It was also said to the mum, the person in the wheelchair doesn’t have the same option as her child in the buggy, hence the reason why wheelchair users have the priority of this space but she refused to relent and made it clear, herself and her child wasn’t going to budge from that particular space.

I don’t even want to imagine what it’s going to be like for someone in the same situation, regardless as to what role you identify with, wheelchair user or new mum.

I have to admit, before I became disabled, I was horrible to a mum, travelling with two kids under four years of age, using the underground (Bakerloo line) towards the Elephant and Castle, about seven years ago.

I simply couldn’t understand what she was doing, travelling with two children who were so young, after 7.40am.

Now I realise my own stupidity and freely give this woman my sincerest, honest and heartfelt apologies.

Also, what goes around comes around.

In order to reach important medical appointments in central London, has meant I too, have to bee on public transport at various times of day.

It’s also meant that I am now being verbally abused, as I’m getting insults from the public, on both the buses and the underground, as angry people who are desperate to get to their workplace on time.

Many bosses don’t offer people the chance of flexible hours, despite having those same employees staying on over and above their hours, to make sure a good product is produced at the end of the day and in good time.

I’ve also noticed that when it’s the other way round, well, who’s willing to penalise them self?

As for the woman in a wheelchair and her carer, well they waited for another bus that came seven minutes later.

If this woman and her carer were outside London, I have a feeling they would have been waiting much longer.

Disabled people and mums with young children are a part of society and want to contribute just like everybody else.

But with problems like those I’ve just mentioned, it’s becoming clear why they still have struggles asserting their human rights, which all of us have.

I too have sat in the disabled section of busses and get insulted by able-bodied people.

A year ago, one unkind able-bodied woman, who was in her 50s and white, was sitting with her teenage daughter (who was also white), in the first two noticible seats of a red double-decker bus, when she said to me in front of everyone: “you shouldn’t be sitting there.”

I also noted there was an able-bodied white woman in her 30s sitting next to me, yet she said nothing to her.

When I explained I have Multiple Screlosis and a folded-up walking stick, which means I have every right to be sitting here, she then had a volley of excuses for her behaviour.

Before coming off the bus, I said loudly: “some people need to think before they speak!”

I stand by that, as it’s a well known fact we as a society still pick on vulnerable people, as the disappearance of five-year-old April Jones in Machynlleth, Wales shows.

Light and Peace

Andria

PS, to see some of my work, click here.