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Taking the Bus when you can not see.
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CharlotteN27
Community member Posts: 16 Connected
Hello again everyone.
I would like to discuss how people act towards me and my Guide Dog Layla on the bus.
The Last 3 months me and Layla have been taking the bus everyday to work or to see my boyfriend who lives in another part of the city.
Most of the time no one notices that Layla is sleeping under my seat until our stop when she sits up and helps me find the button.
But sometimes people see us. Some of the comments we have got range from really nice to oh my that was offensive
The worst are, people like that should not be allowed on the bus, (lovely old lady who would not stop complaining that me and Layla where on the bus,) I got off the bus as soon as I could.
.Get out that seat you are too young to use those seats. (elderly man with walking sick wanting me and my friend to get out of the disabled seats. my friend got up to give him his seat. but the man insisted I move to. I had to explain how Layla was under my seat and I was blind. The old man moved to the priority seats on the other side of the bus,. (which had been free the hole time)
Another time I got on the bus and there was no "Priority seat" free so Layla guided to the folding seats in the area often used for buggies. We have to do this sometimes. these are the seats easiest to find It also means that Layla is not in the way of being trodden on. This time however three stops later a women with a buggy got on and started yelling at me. Saying that they should not let me on if there is not space. That buggies should get priority. even though her buggy could be folded and I was there first. (also there was space for the buggy I only take up one seat.)
Why do people feel the need to challenge me using the bus? Feel they have the right to comment or to try and stop me? I have to get the bus to go to work. To live my life. I can not see but I can hear. I can not drive but I have the right to travel. My eyes have 4 legs and is very fluffy. But some people seem to think this is not okay. why?
So when you see someone on a bus that looks young or has a dog with them. Don't ask them to prove they need that seat. Don't question why there dog rides with them. Treat them like everyone ells on the bus. Remember they have places to go to. Thank you.
I would like to discuss how people act towards me and my Guide Dog Layla on the bus.
The Last 3 months me and Layla have been taking the bus everyday to work or to see my boyfriend who lives in another part of the city.
Most of the time no one notices that Layla is sleeping under my seat until our stop when she sits up and helps me find the button.
But sometimes people see us. Some of the comments we have got range from really nice to oh my that was offensive
The worst are, people like that should not be allowed on the bus, (lovely old lady who would not stop complaining that me and Layla where on the bus,) I got off the bus as soon as I could.
.Get out that seat you are too young to use those seats. (elderly man with walking sick wanting me and my friend to get out of the disabled seats. my friend got up to give him his seat. but the man insisted I move to. I had to explain how Layla was under my seat and I was blind. The old man moved to the priority seats on the other side of the bus,. (which had been free the hole time)
Another time I got on the bus and there was no "Priority seat" free so Layla guided to the folding seats in the area often used for buggies. We have to do this sometimes. these are the seats easiest to find It also means that Layla is not in the way of being trodden on. This time however three stops later a women with a buggy got on and started yelling at me. Saying that they should not let me on if there is not space. That buggies should get priority. even though her buggy could be folded and I was there first. (also there was space for the buggy I only take up one seat.)
Why do people feel the need to challenge me using the bus? Feel they have the right to comment or to try and stop me? I have to get the bus to go to work. To live my life. I can not see but I can hear. I can not drive but I have the right to travel. My eyes have 4 legs and is very fluffy. But some people seem to think this is not okay. why?
So when you see someone on a bus that looks young or has a dog with them. Don't ask them to prove they need that seat. Don't question why there dog rides with them. Treat them like everyone ells on the bus. Remember they have places to go to. Thank you.
Comments
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Hello @CharlotteN27 ,
This sort of behaviour is all too common. Many disabled people experience it in some form.
There are people who spend their lives avoiding thinking about the bad things in life. So when they see a disabled person who reminds them that it might be them one day they get angry. They want the disabled people to go away so they don't have to think about it any more.
Then there is the nasty side of people who just hate anyone different to them. Well they are perfect naturally.
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Hi @CharlotteN27, thank you for sharing your experiences with us, I'm sorry that you have experienced so much difficulty on public transport, people can be so ignorant.
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Hi @CharlotteN27 I just cant believe that you get that sort of abuse, it is terrible! When things like this happen, does anyone else ever get involved and try to defend you or help?
I always wonder what goes through the minds of bystanders in these situations. Do you think they are embarrassed? Don't want to get involved? Don't care?
I saw a video the other day about how you can help if you are a witness to a person getting racially abused. It said things like: go and stand with the person, don't react to the abuser, talk about something else, stay with the person after the event, ask them how they feel and if they want to call someone. I wonder whether we should have the same sort of thing for disabled people who get abused in public?
Scope
Senior online community officer -
No one has ever tried to even say anything most just sit and ignore it. Staying quiet must be easier for them I guess.
That idea of having a what to do if you see a disabled person getting abused vid/poster ect might not be a bad idea. it can not hurt and may even help. -
I cryed reading this. Appalled. Disgracefully horrid people out there. Wish I'd been there !! I'd certainly intervene. Gawd, I hope you never experience it ever again. You're a very brave woman Charlotte.
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I have to say I have had this too @CharlotteN27 so I can fully understand how you feel. I just ignore them generally but sometimes they really get to me. I had a horrible horrible encounter with a couple a few year ago now when working my second dog and it started at the bus stop, it was dark and I'd just got to the stop and I heard people talking loudly but couldn't see anything because it was dark and they started shouting telling me I was selfish for having a dog and I should allow my dog to go to someone who is totally blind and that I should use a cane and not be selfish, I was getting upset by this point but I just ignored them and just wished for the bus to come. Unfortunately they got on the same bus and they continued with the abuse, they never said it to me but it was blatantly aimed at me as there was no one else there at the bus stop and they especially spoke loud so I would hear them as they wanted a reaction but I stayed quiet because I was scared but also wanted to say something but in the end for More attention she burst out crying randomly halfway home after throwing abuse at me, i decided against saying anything and was glad when they finally got off but nobody else said anything in my defence. I've also beeen asked to move for pushchair, myydogs have been trodden on and had things thrown at them and I've been called allsorts. Just try and be the bigger person and let them get on with it. Thankfully I now live in Devon and haven't experienced anything nasty or rude on my daily bus journey
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I am trying to ignore them. But as it happens most days that I take the bus to work. I am starting to feel that this practice of not paying them attention is not really working. I can cope with being stared at. even if it makes me unconformable. however it would be really nice to educate them and stop them. some days I do not feel safe taking the bus if there are too many people ad people at work have noticed me come in to work crying because of the language some have used on the bus.
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Aww Charlotte that's horrible. Maybe if you feel comfortable educate them but most of these people probably won't listen anyway. It's entirely up to you how you deal with them lovely. Is it the same people?
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