Picture this.
The bus pulls up. The driver looks at your power chair and says "Oh, I never operated the lift before" and then proceeds to prove that point by having to move the bus several times so the lift will go down properly. The driver then radios in that the bus will be late because there is a passenger in a wheelchair.
The other people on the bus start complaining. "Do you have to take her?" "How long will this take?" "Why can't she wait for the next bus?" "Just pull away, leave her."
"Sorry, folks, can't do that," the driver says.
So it does no good to take these things personally. After all, the other passengers just want to get on their way. Who can expect them to be happy with waiting while a bus is repositioned to drop a lift? But on your first ride, the lift was lowered and your chair was strapped down within three minutes. You know this long delay is caused by the lack of training of the driver.
You get on the lift. The driver raises it and tells you to hold on to the sides. You can't hold on, because you have quadriplegia and your arms are paralyzed, but you know she doesn't know what that is, so you just move your upper body a bit which, luckily, satisfies her. And, luckily, although the lift ride is shaky, you get onto the bus okay.
The fun continues. The driver has no idea how to strap your power chair onto the bus although your chair has tie down markings with yellow stickers. She asks you to point them out but, again, your arms are paralyzed and the tie downs are behind your chair and low in front of you and you can't make that movement.
You do not think "Oh I wish I wasn't paralyzed." You think "I wish someone had trained this driver properly. What good is the equipment if there's no training?"
This is your second bus ride in your power chair, on the way home after your first ride.
A college student on the bus behind you shows the driver where the little yellow tie downs are and assists the driver in securing the ties. This takes another five to ten minutes.
While this is going on, passengers make comments about picking up a person in a wheelchair. Big surprise. They think it was a mistake.
The bus takes off after an approximate delay of twelve to fifteen minutes, more than triple the time it took on the first ride. As one passenger disembarks, he says to you "Hope you're never taking the same bus I take ever again."
You know you will. Because you have to get around, just like him.
12 comments:
It just never ends... poor training, poor attitudes, exclusion..
Yet another example of entitlement. You don't have to get around like other people. You get a check I'm sure that pays your bills. Other people are trying to work and get around. The bus companies have been bullied into putting lifts on their buses but the drivers are smart enough to make it unpleasant so you'll stay away. Smart driver, thinking of the real customers.
I doubt I'll see this post up but YOU need to learn reality.
truthsayer,
I'll try to break out of what you apparently perceive as my coddled, cocooned existence, and put down the bon bons long enough to consider your points.
Actually I'm working and pulled off my assistive devices and duct tape just for you.
FYI I don't get a check, nor do many people with disabilities. But those who do or need to go on SSI should get every right as a citizen a working person does.
People with disabilities do have to get around. They have to get to the doctor, run other errands, and get to social engagements.
Interesting that you think the driver did this intentionally. Or that I am the one with a sense of entitlement.
But I have to get back to work so those discussions have to wait.
Interesting, I don't have to get around. Well, I would probably be fired if I didn't show up to work. And I'd probably miss my flight if I just let the next 10 buses not pick me up (which is where I usually encounter this issue, since I actually drive). Oh, and if I'm on a plane, it's usually a work trip.
I think it's odd, Truthsayer, that you think I'm "entitled" (in a bad way) to get around. But other people are "entitled" (in a good way) to get around. Why is there a difference.
And while a bus picking me up can add an extra 2-3 minutes to a run with an educated driver, it can take much longer with an uneducated driver.
Here's reality. I am out there living my life, just the way I was before I became disabled. I'm always shocked and saddened by the fact that there are still people that would rather I stay inside and not have a life. I only hope that they don't find themselves in my position, because I just don't think they would make it.
Wheelie Catholic, keep note of which bus, and the driver's name if you can. Then every once in a while, call the bus company and suggest they do a quick re-training. You can even volunteer to be their guinea pig if you have the time.
O.o is truthsayer serious? Are there really people like that out there?
I read that comment and my jaw hit the floor so loud it woke the baby (j/k, but I was shocked). You are so gracious in your response, I'm afraid I couldn't be that nice.
Here in Dallas when I used to work downtown and took the bus, I recall a couple of times when the lift was used (most of the DART busses here are kneeling busses). The driver had apparently been trained in its use and the process for using the lift to get the passenger in a motor chair and getting his chair strapped in took maybe five minutes.
I guess it helps that they also use the lifts for people with strollers, walkers, and knee braces. When I needed my cane, the drivers often asked if I needed them to use the lift. I didn't, but was touched by the kindness.
Maybe I just happened to have the good drivers on my route...
I'd suggest you move here, but I'm moving to a house in a city with no public transportation :( bah.
People are so rude. We just came from Disney World (you know, the "Happiest Place on Earth") and you would not believe how b*tchy people were because I could bring her special needs stroller while they had to leave theirs outside or when we were allowed to use the handicapped entrances. HELLO -- I'm sure YOUR four year old can walk -- mine can't, thank you very much, and I'm not carrying her around all day. GRRRRRR.
Wheeling: Thanks for your suggestion about contacting the bus company.
CG: Yes definitely - I can think of a number of reasons (other than wheelchairs) for drivers to learn how to operate the lifts - carriages, etc.
datri: Your story reminds me of a time when bystanders said what I was thinking.
I was at Disney on a steep ramp when a staff member let me go up front because I couldn't grip the railing well enough. I kept rolling backwards and couldn't help it. One family griped so much about me going ahead that I overheard people who were there visiting from Europe say in French to each other :What is the matter with them? Of course she should get off the hill. These people have no common sense!
I think you should turn this post into a letter to the editor of your local paper.
Spin is everything--driver didn't know what they were doing, but the wheelchair-user was the problem! My kids do this info-spin all the time. With them it makes me laugh... out in the world, not so much!
Terri- Yeah good idea -it's kind of an interesting phenomenon, that "spin".
I agree with Terri above: you should send this on to a newspaper, or to the bus company, and have it be known elsewhere.
The other passengers were horribly rude. When I lived in San Francisco - going out to school in the morning, I could see the commuters worry that I was adding minutes to the journey. Initially, I got angry, but I learned to ignore the eye rolls and tuts.
I recently blogged about a similar tough experience I had with a bus driver who didn't strap me in... I admit, it was partially my fault, because I didn't insist. We nearly had a nasty accident when he braked suddenly. I'm glad you made him persevere and strap you in, it's safer.
A horrible situation: I'm sorry to hear you had to go through it.
Travelling Blackbird,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, learning to ignore is a good idea if I'm going to use mass transit. I'm going to go over and read your post!
And you're very welcome to come on over any time.
It does seem like we wheelchair users have an endless line of things that we have to learn to ignore: stares, comments, questions and other people's emotions. Even online. Kudos for how you dealt with "Truth"sayer's extremely arrogant presumptions: I don't think my first response would have been so calm and rational.
Post a Comment