wheels on wheels...riding the bus in today.
I met a new driver on my regular route. I was first in line, it was freezing, I had positioned myself ready to back onto the ramp, and the driver waved the other passengers to go ahead of me even though they were waiting for me to go first. Why? I keep thinking that my actions of standing up for my needs as a rider using a mobility device to be: treated equal to other riders, to be respected as an adult in control of my space and body, and be given the rights that have been provided in the ADA laws, are making a difference but alas more work must be done. Am I alone in wanting to be moved from the back of the line?
Huh, just read through this blog. I would love to see a part 3 of the series you started in August. I notice a lot of bus stops aren't ideal for loading my girlfriend's wheelchair but I have encountered few insurmountable challenges. Often, we just tell the driver to move twenty or feet or so to a better spot.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the loading order, I have always loaded her last, which has only been problematic on one occasion on an EXTREMELY crowded bus immediately after the Pride parade a couple years ago. The driver was rude and left without us, but one bad experience doesn't make it a bad system. I don't really understand the purpose of loading mobility devices last except that it gets the able-bodied away from the lift area. Unfortunately, this often means they then have to be chased from the seats you're about to lift and occupy. If they loaded mobility devices first, I think you'd get passengers standing in front of you as you try to back in at the perfect angle without running over people's feet. If you didn't get the angle right and had to move forward to try again, people would have to move forward. All in all, I think it's slightly better to load mobility devices last, but that probably doesn't make you feel better on days this cold. :) The most important thing in my view is that there is a consistent method of doing it.
In doing some searching on the topic, I found part 3... here: http://wadisability.com/uncategorized/king-country-metro-transit-policy-and-practice-for-serving-passengers-with-disabilities-part-3/
ReplyDeleteI will dig that out of my files. Part three give a clear description of the different bus signs for different stops and what they mean.
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