Insanity taken to a new level

[GaTechGal]

Well then what about ADA laws for me then?

I have a crutch and am obviously physically disabled. It is HARD for me to stand waiting for a bus.

You mean that on those busses that were too full for me to stand, that I had to get back off of and wait for sometimes two more to come before I could get a seat- that the driver should have insisted someone give up a seat for me instead of me waiting because I am physically incapable of standing?

I did not know this. I don't quite know how to feel about it. Or is that only if you're on an ECV? Each time I had to explain to the driver why I was fighting the crowd to get back off of the bus and none of them said a word to me to stop me.

Bru, I can't BELIEVE that someone seated didn't stand and offer you their seat. My DH and son (and me for that matter) would have hopped right up. It's only polite. GEEZE. I know it's hot, everybody's tired, but manners people manners.

[February]

Bru, I can't BELIEVE that someone seated didn't stand and offer you their seat. My DH and son (and me for that matter) would have hopped right up. It's only polite. GEEZE. I know it's hot, everybody's tired, but manners people manners.

LOL @ Goofier- that would solve the problem wouldn't it?

GaTech- one time, a woman did have the driver call me back onto a bus- she was this TINY thing with a HUGE baby (I think he weighed almost as much as she did) and she held him on her lap all the way back to the resort (I can't remember which one) so I wouldn't have to wait for another bus. She was so sweet. She said that her grandmother (who was back at the room at the time) had a cane and that they'd stood on a bus earlier in the trip and it was terrifying for her, she was holding onto her grandmother and said she'd never risk it again (I think it was their first time in WDW). She said that she couldn't believe anyone else didn't offer.

I am more than willing to wait my turn for a seat- in fact I did. It just took more than one bus most times. But that's WDW at peak crowds- as I said- I learned my lesson and will be going in the Fall from now on...

I felt so bad for the drivers- they were working overtime (literally)

back to sleep for me now I am still completely wiped out! But what a time I had.

bru

[lilogirl]

Well then what about ADA laws for me then?

I have a crutch and am obviously physically disabled. It is HARD for me to stand waiting for a bus.

You mean that on those busses that were too full for me to stand, that I had to get back off of and wait for sometimes two more to come before I could get a seat- that the driver should have insisted someone give up a seat for me instead of me waiting because I am physically incapable of standing?

I did not know this. I don't quite know how to feel about it. Or is that only if you're on an ECV? Each time I had to explain to the driver why I was fighting the crowd to get back off of the bus and none of them said a word to me to stop me.

There are signs on the buses saying something like "these seats must be offered to the disabled and elderly". But I have never seen it enforced.

[Goofyernmost]

There are signs on the buses saying something like "these seats must be offered to the disabled and elderly". But I have never seen it enforced.

I used to enforce it when I was a bus driver. It isn't really a law...seating isn't guaranteed, only a trip but if I saw someone, able bodied, or at least more able bodied, I would shame them into giving their seats to someone that needed it. Yes, I might have been pushing the limit and I might have even gotten fired over it but it would have been worth it to just see how well it would go over in the employment arbitration when I explained the reason. And that was a municipal bus company, can you imagine Disney wanting the press that they made a disabled person stand and possible get injured.

Anyway, some do not have the stuff to do it, but I never lost a second of sleep because I felt guilty about it. BTW, nothing ever happened in the instances that I took this little project on. Perhaps I was just lucky but I really didn't care. If I felt it was unsafe, that's what I did and thought that they could tell me why I should put someone else's health and well being on the line for some no mannered, self involved life forms.

[Teresa Kay]

I did have to get back off busses several times because there were no seats and if I try to stand I will only injure myself and the people I fall on. Trouble often was that people with ECVs would come up the back entrance- advancing ahead of families that had been waiting half an hour for a bus- and be loaded on, the ECV taking up four seats and then their party of ten taking up a lot more- and all being seated before the rest of those waiting in line for the bus. That's not right.

I've traveled in a chair for entire trips before and we've always waited in line at the front with everybody else. When did they start letting guests in ECVs cut the line at the last minute and hence tick off many people in the process when they then had to stand on the bus or missed it because it was full?

The way it was this week made me wish that they had a few special busses designated for ECVs and their parties- and I say that as someone who has ridden a mile on those wheels, so to speak. We should have to wait like everybody else.

bru

I have a daughter who is in a wheelchair, and we've been to WDW tons of times. I can assure you that the ECV or wheelchair designated seats are 3 seats, not 4. My DD stays in her electric chair, so maybe that's where the problem is: an ECV user who then transfers to a bus seat?
When our kids were younger, our 2 younger children would sit on their sister's lap, and DH and I would stand in front of and in back of the chair, fitting 5 people into the same place that would normally fit 3. Last week, with the girls now being 27, 17, and 12, and with 10 total in our party, we took up: 5 seats. The rest of us stood, even before the others were allowed to enter the bus.

The reason we have been given by the transportation CMs for wanting to load the wheelchairs on the bus FIRST is: If they load the bus, and halfway through the line a wheelchair pops up, they have to; stop the line, clear the seats the EVC or wheelchair will need, make people STAND BACK, and then get the whole thing loaded while everyone gets in the way. It's easier to load the chair if there aren't so many people in the bus.

We'd be willing to wait off to the side for the next bus except for a couple of things. YOU can get on any bus that is going in your direction. My DD HAS to have a wheelchair lift bus, with an empty spot. During heavy travel times, there is no guarantee the next bus will have space. There are also still some buses that don't have lifts on them. We have set at the bus stop before and watched 4 or more buses going where we need to go load full and take off, without us on it.

A special bus? Sounds great. Will you make sure that one comes just as often as the regular buses, and goes where we need it to go?

I'm sorry no-one has ever stood up and given you a seat. That's just rude. Something we've always pounded into our kids is that they aren't to sit while adults are standing, especially if that adult appears to need the seat more than them.

[February]

Teresa Kay,

Just so you don't think I'm some selfish heartless jerk, you should know that this is the first (and last) trip I've attempted to walk in the parks since I was seventeen (twenty two years if anyone is counting) and it was pretty much a dismal fail- every other trip I have been in a chair from the resort, on the busses (though I transfer if and when I can some trips this has not been possible). I don't 'do' the parks like other people do- this trip (I was there six days) I rode a grand total of four rides- none with lines- and all easy to get in and out of otherwise I couldn't have done it at all.

As someone who has done many trips in a chair the entire time I truly do relate to your family's challenges and it is always first and foremost in my mind that guests who cannot transfer should be seen to first. It's from that perspective that I say that when it's this busy that they should have dedicated busses (and yes they should come as often but in this case that could mean waiting up to an hour as I had to wait an hour for a bus back from the Studios to the All Stars one day- I watched four Pop Century busses go by in that time.

It just gets really difficult when you're traveling alone, have been waiting for a bus for 40 minutes, been shuffled to two different stops because they keep changing where the bus will be and then miss two busses because you can't hold on.

It's not something I'll be attempting again.

bru

[February]

One more thing-

I find your capitalization of the word "YOU" here, as in "YOU can get on any bus going in your direction" to be offensive. The fact is "I" cannot. That's why I had to wait through several busses going in my direction- because lift or no, I cannot hold on when a bus is in motion let alone stand without falling over.

Please don't judge someone's abilities when you have no idea how extensive their disabilities are. I'm not going to go into a list of mine but believe me, they're there.

[DragonFox98]

One more thing-

I find your capitalization of the word "YOU" here, as in "YOU can get on any bus going in your direction" to be offensive. The fact is "I" cannot. That's why I had to wait through several busses going in my direction- because lift or no, I cannot hold on when a bus is in motion let alone stand without falling over.

Please don't judge someone's abilities when you have no idea how extensive their disabilities are. I'm not going to go into a list of mine but believe me, they're there.

Deep breath, my friend. :)

I agree, she has no clue what your disabilities are and is making an assumption based on the fact she read you walked around with a crutch. I'm not going to assume here, but based on her tone, the way she phrased things, and her post count....she's new and probably from the Place That Shall Not Be Discussed.

I am glad that you got to go. I would love to take a trip like that one day. And I do agree about the crowd levels....fall is soooo much better. Yet another reasons I won't go in the summer (besides the fact I would totally melt in the heat & humidity). We are planning our next trip for the third week of March next year; I am hoping that because Easter is so late, it won't be busy. We shall see!

[GaTechGal]

Just a quick question to our wonderful bus driving CMs. What is the percentage of busses that are able to transport ECV and wheelchairs? I thought it was pretty high because it seemed like every bus we got on during our last trip was capable.

[Teresa Kay]

One more thing-

I find your capitalization of the word "YOU" here, as in "YOU can get on any bus going in your direction" to be offensive. The fact is "I" cannot. That's why I had to wait through several busses going in my direction- because lift or no, I cannot hold on when a bus is in motion let alone stand without falling over.

Please don't judge someone's abilities when you have no idea how extensive their disabilities are. I'm not going to go into a list of mine but believe me, they're there.

You are correct - I made assumptions where I should not have, and I apologize. I did read that you are unable to stand while the bus is in motion, and should have realized that this meant you cannot ride any bus going your direction since there are others who are not willing to give up their seats. Again, I apologize for my assumptions.
What can I say - I'm from "Board X", and we have to be sicky sweet to each other there. Freedom here went to my head!