Friday 15 July 2011

Blanche DuBois Was Wrong...

...you can't depend on the kindness of strangers any more:
However, Mr Craig stood by the company's policy, and said it was important that wheelchair users should be free to get on the bus without being reliant on the kindness of parents to make way.

In a letter to Ms Grant, he wrote: "I do appreciate that on your return journey you told the driver you would be happy to leave the bus if a wheelchair user subsequently wished to travel and I applaud your personal generosity in that regard.

"However, we cannot frame our policy and rules in a way which is ultimately dependent on everyone else being willing to be as generous as you. That wouldn't be a workable arrangement as the ability of wheelchair users to travel on our services would then become dependent on the reasonableness and generosity of other passengers.

Regrettably, we know from harsh experience that very often that reasonableness and generosity wouldn't be forthcoming."
Which is a polite way of pointing out that, in our modern society, selfishness rules, and expecting some 'parents' to make way for others or in any way accommodate others rather than their own precious offspring is a waste of effort...

And it's no good expecting the bus driver to exercise discretion and judgement, oh no. There must be hard and fast rules, and no exceptions, or you are immediately at the mercy of Dick Puddlecote's 'Compo Community'...

6 comments:

Shinar's Basket Case said...

Slightly off topic but I am constantly amazed by the size and price of modern buggys.

Most of them seem to have better brake and steering systems than my car. I swear I saw one that even came with ABS...

For our 3 kids we used 20 quid foldable buggies that could be opened and closed one handed (VERY important consideration if you're a smoker).

Anonymous said...

"Slightly off topic but I am constantly amazed by the size and price of modern buggys"

It's a mummy status thing

"What you mean Jessica's buggy doesn't have pollen filters, air-con, monitor her bloood pressure and immediately contact the emergency services if her blood glucose drops? Oh well..." etc

I have seen this sort of thing at young master SAOT's nursery.

MTG said...

Mr Craig articulates a well considered reply when most of us would have supported him playing Scrooge with far less eloquence.

ArtCo said...

"For our 3 kids we used 20 quid foldable buggies that could be opened and closed one handed (VERY important consideration if you're a smoker)."

I had arms a back and a dog leash for my two, I couldnae be arsed with a buggy on a bus.
Then again , thinking about it the wife did ABSOLUTELY NEED the BMW 7 series of buggies. And further thinking about it she did look after the kids more than me .
In fact after even further thinking about it , what do I know .

ArtCo said...

In fact in deliberation and even more thinking about it, the first born (23 years ago) had to have a silvercross pram that we had to take a mortgage out on . We lived on the seventh floor of a block of flats ffs. No wonder my back is not too good now. It was great until the lift broke.

JuliaM said...

"...I am constantly amazed by the size and price of modern buggys."

Oh, I hear you! And SAOT has the answer.

"In fact after even further thinking about it , what do I know."

:D

"...a silvercross pram..."

The good thing about old fashioned prams is supposedly that the baby faces 'in' rather than 'out'...