ASD and busses - mostly venting.

[lucigo]

Has anyone used the GAC for the bus with their ASD child? I was so tempted to but never did. If someone says, "be careful the floor is slippery" my son hears, "the floor the floor is perfect for ice skating". Not a lot of room for ice skating with 50 people crammed onto a bus. We got a lot of those "control your kid" looks. Once my son actually touched someone on the bus and I apologized to him and said I'm sorry my son has autism..and the guy says "I can tell". JERK!

And then there was the night we came back from Downtown Disney and I was holding a sleeping 4-1/2 yo kid, and had to stand for 20 minutes while grown men who have never heard of politeness sat on their rear ends and enjoyed their ride. My DH has always gotten up for people who need a seat (elderly, children, etc), and made our kids get up also (the older ones of course).

 

[livndisney]

Has anyone used the GAC for the bus with their ASD child? I was so tempted to but never did. If someone says, "be careful the floor is slippery" my son hears, "the floor the floor is perfect for ice skating". Not a lot of room for ice skating with 50 people crammed onto a bus. We got a lot of those "control your kid" looks. Once my son actually touched someone on the bus and I apologized to him and said I'm sorry my son has autism..and the guy says "I can tell". JERK!

And then there was the night we came back from Downtown Disney and I was holding a sleeping 4-1/2 yo kid, and had to stand for 20 minutes while grown men who have never heard of politeness sat on their rear ends and enjoyed their ride. My DH has always gotten up for people who need a seat (elderly, children, etc), and made our kids get up also (the older ones of course).

I don't think the GAC works for the bus. What accomidation would be looking for?

 

[BeckyScott]

Yep. One of the ladies at work keeps asking me why we're renting a car, when Disney offers "those free busses".

 

[lucigo]

I don't think the GAC works for the bus. What accomidation would be looking for?

Well thats the thing...nothing more than a little understanding that my child cant stand still and hold onto a rail for a 10-20 min bus ride, or a seat when he is asleep and I have to try to hold him and a rail without falling on my rear. But then I think every mom would like those things and you shouldn't have to have a "special pass" to get that, it should be common courtesy! I personally would not sit by while a mom carrying a sleeping child stood up just because "I got there first".

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I don't think the GAC works for the bus. What accommodation would be looking for?

I agree with this question.

The only time the drivers are permitted to ask a person to vacate a seat is if they are at a multi-stop resort and at a stop other than the first they are to board one or two wheelchairs or ECVs and there are people seated in the parking areas for wheelchairs.

And, yes, I agree with the original poster about rudeness but too may people now have grown up with a "me first" attitude.

 

[Talking Hands]

I agree with this question.

The only time the drivers are permitted to ask a person to vacate a seat is if they are at a multi-stop resort and at a stop other than the first they are to board one or two wheelchairs or ECVs and there are people seated in the parking areas for wheelchairs.

And, yes, I agree with the original poster about rudeness but too may people now have grown up with a "me first" attitude.

It's been my experience that most of the bus drivers refuse to do that and just tell the guest in the wheelchair to wait for the next bus while loading all those not in a wheelchair and taking off. Sometimes they don't even have the courtesy to acknowledge your presence but load the passengers not in a wheelchair and leave as was done to me Saturday night going to Pleasure Island. I just barely made the 8pm show and only because the greeters there had been informed I was coming by the interpreter.

 

[mamaloya]

I have to say, autism or not, one of my pet peeves is people, especially men who remain seated and will allow a woman, let alone one holding a child to stand.

If my husband ever did that, he may be sleeping in the doghouse for a LONG time. I am teaching my sons to accomodate women as well. Feminism my behind, a lady holding a child needs to be treated accordingly. One night on the way back on a bus, a woman came on holding a baby and another small child. My son and nephew both jumped up and let her sit. I was strapped in in my wheelchair.

I don't see why the bus drivers cannot mandate this courtesy. It is actually a safety issue. A woman, or man, holding a baby is not very safe standing trying to balance the 2 of them. There should be signs stating that people holding babies have the right to be seated. There are signs in the wheelchair seats that say you can be asked to get up. Why can't people be asked to get up for someone holding a child?

OK, though, one thing in the rude people's defense though. Sometimes at WDW people get that "left their brain at home" syndrome. Maybe they are just spaced out and not paying attention, kind of asleep on the feet, or bottom as the case may be. Maybe if one were to ask them nicely if they would mind letting them sit they would wake up and be like, "Oh, I am so sorry, I did not see you there. Of course, you can have my seat." Maybe???

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I agree with this question.

The only time the drivers are permitted to ask a person to vacate a seat is if they are at a multi-stop resort and at a stop other than the first they are to board one or two wheelchairs or ECVs and there are people seated in the parking areas for wheelchairs.

And, yes, I agree with the original poster about rudeness but too may people now have grown up with a "me first" attitude.

Really? Here the bus drivers (public city bus) will ask you to move if you're in the designated seating and someone clearly needs it -- e.g. someone very elderly or who is using a walker, or otherwise clearly needs a seat. I've also been on the bus, holding a child who was either sleeping or simply too young to stand and had the bus driver say "I'm not driving until the lady with the baby is sitting down -- who's moving?" which generally works quite well.

So if I got on the bus with say my 81 year old MIL who is clearly unsteady and needs physical assistance to climb the steps -- the bus driver would drive off with her standing and people sitting in the "courtesy seats"?

 

[Schmeck]

Men can be disabled too, and need a seat - so let's not judge people, right?

A solution for the OP if the child needs a seat would be to wait for the next bus to come. We've done that when my leg has been bothering more than I can usually bear.

 

[lucigo]

Men can be disabled too, and need a seat - so let's not judge people, right?

A solution for the OP if the child needs a seat would be to wait for the next bus to come. We've done that when my leg has been bothering more than I can usually bear.

You do have a point, and I don't mean to single any one out. That said, I think we as a world (not just the US because there were lots of people from other countries guilty too) have lost something when it comes to consideration for others.

 

[taximomfor4]

Men can be disabled too, and need a seat - so let's not judge people, right?

A solution for the OP if the child needs a seat would be to wait for the next bus to come. We've done that when my leg has been bothering more than I can usually bear.

We've done this too. More times than I can list. We spread our towel to sit upon on the pavement in the bus line, after the standing-room-only bus leaves. When the next bus pulls up, we pick up the kids & our towel, and get on.

DH almost always stands. DS often does too (more and more as he gets older).

I see moms holding babies, while holding the handrail. I sometimes catch myself looking at the people sitting, to see who SHOULD be offering her a seat...but then I remember that I can't TELL who needs their seat. In the end, I wonder why that mom didn't just wait for the next bus like we did. My assumption must be that she feels perfectly capable of doing so.

 

[disneydeb]

we use to use the bus for my austistic gs, until the last time we used it, for some reason when me, dgs, and dd got on the crowded bus we ended up on seats across from each other.dgs wanted to run between me and his mother,we could not get him to sit, finally when he fell much to the surprise and horror of everyone on the bus my dd sat in the middle of the aisle and practically was holding him down for the trip, we did not know he had autism at the time and we thought he was just being a little pain in the butt, since he was diagnosed things have changed for the better for our trips to wdw we always rent a car, good for when we need a quick escape back to resort. i bring glow sticks with me, for when hes afraid of the dark, and bubbles, for when he needs a time out, we find a quiet spot and play with bubbles until we are able to compose ourselves again works everytime . oh yea the other nice thing about renting a car is he always has his familiar seat to return to and he knows he gets buckled up!

 

[scojos]

maybe its the brit in me, but as a woman i would give up my seat, or at worst offer to take the child. I have had this when my own child is asleep "next" to me, on my shoulder i have sat and had someone alses kid on my lap, so they did nt have to stand with them. i agree probably not ideal, but best fit under circumstances,
tracy

 

[mechurchlady]

I would stick with renting a car in your case.

What if your son was a typical kid without any autism or handicaps? That man on the bus would have been rude to you if your "normal" kid accidently touched him or was pretending to be a monkey on the poles in the bus. The 25 year old healthy dude would not give up his seat to you even if you were 9 months pregnant, wearing a body cast and had a seeing eye dog. The bus drivers cannot do much either. The rude people are on els, subways, jitneys, busses trolleys all over the world.

We also forget that other people may have sensory problems. A long day dealing with clients and bosses can make a person short tempered and react to the littlest bit of stimulous. Humans can only take so much stress and sometimes what seems little to you is the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. I often pity the person who is not understanding or who is rude adn hope they get their life in order.

You can fight and take the bus while dealing with people who do not like being touched and who do not like any kid making noise or running round. You can take the easier way out and rent a car which could be used for storing luggage, trip needs, help with side trips to wal-mart, and allow your child to ride in comfort while listening to his favourite music. No stress of having to be on a bus which can wear out kids. I love the busses but would rent a car because of the freedom to drive offsite to SeaWorld, Wal Mart, and off site dining.

And never ever waste your energy worrying what others think about you. Half the time you will find nobody cares and and most of the time your what if does not happen.

 

[Disneylvr]

All of the above is what makes me afraid to even try the buses with DD. I didn't like the buses on our trips before she was born and I know I would like them even less. We will stick with using the monorails and boats whenever possible and the rented car all other times. I don't have autism but still don't like people standing THAT close to me! And I know for a fact that DD would touch people inappropriately.

 

[AJKMOM]

Men can be disabled too, and need a seat - so let's not judge people, right?

A solution for the OP if the child needs a seat would be to wait for the next bus to come. We've done that when my leg has been bothering more than I can usually bear.

DH looks fine, but has lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. He is unable to stand still more than a minute before his feet become very painful.

 

[disprincesspatty]

I think you definately notice things depending on the age you are at. When we were at Disney last year we were more likely to notice young parents who would let their very small child take up a seat rather than holding them on their lap. We saw people taking up seats with their bags and such and people actually having to ask them to move their packages so they could sit.