Bus manners

[GC&S]

I guess I should have clarified - I don't mean that everyone should give up a seat for a child. My child is more than capable of standing. But sometimes those bus rides are long and I saw children go flying when the bus jerked to a stop. Many times the bus didn't look crowded when we got on. Many times we did wait for the next bus. When we did get seats, I always sat with my dd on my lap. I was more shocked at the people who would not give up a seat to pg women or those carrying babies. We also took a cab a couple of times to avoid the crowded buses at night.

I did not know this topic had just been discussed as I just got back.

Let's change the subject - let's talk about people using their cell phones while on rides and getting mad because they can't hear .

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

I used to make my children get up and offer their seat to moms with babes in arms or older guests.


















Now, I'm proud to say that they do it on their own.

 

[Esmerelda]

You some times have to wonder if these folks were raised in a barn? It doesn't hurt anyone to have good manners no matter what the circumstances are. Both of my sons have eagerly given up their seats on Disney buses to elderly women, pregnant women, and women carrrying small sleeping children. Did I prompt them to do it.....heck no. They did it out of the kindness of their little hearts. I am always proud of them for their manners. I have had many folks comment to me about what polite children I have had in the past while on vacation.

To the OP....my favorite bumper sticker to this day: :mean people suck....

nuff said,
Esmerelda

 

[hauntedmansion]

I will give my seat up for elderly or mom's holding babies. If the bus is full wait for the next one! Rent a car that will solve the problem...

 

[CheshireVal]

You know what? People are TIRED after a long day at Disney. Feet ache, muscles are sore, eyelids are droopy. Nobody *wants* to give up his or her seat. Sometimes a person might not even notice that someone else might need a seat because of the tired factor.

I might give up my seat to someone who really needs it, but not for a child.

 

[Poohsmommi]

We just got back from a wonderful trip. We had very few issues. But what is with people and buses?? We have a 3 yr old and many times we had to stand. For adults that fine, but for a child it's really hard. No one ever offered their seat to her. DH offered his seat several times - to pg women, women with small children and elderly. No one else offered their seats. One family took up several seats with their stuff and one woman asked if her child could sit in one of the "packages" seat and the family said no. Very rude.

My other gripe was with strollers (and yes, we used a stroller). Why do people feel the need to set up their stroller right when they get off the bus? Move to the side and then set up your stroller, especially if little Johnny doesn't want to get in it and is throwing a temper tantrum. Several times people were tripping over strollers because the family was at the bottom of the steps trying to unfold their stroller. I'm stroller impaired so I move as far out the way to fight with it (and dd) trying to get it open.

We had very few stroller incidents in the parks (and it was pretty crowded). No stroller ramming or people walking in our path. As always, people would stop right in front of us but thanks to our quick reflexes we avoided crashing into them.

No one should take up a seat with packages .... but there is no reason to "give up" a seat for a child. A woman with an infant - yes. A child? No. My own child has given up her seat - on her own - for an eldery person and she just turned 8.

 

[DisneyMim]

Ah the old bus and stroller thread. I could go on and on, but we found that it is way more easier to just rent a car. Yes everyone is tired by the end of the day. I don't think people are even looking at who's standing. We do take the monorail and have many problems with people putting "stuff" on seats and (my personal favorite) people with their HUGE strollers taking their kids out of them to sit on a seat and then not folding the stoller up and just parking it in everyone's way! Yes, people are very rude, but they are tired and everyone needs a seat at the end of the day. If you truly are having problems the best thing is to rent a car. Once you know your way around (and NOT how Disney sends you) you can go anywhere way faster than a bus.

 

[mbcary]

Ah the old bus and stroller thread. I could go on and on, but we found that it is way more easier to just rent a car. Yes everyone is tired by the end of the day. I don't think people are even looking at who's standing. We do take the monorail and have many problems with people putting "stuff" on seats and (my personal favorite) people with their HUGE strollers taking their kids out of them to sit on a seat and then not folding the stoller up and just parking it in everyone's way! Yes, people are very rude, but they are tired and everyone needs a seat at the end of the day. If you truly are having problems the best thing is to rent a car. Once you know your way around (and NOT how Disney sends you) you can go anywhere way faster than a bus.

DisneyMim, you are so right! Disney does send you in some convulated directions. I guess to keep the flow of traffic going. There are a lot of easier ways to get around.

I completely agree to the stroller thing. Step aside so everyone else can exit the bus timely.

However, I think to each his own on giving up the seat. I, for one, will not judge anyone for either giving up or not giving up a seat. Who am I to judge? I will do what I think is appropriate at the time. Everyone is tired at the end of the day and I do think that people are usually completely spaced out and may have no idea what is going on around them.

 

[jann1033]

everyone [/I] is tired and wants to sit by the end of the day, not just sick/ old /young/ pregnant/ parents

 

[babar41]

This is why we rent a car. Did the bus thing years ago when we stayed at Fort Wilderness, that was enough.

It is a matter or manners. Some people have them, some people don't.

 

[jann1033]

. If there is someone who is not well enough to stand on a bus how are they healthy enough to walk around Disney for hours a day?.

not to flame but hope you have to never find this out first hand.....i have balance problems and a moving bus+ me is not a good thing( neither are moving walkways). i also spend a lot of time sitting at disney so i can spend "hours walking around there" and take days off to rest while there and spend days recuperating post trip. so lots of people fit in this catagory... just be glad you aren't one of them

 

[LaraK]

We're in the "rent a car" club. When we went in April we rode the bus for the first few days...let me tell you that it is NOT fun to manage two kids (at the time 2 and a half and 8 mos) while my husband negotiated the double stroller. We are chronically anal and usually left early enough to sit on the way to the park...but one bus ride after Fantasmic was all it took to decide we would never ride a bus again. My SIL and I sat and held onto the 4 kids with us that were too small to stand (3, 2, 1 and 8 mos) while my BIL and DH stood with all the gear jammed into a corner. We found that leaving early we got great parking spots and when we returned after lunch we just zipped up and took the close spots of those who left early.

 

[BCKatie02]

If you think not offering up a seat is rude, try riding the commuter train to work every day with people who sit themselves in the aisle seat or a 2 or 3 seat row and then roll their eyes at you when you ask to sit in the other empty seats in the row. How dare you disturb them!!!

 

[HoneyPooh]

I take exception to the teenager thing, are they not allowed to ever sit? My sons have wonderful manners thank you, but sometimes they waited 2 busses to sit, so sit they did. We were there last week and on every bus ride we watched to see if we would have seats, if the bus filled we waited for the next one. My youngest DS (17) had an x-ray and ultrasound the day before we left because of a non-healing bruise (very nasty blood bubble) on his shin and calf. He was told he was fine for vacation but to "baby" the leg as much as possible. Put it up when he could and rest it often. He may have looked like a rude and unmannerly teenager to you but he was following doctors orders. Assumptions...you know the saying. Each time a bus was filling the driver would announce to those waiting if it was standing only. On three seperate occasion after hearing the driver say this, I saw families with sleeping infants, toddlers and double strollers try to cram onto the bus. My teenager were raised just fine thank you.

 

[cinder1]

Well, I'm one who thinks able-bodied folks from preteens up should give up seats for those who need them. You know if you are not able-bodied. I know full well not everyone can stand in the bus. We always give up seats for someone who needs it, but it's not like it happens all the time. We try to go at slower times of the year so usually there are seats for everyone.

I totally disagree about not giving up a seat for a child. One time, my very slight DD who was about 5 yrs old had to stand up. There was nothing for her to hold onto very well. She was being thrown about while a family sat taking up space with packages nearby, refusing to get up. I finally had her sit on the floor and hold my legs as I was busy holding a 2 yr old and DH was standing holding a stroller. And no the bus did not look that crowded, especially since some folks were letting their packages sit. Also by the time the folks in front of us moved to the back, there were already people getting on behind us. For us to back off the bus (with 3 kids and a stroller) would have been hugely difficult at best. The good news is that after the first stop, an elderly gentleman and his wife (and I emphacize the term gentleman) got up at the front of the bus and insisted on ushering me and my DD and DS to their seats. He noticed from the front of the bus (we were nearer the back) that my DD was being thrown about.

I think for the sake of safety, small kids should not stand. The buses are not built for them to stand. Heck, I'm short and have a hard enough time myself. DH always gives up his seat to anyone needing it. Now my DD 10 also gives up her seat to those who need it, including smaller kids. My slight DD who is now 8 also gives up her seat as necessary.

I certainly do not think everyone should always give up seats for kids, but you can use good judgment. When you see a child who is too small to hold on safely having to stand, then get up. Common courtesy is getting lost. I always hold the door for people, men and women, and I will certainly give up a seat on a bus for those who seem to need it more than me.

It was only one trip that I saw folks being quite rude on the bus. Most of the time, I've seen very kind folks offering up seats to the elderly, pg women, parents with small kids, young kids. At WDW, I've seen less line cutting and other rude things than at our local 6 Flags.

 

[smfritz03]

We were there this past August--and many times the busses were packed. We were fortuanteto have seats many times, but also have stood. Our children (ages 7,6,6) would give their seats up (without being told or asked) to any elderly or child. I was surprized because this was not something that has ever been discussed w/ them--they were just following dh's example. I was very proud of my kids and the examples they showed of themselves.

That being said, I also have a 16 mth old--she didnt go on this trip so the kids could do the park at their speed, she will be doing it at her speed in Nov. (we are a blended family, his,mine and ours) I completely understand about a parent wanting their 3 yr old to sit vs standing. It isnt safe---why do you think their are laws for carseats,etc? I even read on one of the busses where it stated children were not allowed to stand. If that bus was involved in an accident, that child would be unable to keep their feet from under them and would become a projectile--the odds decrease if they are sitting. Should it be EXPECTED to give your seat up? No, it should never be expected--but what you do for others does come back 10 fold to you.

 

[anewvance]

<<<Should it be EXPECTED to give your seat up? No, it should never be expected--but what you do for others does come back 10 fold to you.>>>

Well said!

 

[pdarrah]

I want to chime in with the problem of small children not having anything to hold onto. My DS6 (5 for our last trip) actually WANTS to stand - I think he considers the bus another thrill ride However, on the newer buses (the wider ones with fewer actual seats - mostly along the sides and a few rows in the back which are up higher than the rest - we call them "Goofy" busses") there isn't much of anything for short people to hold onto! I am only 5'2" and can barely reach the overhead straps. There are only a few poles to hold onto and when the bus is full you can't always get to them. Before our last trip, DS could always hold onto daddy's leg - but DH injured his back and although he still usually stands to let others sit, he has enough trouble without having DS hanging onto him also. DS tried hanging onto me, but since I can barely reach - I'm not too stable either! Many times, someone has offered him a seat when they saw he was having trouble and we truly appreciated it.

On the other type of busses (we call those the "Mickey" busses) where there are more seats - there are handles on the back corner of every seat. I much prefer these since it gives those of us who are short something to hold onto. THE TRULY RUDE people are the ones who actually glare at you or complain to you because you are holding the handle on THEIR SEAT! What do they expect you to hold onto? Would they rather you hold onto nothing and get thrown into their laps?

My other pet peave is the backpacks! Take it off when you get on the bus - even if you are standing! People seem to have no clue where their backpack is hitting. They are usually right at my face level and inevitably the person wearing it keeps swinging it around and banging it into me. It is your own business that you want to carry a HUGE, heavy backpack around the parks (I don't understand - but it doesn't bother me any) but it becomes my business when you bang it into my face. -- Sorry about that - that tirade has been building up for a long time! I have been hit with backpacks at least twice for our last several trips. Most of the time, the person doing the hitting is so oblivious they don't even know their backpack just creamed someone.

Thank you - I feel much better now!

pdarrah

 

[GC&S]

However, on the newer buses (the wider ones with fewer actual seats - mostly along the sides and a few rows in the back which are up higher than the rest - we call them "Goofy" busses") there isn't much of anything for short people to hold onto! pdarrah

These are the busses that we encountered the most - very few seats and the isles were very wide. This is where we had the problem - nothing for dd to hold onto, and yes, she was thrilled to stand (and roll around on the floor) but I was trying to hold onto her (so she wouldn't be knocking into other people - several glares for that) and I was trying to hold on as well. With the other busses with more seats, it's more controlled when standing.

Again, I don't think there is a rule about giving up seats, but from a safety standpoint, I think young children should be in a seat. Sometimes it's just nice to be nice.

 

[cec311]

We just returned also. While I DO think it's extremely rude to have "items" taking up seats (as opposed to humans of any age/size/etc.) -I don't think anyone is mandated to give their seat up to anyone else. You have no idea their condition that isn't visible/etc. and if you really want a seat when it's standing room only- wait for the next bus. That's what we did, and I think it's wrong that potentially (from what I have read on this board atleast) there are people out there having an "issue" with me and my kids sitting on a bus and not offering them our seats- when we waited almost every time for the next bus so we wouldn't be standing! How fair is it for us to wait for the next bus so we can sit then have to offer our seat to someone else who apparently is too "good" to wait for the next bus but instead expects us to give up our seats for them?

If you want to sit- and it's standing room only... wait for another bus. period.

I guess common courtesy doesn't play into the equation at all, I will give up my seat for any woman, child, or person who needs it. I guess I'm different since I was raised with some respect and manners! These threads astound me!