Should I report this bus driver?

[Goldelpack]

Well I have a hidden disability and basically sitting in a disabled seat and parking in the disabled spot with my placard is throwing it out there.

I tell people off all the time for being rude, give snarky comebacks and would totally shame a person for being terrible person and on top of that would not feel the slightest bit of anything about it. If a person wants to be awful I am not going to sit and take it in real life, if a person is being terrible to a disabled or vulnerable person then someone needs to tell them and I am ok with being that someone.

People have a right to be awful, this is true, but I am also well within my rights to inform them they are awful.

1. Having a disability (hidden or visable) doesn't provide permission or a "right" to be the one to TELL others of the behavior you find awful. In fact, that, in and of itself is pretty awful. Being intentionally "snarky" or glaring at, or shaming people is not in any way helping the situation. It is not tit for tat. It's not informative or educational or helpful.

2. Many busses have signage asking/telling people that certain seats are designated for handicapped and they could be asked to move. It doesn't indicate that there's any type of legal requirement and that if they are awful people they'll suffer awful consequences. I've had several experiences at resorts with multiple stops where there's guests on board and they won't expend the energy to move their feet out of the way of my scooter. So if my wheel attempts to meet their foot - I hope they then move it or it might cause some discomfort for them.

3. Going back to the original post - it's always good to report these incidents and I've done so several times over the years. While I don't get a detailed reply about what is or was being done, I do get a response that indicates to me that someone read my concerns.

 

[LuvOrlando]

1. Having a disability (hidden or visable) doesn't provide permission or a "right" to be the one to TELL others of the behavior you find awful. In fact, that, in and of itself is pretty awful. Being intentionally "snarky" or glaring at, or shaming people is not in any way helping the situation. It is not tit for tat. It's not informative or educational or helpful.

2. Many busses have signage asking/telling people that certain seats are designated for handicapped and they could be asked to move. It doesn't indicate that there's any type of legal requirement and that if they are awful people they'll suffer awful consequences. I've had several experiences at resorts with multiple stops where there's guests on board and they won't expend the energy to move their feet out of the way of my scooter. So if my wheel attempts to meet their foot - I hope they then move it or it might cause some discomfort for them.

3. Going back to the original post - it's always good to report these incidents and I've done so several times over the years. While I don't get a detailed reply about what is or was being done, I do get a response that indicates to me that someone read my concerns.

so let me get this straight, I can't react to people in the real world but you and others who, according to yourselves, WOULD NOT correct or respond to a person actually in real life have the moral high ground correcting me here? How does that tricky u turn work exactly?

Some have got a whole lot of Thou shalt not gong on for people who really seem to be digging some I shall for themselves.

 

[lanejudy]

Are you saying person with an invisible disability is the same as a person who just simply does not want to move and as a person with an invisible disability I should be understanding of a person just not wanting to move?

Again -- you asked about legal requirement to move: "isn't it a law for people to get up for handicapped seating?"
The answer is no. The ADA requires that the driver ask others to move from those seats; the law does not require the people to move. The reason being you cannot visually tell the difference between someone with an invisible disability who needs that seat and the grumpy jerk who simply doesn't want to move. The latter gets a pass in order to maintain protection for the former.

Do you really believe that a disabled person sitting in a disabled seat who is asked to move for a chair or scooter is likely to just flat out say no without offering a reason instead of offering an explanation such as "I'm disabled too," if asked to move for the chair or scooter by the bus driver? Really?

Nobody has to self-identify as disabled to use those seats; a simple "no, I need to sit" is sufficient, not "I'm disabled too." I don't know why you would feel the right to publicly shame an individual for a perceived wrong-doing when all they are doing is protecting their own rights and privacy.


This is about the legal requirements because you questioned the legalities. This is not specific to OP's situation because the law was followed -- the driver properly asked the people to move and they did so the scooter was loaded.

 

[robinb]

I’m gonna weigh in on this argument about people refusing to move. I think that if there are other seats available and someone refuses to move they are a jerk. Period. And that includes folks with the invisible disabilities. I don’t care what the law says or doesn’t say, you’re a jerk for not moving to another seat when asked. @LuvOrlando is welcome to give them the evil eye and mutter under her breath about them being jerks. They deserve it.

I’m sure she does not harbor those feelings about people who don’t want to move when the bus is full. That is a completely different situation and has been covered here and elsewhere in ad nauseam.

 

[lanejudy]

I’m gonna weigh in on this argument about people refusing to move. I think that if there are other seats available and someone refuses to move they are a jerk. Period. And that includes folks with the invisible disabilities.

Did I miss something? Where did anyone say that? As best as I can tell that didn't happen and nobody suggested that it should.

 

[robinb]

Did I miss something? Where did anyone say that? As best as I can tell that didn't happen and nobody suggested that it should.

Sorry, I thought that’s what the argument was about. People not moving to an empty seat of asked. If there are no empty seats they should, of course, stay if they want for whatever reason with no evil eye given. As we have discussed before ad nauseam.

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry, I thought that’s what the argument was about. People not moving to an empty seat of asked.

No, my responses were about what is required by law. Another poster thought the law requires people to move from those seats (where a wheelchair/ECV would be tied down). However that is not correct. The ADA only requires that the driver ask other passengers to move but does not require forcing anyone to move because some may have invisible disabilities and need the seat. Nobody is required to disclose an invisible disability to remain seated, so yes it's possible that a jerk could refuse to move. I don't believe any poster here is of the opinion that would be appropriate, however one can't really know who is a jerk vs who has an invisible disability.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I’m gonna weigh in on this argument about people refusing to move. I think that if there are other seats available and someone refuses to move they are a jerk. Period. And that includes folks with the invisible disabilities. I don’t care what the law says or doesn’t say, you’re a jerk for not moving to another seat when asked. @LuvOrlando is welcome to give them the evil eye and mutter under her breath about them being jerks. They deserve it.

I’m sure she does not harbor those feelings about people who don’t want to move when the bus is full. That is a completely different situation and has been covered here and elsewhere in ad nauseam.

Thanks for that, I'm sorry the original set of events happened to you in the first place, I believe you.

I need to mask because my Dr tells me I do. This means that for years now every single time I go out into a store I wear a mask and since quarantine, incredibly, every single time AT LEAST ONE miserable person makes it a point to seek me out and deliberately cough on me. I know it is on purpose because when someone is genuinely sick I can hear them before I see them. People faking it just happen to have a terrible cough when they see me and just so happen to need to be where I am to cough at me or on me and then the cough magically disappears when they feel they did a good job at being awful Sometimes people who don't cough on me, like a cashier, will still go out of their way to share their contempt by intentionally starting a conversation just so they can share how difficult it is to hear me.

I see how horrible humans are with this twisted behavior all the time so my experiences have taught me that humans can be horrible "just because" and for that reason I am willing to offer you the benefit of the doubt that what you felt and experienced was genuine. I can see plainly that some people really are just terrible humans and that is all there is to it.

In the end I hope this sort of thing doesn't happen to you again.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Every time I come over to this forum I get the distinct impression that the tone and expectation is to just accept whatever crumbs the world is willing to toss at me and that any voicing of that not being good enough makes a person a troublemaker. Then that thought makes me consider all the other troublemakers who got Civil Rights Laws passed in the first place and all the troublemakers who will make them better.

I'm ok with being in that group

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Do the bus drivers just ask people to move or do they say something to the effect of if someone was willing to move for an ecv?

If it's the first I can see why someone would be hesitant to move (disability or not) if there are other open seats available.

I can't remember do any of the buses have a step up to the back of it?

 

[Mle8308]

Do the bus drivers just ask people to move or do they say something to the effect of if someone was willing to move for an ecv?

If it's the first I can see why someone would be hesitant to move (disability or not) if there are other open seats available.

I can't remember do any of the buses have a step up to the back of it?

Yes, the busses do have at least one step to get to the back section of the bus. Not 100% sure it's every bus, but I know many do.