When to give up your seat on the bus

[boxer]

huh, I guess there are a lot of drivers breaking that rule then.....

 

[DaisyD]

huh, I guess there are a lot of drivers breaking that rule then.....

My mom has been using an ECV for the last two years at WDW. She is allowed to drive it onto the bus but never allowed to sit in it while the bus is moving. It even says on her ECV that she is not allowed to sit on it while on a bus. Maybe they changed it since you have seen this happen but I know in the last two years it has been this particular way.

 

[nepatsfan73]

I just want to add that people should not make assumptions on who is "disabled" or not. I am a male in his early 40s and on my last trip to Disney, the osteoarthristis in both hips had progressed to the stage of no more cartilidge. We still went on the trip, and I would give up my seat, depending on how I was feeling, to young children (safety) or other people who looked like they needed it more. Two years, six hip surgeries and ongoing physical therapy later, we are going back to Disney and I hope to be able to make it through the parks and be able to give up my seat if possible/needed. However, I hope people do not judge me if I don't. At least this time I have some pretty impressive scars I can "flash" them if they question me sitting.

As to my children, my wife and I always view safety first and if they are extremely tired or young, I will not have them give up their seats. We have made the 4 of them sit in two seats though to make room for others.

Previously, I would always offer to give up my seat, as the bus rides can be a pretty exciting last attraction to end the day and that is how I was brought up. We also have our older children offer their seats, if they seem coherent enough, as I believe this is a polite thing to do.

 

[SueM in MN]

Tyler who is/was a bus driver for WDW has stated several times that ECV riders must transfer to a regular bus seat, and my not stay on the ECV during transit, and can only be on it while getting the device on and off the bus. That is a WDW safety rule, and drivers can get in serious trouble if they go against this policy.

Wheelchairs and ECV's "tie down" very differently, and while it's completely safe for a wheelchair occupant to remain in the chair, it's not safe for an ECV occupant to remain on the ECV.

Maybe DCLFun can give more info on that, I know she's got firsthand knowledge of the differences between the two.

Anne

Wheelchairs (power or manual) have 4 wheels, which makes them more stable to start with than ECVs (many of which have only 3 wheels).
Wheelchairs also have a lot more places to attach the tiedown belts than ECVs have. Many wheelchairs even are equipped with special places to attach the tiedown straps and many have even been crash tested.

ECVs are usually not transported on buses - most people who own one take it apart for tranport in their trunk or back of a van. If the person using the ECV is not going to ride on the ECV, the bus driver can tie it down more quickly because it has to just be secure enough to hold it in place.

There are signs on the buses that say ECV users should transfer to a seat. The signs are underneath the bench and they are only visible when the bench is raised to put a wheelchair or ECV in place. We noticed them on every bus that DD's wheelchair was on during our trip over New Years.
I have a picture and tried to attach it, but it would not attach.

 

[LilyWDW]

I just want to add that people should not make assumptions on who is "disabled" or not.

I think this is a huge consideration when it comes to this sort of thing. I am a normal looking 25 year old female... who happens to have nearly no cartilage in her left knee which can cause extreme pain. I can walk fine usually, even over larger distances, but over time it will get weaker if I stay on it. My problem comes from bracing myself such as is required from standing on buses and on the subway. So, you add being on my feet all day and THEN having to brace myself if I stand on the bus... no thank you, I will wait so I can have a seat if I feel I need it.

Will I give up my seat if I feel that standing would not be a safety hazard to myself and others around me? (Have you SEEN when someone goes flying on those buses? You can take out a whole aisle worth of people!) Yes I would give it up to someone elderly or in obvious need, but at the same time I don't understand why someone who "needs" a seat would get on a packed bus anyway.

What I am saying is don't jump to conclusions when someone won't give up their seat. You do not know everything about them and sometimes things are not as clear as they seem.

 

[Jaymie]

DH & I have been to WDW pretty much every year for the past 10 years. Prior to our son being born, we always gave up our seats. We also had no problem getting on a bus that SRO, especially at the end of a long day in the park, what's another 15 minutes of standing. The balancing act kept me awake til we got back to the hotel.

Since having our son, I've never asked for someone to give up a seat (nor would I) but I've never had to stand. I guess that I've been lucky to be surrounded by very nice & courteous people for our past 3 trips with our son. DH always stands, because he finds it easier to hold the stroller. Although we tried to leave the parks before closing, that didn't always work out and someone would offer their seat.

We had an experience once, leaving MK, the driver forced on sooooo many people it was ridiculous. I know they want to fill in all empty space, but I really didn't need to be that personally close to these people. It was aweful. Almost like he was trying to meet a quota or something. But that was only once.

 

[delilah]

Frankly I think that all too many women have the "poor me I'm pregnant" thing going these days. I've been there, it's no big deal! The only time I really could have used that seat on the bus was in my last four weeks, and frankly I wouldn't have been going to WDW at that point anyhow, and really question the judgement of any woman that does! I guess I feel the opposite of you, I'd give up my seat to an elderly person--I'm not talking about a spry 68 year old who played 18 holes this morning, but someone who was using a cane or seemed quite frail--but I wouldn't give up my seat to a pregnant woman.

Anne

Anne

Amen, Sister!!

If I am already sitting next to my son at the end of the day, I would give my seat to a frail, elderly person using a cane before a 25 yo, robust pg woman any day (and I assure you that anybody who is pregnant is more robust than a 79 yo, by virtue of the fact that they were able to became pregnant). If I can't find any seats next to each other, my son goes into the seat, and I stand next to him. I am only 5'2" tall, so, I can't reach the overhead bar, so, I need to hold onto a seat back. (

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

And THIS is where the problem gets complex.

What if you decided to wait for the next bus so you could sit down,
the next bus arrives and your group then boards it and sits down.

Now THAT bus fills up.

Do YOU now need to get up and stand so that others can sit?

We don't.

 

[TAKitty]

On our last trip my Dh had knee surgery before we left. He had a brace and a cane and he still gave his seat up to others!

I wonder if those who give up their seats are more giving in other areas of their lives (money, time, etc.).

 

[seashoreCM]

DH We had an experience once, leaving MK, the driver forced on sooooo many people it was ridiculous. I know they want to fill in all empty space, but I really didn't need to be that personally close to these people. It was aweful. Almost like he was trying to meet a quota or something..

Where is that post where someone complained that the bus left him standing on the platform and he looked in the window and saw a lot of empty standing room near the back?

I have struggled to open a door while pushing a doublestroller and holding an infant while men walked in and out of the door next to me. Once in a whileit happens with women but honestly it happens more with men. I definetly think it is because of women who feel they are equal (and I'm not disputing that) and don't want anyone to have common courtesy I guess or they were just brought up with no manners.:

I'll say that *** *** *** men seem to be the rudest.

(The sentence still matches my opinion if you erase the asterisks completely. I can't put adjectives of my choice where the asterisks are, they are not expletives and are not four letter and "black" is not one of them, because I will get flamed to a real crisp for profiling.)

Now we come to...
If you must STAND and WAIT in the queue for the NEXT bus, why not just STAND and RIDE on the FIRST bus?

Read on ...

...about waiting for the next bus, we have a towel we sit on for parades. Well, at the bus stop, when we choose to wait for the next bus, we sit on the towel right there in line.

I have ALWAYS seen the person getting loading in the ECV remain in it during the ride. And I don't mean just a couple instances---I mean every time I.

If the driver is not going to get an infraction for making the bus move with someone sitting in an ECV, the driver might only ask the person once to move to a bus seat. Otherwise he will have to stand there (going back to the drivers seat does no good since he may not drive) until the person gets off the ECV, possibly with assistance from others but not so many others that there are no seats to move to.

 

[vacationtime]

Staying at the FQ in the summer I rarely was able to sit down for an entire trip to, or from, a park. An empty bus a FQ, but not by the time it makes it's five stops at Riverside. I always purposed to grab an empty seat with the expectation I would give it up to a woman, elderly man, or child. I tried not sitting down, so as to have it available for one of the three noted above, but it amazed me how some able body man younger than myself would jump in it and stay put. So I started grabbing one and then giving it up. I indirectly fronted off at least four young guys for not showing courtesy, with each one feeling/looking dumb - yet giving up "their" seats after an elbow from their women. Dang men, tough it out / suck it up and act like one.

Hey, I'm bone tired like the next person after a long day in the summer heat & humidity, putting 20 miles on my hushpuppies - but my mama (God rest her soul) rasied me to do just that: give it up.

But, that's just me and I really don't care what anyone else thinks/says.

 

[aubriee]

We don't want to stand on the busses, so we just wait for another bus.

Same here.

 

[aubriee]

QUESTION:

What if you decide to wait for the NEXT bus so you CAN sit down,
the NEXT bus arrives and your group then boards it and sits down.

Now THIS bus fills up.

Do YOU now need to get up and stand so that others may sit?


(I'll keep asking this until I get some feedback.)

All right I'll bite! No, if I wait for another bus and am first in line to get a seat then I'm keeping it. Anyone who really needs a seat can do the same thing I did and wait for another bus. I have a 10 y/o Gd who was premature and still has some coordination/balance problems (all right she's a clutz). No way am I allowing her to stand on a moving bus.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you wait for the next bus because you need to sit down, then it's a game time decision. If you have waited, as the overfull bus drives away, for the next bus because you truly are not able to stand, then you should take a seat on the next bus. But, I would imagine that most that are waiting for the next bus, after they get on and are seated, would give up their seat if someone who is obviously in need of a seat gets on after them and would have to stand. Most people have pretty good manners. I 'think' they are saying they would rather have a good shot at a seat rather than know they have to stand in a crammed full bus. But, I could be wrong. It's all about personal choice. If someone truly feels that they needn't give up their seat for someone less able of standing than they are, I don't think anything that is said here is going to make a difference.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Staying at the FQ in the summer I rarely was able to sit down for an entire trip to, or from, a park. An empty bus a FQ, but not by the time it makes it's five stops at Riverside. I always purposed to grab an empty seat with the expectation I would give it up to a woman, elderly man, or child. I tried not sitting down, so as to have it available for one of the three noted above, but it amazed me how some able body man younger than myself would jump in it and stay put. So I started grabbing one and then giving it up. I indirectly fronted off at least four young guys for not showing courtesy, with each one feeling/looking dumb - yet giving up "their" seats after an elbow from their women. Dang men, tough it out / suck it up and act like one.

Hey, I'm bone tired like the next person after a long day in the summer heat & humidity, putting 20 miles on my hushpuppies - but my mama (God rest her soul) rasied me to do just that: give it up.

But, that's just me and I really don't care what anyone else thinks/says.

Well that's very noble of you, but being a woman I would not expect anyone to give up their seat for me. I am able to stand just as well as any able bodied male. I think the attitude you portray is quite chauvinistic.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Staying at the FQ in the summer I rarely was able to sit down for an entire trip to, or from, a park. An empty bus a FQ, but not by the time it makes it's five stops at Riverside. I always purposed to grab an empty seat with the expectation I would give it up to a woman, elderly man, or child. I tried not sitting down, so as to have it available for one of the three noted above, but it amazed me how some able body man younger than myself would jump in it and stay put. So I started grabbing one and then giving it up. I indirectly fronted off at least four young guys for not showing courtesy, with each one feeling/looking dumb - yet giving up "their" seats after an elbow from their women. Dang men, tough it out / suck it up and act like one.

Hey, I'm bone tired like the next person after a long day in the summer heat & humidity, putting 20 miles on my hushpuppies - but my mama (God rest her soul) rasied me to do just that: give it up.

But, that's just me and I really don't care what anyone else thinks/says.

Well being a woman I want to say thank you for being chivalrous!

 

[boxer]

I just don't understand this need to give up a seat to an elderly person???? I mean if they are that elderly and frail, what are they doing going to a theme park in the first place? It's not like Disney World is somewhere they NEED to go..........they made the choice to go there under the pretense that they must walk/stand/ride for extended periods of time.

 

[DaisyD]

I just don't understand this need to give up a seat to an elderly person???? I mean if they are that elderly and frail, what are they doing going to a theme park in the first place? It's not like Disney World is somewhere they NEED to go..........they made the choice to go there under the pretense that they must walk/stand/ride for extended periods of time.

And you could say the same thing about a pregnant woman. Although the difference being that the woman chose pregnancy whereas the old people didn't have a choice to age. We all age.

 

[goofy4tink]

I just don't understand this need to give up a seat to an elderly person???? I mean if they are that elderly and frail, what are they doing going to a theme park in the first place? It's not like Disney World is somewhere they NEED to go..........they made the choice to go there under the pretense that they must walk/stand/ride for extended periods of time.

I think 'elderly' is a relative term!!! Back, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I was a teenager.... I thought 50 was elderly. Now, at 57....it's more like 85!! My dad, at 81, would most likely disagree with me on that one!!!

When I 'give up my seat' it's usually for someone who seems to be 'bus standing challenged'. My dad, while pretty spry, isn't too steady on his feet unless he is walking. It's a balance issue. So, standing on a moving bus is just not going to work for him. But, I know he would get up and give a woman his seat as he gamely tried to tough it out holding onto something as he tried to stand and not fall over!!!
I have tried giving my seat to an 'older' woman and been roundly chastized by her.....told me she was perfectly capable of standing with her husband!!!
I will give my seat to someone who is holding a very young child, or to someone who quite obviously needs the seat more than I.
But just because someone is elderly......not anymore. But, if someone really looks like they shouldn't be standing, then they get my seat.

 

[boxer]

And you could say the same thing about a pregnant woman. Although the difference being that the woman chose pregnancy whereas the old people didn't have a choice to age. We all age.

Can't believe a woman is saying this? Well, lets see---the pregnant woman would be at Disney World because she has other children and NEEDS to be there. She is also carrying 20-30 EXCESS pounds, and another life inside of her. She was decent enough to GO to Disney, knowing she is in for a bad time, just for her kids.

Elderly people on the other hand do not have kids that they 'need' to be there. Most are there on a vacation by their own choosing. Most also 'choose' to walk around the parks all day. So in my mind they chose to do all this on their own, so they can choose to stand on the bus.