Hi, my name is robertgingell! Has the following happened to anyone else? — Scope | Disability forum
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Hi, my name is robertgingell! Has the following happened to anyone else?

robertgingell
robertgingell Community member Posts: 1 Listener
edited July 2021 in Coffee lounge
Has the following happened to anyone else out there ?      Boarded a Yorkshire Tiger bus yesterday (19/7/21). Huddersfield-area, route no 360. Driver very loudly and aggressively told me I must wear facemask.
I explained that I had a hidden condition, and was exempt. He insisted that I should show some evidence of exemption. 
I stood my ground and referred the driver to the government website and the 2010 disability discrimination legislation.
After much argument, repeating that I wasn't going to mask-up, I went and sat down,  leaving this loud-mouthed baffoon  shouting and chuntering in his cab.
The idiot driver, now seemingly in quite a bad mood, drove-on like the clappers, hardly slowing for speed-humps etc, and braking harshly. A rough ride !
Worse was to come...Further along the route as an elderly and quite frail-looking man boarded, with the idiot-driver, again, in a loud intimidating tone of voice ordering this gentleman to mask-up.
Though I was inwardly urging the fellow to stand up to the bully, He did comply.
I've reported all this to various bodies, including the bus operator. And am looking into what if any legal action I or a solicitor can pursue.
T'would be interesting to know if anyone else has had similar experience/s. 
I will try and post this lot up on facebook, once/if am able to setup an account.

Thanx for reading this (Removed by moderator, personal details, such as full name and email address, are not allowed on the community)

Comments

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,098 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @robertging -  & welcome to the community. We have had some members have a similar experience whilst shopping a while ago, unfortunately. I'm sorry for what you've been through, & good that you reported it.
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello @robertgingell

    Welcome to the community, good to see you join us. 

    I'm so sorry to hear of what you went through, that sounds awful and I'm glad to hear you reported it. 

    Sadly there have been many similar situations happening over the past 18 months, and I'm sorry that this has happened to you in this instance.

    Just to let you know, I have removed personal details from the bottom of your post, in accordance with our community house rules.
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  • Freespirit47
    Freespirit47 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    Though I have not had a similar experience, I was told to get off a bus because of my mobility scooter (which I had used on many buses before) I warned the driver of the disability acts and still, he refused, that was when I reported it to Arriva and the D.O.T in London, I have never been on a bus since, as I feel the discrimination against us disabled is so horrendous it's like everyone actually wants to kill you because of your disabilities alone.
  • Freespirit47
    Freespirit47 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    That in truth is what made me purchase a larger scooter that could take me to town and back (instead of one that I could use on a bus (with a registration card from the bus company). I feel the reason for this discrimination is because of a severe bias due to policies which people have a notorious habit of accepting as the truth when they should truthfully decide for themselves instead of being a puppet to rules which go against  Human and Disability rights.
  • Freespirit47
    Freespirit47 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    Mike that was just it, I had shown him the exact dimensions I had used the same scooter and it was registered with Arriva as suitable for transportation that was why I quoted Section 24 and U.N C.R.P.D, not EA10 this was why I reported it directly to Arriva and the D.O.T as the driver went entirely against Arriva's own policies and the Disability Acts.

  • Freespirit47
    Freespirit47 Community member Posts: 13 Listener
    As you said Mike EA10 is a fool's errand; however Section 24 of the English Law and UN CRPD have to be heeded, this is why I use the full extent, not EA10 (which has an escape loop written in it). I have a book that tells me which laws can be invoked and which one's to avoid. EA10 is a Political Law (Section 24 and CRPD are national and international laws).

Brightness