Wow! The MTA bus finally got more considerate in their design placement. A woman engineer must had put in her input on this design schematics.
I still remember my second time taking the bus with Kayla with a stroller. The bus driving was nothing but a complete @$$hole and that is me being nice and putting it nicely. Cause that man must had been a single lonely person with no wife, no kids, no friends. The most inconsiderate driver I had ever witness in my life. After that experience I try not to use a stroller on the bus as much to avoid my own anger from coming out if ever have to witness that experience again.
I don't know if I ever told the story in FB or any of my blogs so here it goes... story time
I was going out with my daughter, this was when she was less than a year old and couldn't walk at that time. I don't remember where I was going, maybe 8th Avenue or somewhere. I had my daughter in her stroller and the bus that came was the newer buses that had the drop down and out ramps for the wheelchair, strollers, and shopping carts. The male driver drives up to the B9 bus stop, sees me there waiting for the bus and ask if I was coming in. He sees me waiting, as I was waiting for him to open the ramp hence I didn’t go in yet. I waited and he did not open the ramp, hence he asked if I was going in. In which time, I tell him “ yes I am taking the bus, I am waiting for you to open and drop down the ramp so I can bring my stroller and daughter in.” Meanwhile, the driver yells at me and says “the ramp is only for wheelchairs not for strollers. Please fold up your stroller and walk in.” I gave him a look and said in the nicest tone I could, even though inside I was boiling mad as hell 😾 and said, “Sir, I am a single mom, I don’t have my husband or other help with me. I have lots of things inside the bottom of my stroller (food/groceries), diaper bag and my daughter inside the stroller. There was no way I could take my daughter who couldn’t walk yet, the stroller and all those items into the bus by myself if I fold up the stroller. Does that guy have no common sense or is he just a woman hater?! Like seriously. I nicely replied, “Sir, I will fold up my stroller once I get on, please open the ramp. There is no way I can get on without the ramp.” He replied back, okay but the ramp is not for your stroller, it’s for wheelchair use only. Next time be more prepare and fold up your stroller before boarding. I relied back while holding in my anger, “Thank you.” Once on the bus, I took my daughter out of the stroller, place her in my carry-on baby carrier on me. Places all the groceries, cooked food and diaper bag on the seat next to me and folded the stroller. Meanwhile the bus I was on was not even packed. It had lots of empty space, probably about half full. The bastard! Then while almost at my stop, I put my daughter back on the stroller, placed all my groceries and food back on the bottom of the stroller and my diaper bag on my stroller. About 1 mile before my bus stop to exit, I get up with my baby stroller and proceed to go to the front of the bus. Once at my bus, again I was waiting for the driver to open the ramp so I could leave the bus. He sees me waiting, so I said “Sir, this is my stop, I am getting off here.” He replies “then get off.” I replied, “I can’t. I am waiting for you to bring down the ramp so I can stroller out.” Then he had the freakin audacity to replied “Madam, the ramp is for wheelchair use only, not for strollers.” I then replied in as nice a tone as I could and said, “I am sorry, as you can see I am a single parent and I can’t get out by myself without the ramp.” Then he let down the ramp and I got out and went home with my daughter.
That day was the first time in my life where I met such a stupid and inconsiderate man. No compassion, no common sense and full of hatred in my view for woman and kids. Probably a single man! And if he continues that bullshit will probably be single for life. As mad as I was, I was grateful that I was able to take my daughter out and do some errands and buy groceries and food.
Sometimes in life, we go through these negative experiences and it changes the way we think about people and the world in general. We learn to not be like them. We learn from their flaws to be more considerate to others in need. That’s my life lesson from that. We never know what others are going through. And the struggles of parenthood.
So when I saw this sign on the MTA B3 bus today I was more than happy and thrilled. Means they are consciously giving a spot for an “Open Stroller” as it is showing that the MTA is acknowledging the struggles of having a baby and a stroller. @MTA #MTA Thank you for the acknowledgment. I am sure many mommies and their babies are happy by this. Now please install more of these on other buses! And please educated your drivers that the ramp is for the “handicap, disable, wheelchair, strollers, wheel carts, shopping carts, elderly walkers, cane walkers, people that need a ramp assistance. Not just for people with wheelchair!