OAPs must pay too
Re the Letter of the Day from Leah Redhead in which she complained of dirty looks and "tuts" from elderly bus passengers. Although she says it was because she had a large pram, I feel that maybe there were other reasons for this situation.
Re the Letter of the Day from Leah Redhead in which she complained of dirty looks and "tuts" from elderly bus passengers. Although she says it was because she had a large pram, I feel that maybe there were other reasons for this situation.
As regards the remarks she says were made by a "snooty old lady", once again I feel there was more to this particular incident and it is a pity we have only one side of the story.
As to the remarks – yes indeed, in her day people had to walk to the shops and they did so without grumbling. If one did take a child on the bus with a push-chair it had to be folded up and when travelling on a double decker put under the stairs.
It would do no harm for some of the present generation to walk more, although I cannot agree with the remarks that she or any other person should do so instead of using up seats on the bus.
The low floor type of bus is a great help, not only to parents with children but with the elderly and infirm as well. However, it is a pity that many parents abuse the buggy zone by having large push-chairs. When there are several of these on a bus at any one time they present a hazard to other passengers trying to get on or off.
The buggy zone is for small push-chairs not large ones and mini-prams.
Incidentally, if Leah Redhead chooses to use a large pram for her child then that is up to her, but she cannot expect to inconvenience other bus users by taking up so much room.
She says elderly people do not own public transport and do not even pay.
Everyone as the right to use public transport but there are rules and regulations for doing so and one is that gangways must not be obstructed, as is the case with large push-chairs.
Now let me inform her that elderly people may not pay directly to the driver, but their senior citizen passes are not free, they are paid for partly out of council tax and partly by the government out of general taxation.
Many elderly people pay both income and council tax.
Does this reader pay either? She no doubt receives benefits which are paid for in many cases by tax contributions made by those elderly people whom she seems to criticise.
D Hickinbottom, Lewis Street, Tipton.
