Spotted on STOMP:
Bus driver insists mum fold up stroller and refuses to drive unless she does so
STOMPer Pearl said she got into an argument with a bus driver when he refused to drive the bus if she did not fold up her baby stroller. The STOMPer said she is familiar with the rules by public bus operators that state that strollers and prams have to be folded up due to safety reasons. However, as her destination was only 2 bus stops away and her baby was fast asleep inside, her husband carried the stroller with the baby sleeping inside.
In an email to STOMP, the STOMPer wrote:
“I hope it this will raise public awareness and get the authorities to consider more appropriate measures for mothers commuting with babies and strollers. Today (July 7), at around 2.30pm, my husband and I, my son and my sleeping daughter boarded bus 111.
Upon entering the bus, the bus driver insisted that we carry our daughter out of her stroller, instead of leaving her in the pram. He said that this was for safety, if for instance the bus comes to a sudden stop. I explained to him that our daughter is sleeping, and we are only taking the bus for two stops, but he would not listen.
My husband then told him that he will carry the stroller with the baby in it, and we proceeded to the back of the bus. My husband then carried the stroller, with my daughter inside (the stroller is very light) and made sure that it was secure. The bus, however, did not move. Instead, the bus driver stepped out of his seat and came to us, demanding that we take my daughter out and fold up the pram or else he would not drive the bus.
This rule is actually not new to us, we have always complied when our baby daughter is awake. But so many times, we have heard accounts of such situations, when mothers who are alone with their two young children, one of them in a pram, carrying lots of stuff. And in instances like this, the bus driver is only interested in compliance to the law. They have no regard for people’s needs whatsoever. That is the law, and it has to be complied.
So what if you have a need? Who cares?
I feel that this time I must not back down. Mothers who are in such a vulnerable position should not have to suffer this. So I spoke up against the bus driver. We really could have just walked off. But at the thought of those mothers who have suffered before me, and who will continue to suffer after today, I was really angry.
So here are some thoughts we want to leave you to think about:
“Is this the way we want our country to be, having “blanket” laws that are meant to help people, but end up backfiring because it overlooks certain situations or groups of people? Was it really so hard to help mothers in this situation? Do you need to spend thousands of dollars on every single bus to address the problem? In today’s case, he could have just allowed my husband to carry the stroller in his arms.
Why do you think the bus driver could not have given a simple concession to us? Maybe there was this bus driver who got sacked because he “closed one eye”? A call to Singaporeans in the management: allow your staff to think and make judgement call in situations. Don’t hammer them because they used their brains. And you use yours too.
A call to all Singaporeans: have some concern for the people around you. Don’t just follow laws rigidly. Speak up for what is right.”
Credits: STOMP Singapore
Replies to this post has been mostly negative like these below.
So what do you think?
Who do you agree with? The general public or STOMPER Pearl?
Feel free to leave your comments below(:
Till later,
♥ mitsueki
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