I remember a while ago, some of us bloggers mentioned the difficultly of trying to get around those ’suv’ strollers on the bus. Now Oc Transpo have created a new bylaw to address this issue. Just an FYI to all the expectant mothers, buying a new stroller:
ENFORCEMENT
REFUSAL OF SERVICE
32. (1) In this Section, “objectionable conduct” includes but is not limited to the conduct described in Section 19.
(2) A proper authority may refuse passage[a proper authority has been outlined as the driver] on the transit system to:
(a) a person in possession of explosives, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, flammable material or any other dangerous thing or material;
(b) a person in a state of intoxication, under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, or otherwise in an unfit or improper condition, who acts in a manner detrimental to the public;
(c) a person whose conduct is or is likely to be objectionable to other passengers or the operator of the transit vehicle; or
(d) a person carrying hand luggage, a parcel or any object or thing that does inconvenience or is likely to inconvenience other passengers.
(3) This refusal of passage may be for a single trip, or for a longer period as defined by the City.
(4) No person shall remain in or upon any transit property after having been refused service by a proper authority.
and from earlier in the by-law….
PRIORITY SEATING
ENTITLEMENT
18. (1) A person with a disability, an expectant mother, a person with a visible need for priority seating, a person with a child in a carriage or stroller, a person with a Priority Seating Card or a person with an Assistant Card is entitled to priority seating on a front bench seat but is not guaranteed a seat.
(2) No person, who is not described in subsection (1), shall fail to surrender a front bench seat to a person entitled to priority seating.
omg. As much as suv strollers irritate me, I wouldn’t want to be the driver who has to throw some mom and her baby off the bus. yikes.
By: Lana on July 20, 2008
at 8:26 am
For me, I think that instead of slapping down more restrictions on people allowed to use PUBLIC transit, they ought to be encouraging more people to use it — whether they have strollers or luggage or parcels or motorized carts or wheelchairs or pets or crutches or bikes or whatever. I think most people with extra stuff make an effort to use buses on off-peak times but sometimes they need to be places just like the rest of us. Having to go places with a baby and baby accessories or with a disability or a lot of stuff you have no other way of getting from point A to point B is probably a inconvenient, too. So, I guess we all have to put up with a little inconveniece in a diverse society.
By: XUP on July 21, 2008
at 3:53 am
good point xup.
By: aandjblog on July 21, 2008
at 3:55 am
Personally I think there should be size restrictions on the strollers and carriages permitted on the bus. I have nothing against babies and moms, but jesus, do they really need strollers the size of golf carts? Those little umbrella strollers work just fine and don’t completely block the aisles.
By: zoom on July 21, 2008
at 8:27 am
An option that is often overlooked is the babycarrier. Slings, wraps, pouches and soft structured carriers have been shown to offer countless benefits to both parents and the infants and toddlers that they carry. Parents can carry their child and still maintain the use of both hands to carry parcels or just hold on to the rail when the bus is in motion and a parent with a child in a carrier really takes up no more space than the average adult. A bonus for the other bus passengers is the, studies have proven, a baby in a carrier will cry much less than those that are not. For parents, babies and passengers it’s a win, win, win situation.
By: Milkface Mama on July 31, 2008
at 4:15 am