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Public transport difficulties

bristolvr3

Hello everyone.

In Felixstowe, where I live, I use public transport to go to work, do shopping etc. I have been a bus pass holder for approximately 14 years. For the first few years, I was entitled to half-price tickets in my local area (Suffolk), then I was entitled to free travel. In 2008, this was expanded to the rest of England (after 0930) but not Wales, Scotland or Ireland.

Since 2011, my bus pass cannot be used until 0930, even in Suffolk. As a result, I had to spend nearly four pounds a time just to get to Ipswich, before changing buses, which means spending another pound or two. My local bus services have become increasingly prone to delays and cancellations, and even if my bus did turn up, the bus itself would be noisy, crowded, or generally uncomfortable during what was an hour-long stopping journey. I don't mind limited-stop expresses, but I find those long, local bus journeys that stop virtually everywhere on its route uncomfortable. 

Fortunately though, I have found another way of getting to work, and that's by train. My local railway station is fifteen minutes' walk away from where I live, and although the ticket I order is a bit more expensive than an equivalent bus fare, but it's worth it, because of the extra comfort, the faster journey time, and being able to track my train on my mobile phone. The walking is also worth my while, as I would kreep fit in doing so.

Even so, being an autistic person, I find it difficult to cope with things like shouting, screaming, swearing, overcrowding etc., in which case I would listen to music to muffle out all that unwanted noise.

There was a time when my mum was supposed to meet my sister at the local hospital, but her bus did not turn up. She had to wait half an hour for the next bus, but it broke down about half a mile before her stop, so instead of waiting another half an hour for the next bus (which turned up ten minutes late), my dad took her there by car. Although I didn't use any of the buses myself, I was still shocked and devastated. I felt sorry for everyone else that needed to use the bus service.

Have you had any difficult public transport experiences yourself in your local area? I would love to be able to share my transport experiences with you.

Parents

  • Transport was an argument put to me by family around the time I got diagnosed as evidence I cannot be on the spectrum, because I was using public transport a lot from the age of eleven.

    I had to travel a long way to school, and it necessarily involved at least one change. But there's also the added disproof of autism that I was a fanatical explorer (albeit one fecklessly taking risks). I kept trying to experiment with routes, often even ridiculous detours. I'd also walk long distances to reduce the fare and save pennies for sweets (in those days there were lots of different fares). That often entailed walking through pretty dodgy areas.

    Also by my later teens I was doing a lot of travelling around. I've managed air travel OK though usually never been on my own doing it.

    So runs the argument that if I was on the spectrum I wouldn't have been able to do the things I did. And reading about the difficulties others have with transport, I have often had my own doubts. I definately don't seem to fit the profile in this respect.

    However that was transport in the 60s. It wasn't all easy then, nor is it now. I tend to find rail travel much harder, as well as underground travel, and this seems mostly to be down to complex noise, and also acute anxiety whether I was on the right platform or the right train. It has meant asking people all the time, for reassurance. And I have a great deal of trouble with automated barriers. Also I start talking to myself in stations because of insecurity, which tends to get me noticed by officious rail staff.

    However some train journeys are perfectly fine. And I'm mostly perfectly OK with buses. I do need to draw up a plan before travelling, with the alternatives mapped out. I'm OK though most of the time. Am I unique in this?

    I agree about the noise other people make. One of the problems with trains is if they are very busy you cannot easily move to a quieter area: the worst are families with kids as they always get fractious after a while, babies crying, people playing on games consoles and people who talk loudly on their mobiles or have loud ringtones.

    Otherwise if the environment is uncomfortable I just discretely move to another seat.

    I also agree delays and cancellations are a nightmare, which I guess drove me to planned journeys with detailed options.

    By the way other people seem to know how to ensure no-one takes the seats near them. I've never had the nerve to do it myself, but have seen others do it often. They leave very gross porn magazines or soiled clothing lying on the seat opposite or next to them, because few people have the stomach to remove them.

Reply

  • Transport was an argument put to me by family around the time I got diagnosed as evidence I cannot be on the spectrum, because I was using public transport a lot from the age of eleven.

    I had to travel a long way to school, and it necessarily involved at least one change. But there's also the added disproof of autism that I was a fanatical explorer (albeit one fecklessly taking risks). I kept trying to experiment with routes, often even ridiculous detours. I'd also walk long distances to reduce the fare and save pennies for sweets (in those days there were lots of different fares). That often entailed walking through pretty dodgy areas.

    Also by my later teens I was doing a lot of travelling around. I've managed air travel OK though usually never been on my own doing it.

    So runs the argument that if I was on the spectrum I wouldn't have been able to do the things I did. And reading about the difficulties others have with transport, I have often had my own doubts. I definately don't seem to fit the profile in this respect.

    However that was transport in the 60s. It wasn't all easy then, nor is it now. I tend to find rail travel much harder, as well as underground travel, and this seems mostly to be down to complex noise, and also acute anxiety whether I was on the right platform or the right train. It has meant asking people all the time, for reassurance. And I have a great deal of trouble with automated barriers. Also I start talking to myself in stations because of insecurity, which tends to get me noticed by officious rail staff.

    However some train journeys are perfectly fine. And I'm mostly perfectly OK with buses. I do need to draw up a plan before travelling, with the alternatives mapped out. I'm OK though most of the time. Am I unique in this?

    I agree about the noise other people make. One of the problems with trains is if they are very busy you cannot easily move to a quieter area: the worst are families with kids as they always get fractious after a while, babies crying, people playing on games consoles and people who talk loudly on their mobiles or have loud ringtones.

    Otherwise if the environment is uncomfortable I just discretely move to another seat.

    I also agree delays and cancellations are a nightmare, which I guess drove me to planned journeys with detailed options.

    By the way other people seem to know how to ensure no-one takes the seats near them. I've never had the nerve to do it myself, but have seen others do it often. They leave very gross porn magazines or soiled clothing lying on the seat opposite or next to them, because few people have the stomach to remove them.

Children
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