Disabled woman humiliated by GWR staff at Taunton.

[jonny777]

Disabled comedian Tanyalee Davis has criticised train company Great Western Railway after she was “harassed and shamed” in a row over her mobility scooter on a journey from Plymouth to London.

 

The comedian, and her partner Kevin Bolden, were asked to move from their seats when the woman got onto the train and wanted to put a pram into the wheelchair space.

The train was halted at Taunton and Tanyalee said an announcement was made saying the police had been called and that she was holding up the train’s progress “indefinitely”.

She said she was made to feel “shamed” and “embarrassed” and blamed for a 20-minute delay which caused passengers, including herself, to miss their connections.

“It was such a horrific experience,” she said.

The Canadian has posted a video on social media where, tears streaming down her face, she criticises GWR and the country for the way disabled people are treated.

“I cried for most of the journey and I’m sick of this,” she said. “I have this all the time.

“Just because I have a mobility scooter doesn’t make me a pariah.”

She added: “I don’t know what it is about this country – they really make you feel disabled.”

GWR has said it wants to talk to Tanyalee about the incident but stressed it should not have arisen and that “no one travelling with us should be left feeling like this.”

• Tanyalee had headlined Plymouth Comedy Club, at Plymouth Athenaeum, to rapturous applause on Saturday evening, July 14.

She was travelling back to the capital on Sunday morning, July 15, after staying over in the city at the Derry’s Cross Travelodge.

Tanyalee, who has appeared on top-rated TV shows Live at the Apollo and The Last Leg, bases much of her act around her short stature and is also a campaigner for disabled people and against bullying.

She said the train did not have a disabled carriage and she had not reserved a wheelchair space because of difficulties doing this online.

She placed her scooter in the empty wheelchair space in the first class carriage and Kevin sat in an unreserved space opposite.

Tanyalee said there was no problem until the train left a station, possibly Exeter, about an hour into the journey.

“A woman got on and there was all this commotion,” she said.

Tanyalee said the woman wanted to put her pram into the wheelchair space occupied by her scooter.

She said a member of the train’s staff told her to “fold up the scooter” but she said that was not practical and, in any case, “why should I?”

Tanyalee said the woman with the baby then asked Kevin to vacate “her” seat, even though it was not reserved.

“She kicked up a fit,” she said. “She had to have that space. It all got escalated and he (train staff) said ‘fine, I’m calling the police’.

“The train stopped at Taunton and he made an announcement over the tannoy saying it was the woman with the mobility scooter that was causing problems and we would be delayed indefinitely.”

“I am so embarrassed,” she said.

She said other passengers offered to help her but stressed the issues was having to move her scooter.

“Fine if it was another wheelchair, if it had been booked, I’ve been in that position – but it was a baby pram,” she said.

And the young mum involved in the incident even apologised to Tanyalee and said: “She said she felt really bad, and I think she genuinely did.”

Tanyalee, who has a form of dwarfism called diastrophic dysplasia, is an outspoken critic of the way disabled people are treated in the UK.

She said she is regularly harassed pointed at and even grabbed, particularly when she is out at night on her scooter following gigs.

She is now the director of the anti-bullying charity Gr8 As U R, which has been working with young people to build their self-confidence.

“I’m just trying to make a living, just trying to make people laugh,” she said.

Tanyalee said the Plymouth Comedy Club show had been a huge hit and she had a lovely time in the city.

“Plymouth is lovely,” she said. “I really enjoyed it. Brian Cross and Kevin Brooker (Comedy Club organisers) were great hosts.

A GWR spokesman said: “No one travelling with us should be left feeling like this.

“This should not have happened, and we are attempting to contact Tanyalee so we can look into this further.”

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

Strange incident. I can't see that anyone should be travelling with a pram that can't be folded.

[Steamport Southport]

Maybe she should have booked ahead. Not excusing it, just being sensible.

 

Excuses that she couldn't do it online don't wash seeing as she's well know for being constantly on social media talking about "issues".

 

This whole story seems a bit fishy I'm afraid. More likely someone trying to make a point and being a total a***hole about it.

 

This is the clincher

 

 

She said other passengers offered to help her but stressed the issues was having to move her scooter.
“Fine if it was another wheelchair, if it had been booked, I’ve been in that position – but it was a baby pram,” she said.

 

So she can't be bothered to book, why should anyone else have to? Babies have just as much right to travel as the disabled.

 

I also missed this bit out.

 

 

 

A GWR spokesman said: “No one travelling with us should be left feeling like this.
“This should not have happened, and we are attempting to contact Tanyalee so we can look into this further.”

 

Wouldn't it have been better having a word with GWR before blurting all this out over the internet and press?

 

 

Jason

Edited July 17, 2018 by Steamport Southport

[Oldddudders]

I won't make many friends saying this, but disabled people have no say in their condition, while pregnant women and those with prams and pushchairs did. Which of them do you regard as selfish?

[woodenhead]

Maybe she should have booked ahead. Not excusing it, just being sensible.

 

Excuses that she couldn't do it online don't wash seeing as she's well know for being constantly on social media talking about "issues".

 

This whole story seems a bit fishy I'm afraid. More likely someone trying to make a point and being a total a***hole about it.

 

This is the clincher

 

 

So she can't be bothered to book, why should anyone else have to? Babies have just as much right to travel as the disabled.

 

I also missed this bit out.

 

 

 

Wouldn't it have been better having a word with GWR before blurting all this out over the internet and press?

 

 

Jason

That's a bit strong isn't it - she was in the disabled space where she was entitled to be and she was asked to make way for a large pram with the train guard dealing with the whole situation inappropriately.

 

It's no different than being asked to give up your seat because the person just wants to sit there, would you do that?

[grahame]

Maybe she should have booked ahead. Not excusing it, just being sensible.

 

Excuses that she couldn't do it online don't wash seeing as she's well know for being constantly on social media talking about "issues".

 

This whole story seems a bit fishy I'm afraid. More likely someone trying to make a point and being a total a***hole about it.

 

This is the clincher

 

So she can't be bothered to book, why should anyone else have to? Babies have just as much right to travel as the disabled.

 

Jason

Rather OTT IMO. Had the woman with the baby booked the 'wheelchair space' for her 'pram'? Probably not, so surely it's a matter of first come, first served. Why would a pram and baby have preference over a disabled person and scooter? Surely both could have been accommodated on the train.

 

The baby could have still travelled; on the mother's lap or on a seat next to her.

 

G

[Steamport Southport]

That's a bit strong isn't it - she was in the disabled space where she was entitled to be and she was asked to make way for a large pram with the train guard dealing with the whole situation inappropriately.

 

It's no different than being asked to give up your seat because the person just wants to sit there, would you do that?

 

What if another disabled person turned up who had booked the space. Would she have moved?

 

Extremely doubtful. She would just go to the media and say that she's been victimised like she has done. BTW she can walk and can stand up on stage. It's not like she totally immobile.

 

 

But we can't let the facts get in the way of a good sob story.

 

And before anyone starts saying that I'm heartless and don't know anything about disabled people then I'll point out that my mother is disabled and so is my niece. Whilst I work for a charity.

 

 

 

Jason

[Darius43]

 

And before anyone starts saying that I'm heartless and don't know anything about disabled people then I'll point out that my mother is disabled and so is my niece. Whilst I work for a charity.

 

Jason

And yet your empathy and compassion are just pouring out on the posts on this thread.

 

Darius

[Steamport Southport]

Rather OTT IMO. Had the woman with the baby booked the 'wheelchair space' for her 'pram'? Probably not, so surely it's a matter of first come, first served. Why would a pram and baby have preference over a disabled person and scooter? Surely both could have been accommodated on the train.

 

The baby could have still travelled; on the mother's lap or on a seat next to her.

 

G

 

But she refused to move the scooter after being asked to move it. That is where the problem is. She's making out that everyone else is to blame.

 

So the guard was wrong? The other customer was also wrong? 

 

 

Jason

[woodenhead]

But she refused to move the scooter after being asked to move it. That is where the problem is. She's making out that everyone else is to blame.

 

So the guard was wrong? The other customer was also wrong? 

 

 

Jason

Really, what is your problem with this thread, it seems you are determined to dig deeper and deeper.

 

The woman had a poor experience and this thread is now all about you.

[meil]

But she refused to move the scooter after being asked to move it. That is where the problem is. She's making out that everyone else is to blame.

 

So the guard was wrong? The other customer was also wrong? 

 

 

Jason

And GWR statment was: "Dan Panes, from GWR, said a team from the train company had watched Ms Davis' video and were "collectively horrified".

"We got it wrong, it made no sense. A wheelchair space is a wheelchair space, it's not for luggage or pushchairs," he admitted"

 

Note the "A wheelchair space is a wheelchair space"

Edited July 17, 2018 by meil

[grahame]

But she refused to move the scooter after being asked to move it. That is where the problem is. She's making out that everyone else is to blame.

 

So the guard was wrong? The other customer was also wrong? 

 

Seems like it.

 

It sounds like she was asked to move so that the space could be used for a pram. Just because she was asked doesn't make that request correct. She was under no obligation to move. And that doesn't mean she was in the wrong. The mother could have found another place for her pram and an alternate seat for herself and baby.

 

G

[Rivercider]

I think this is another incident on which it is difficult to pass judgement without having seen it unfold.

 

For a start I do not travel first class, so cannot visualise the carriage layout.

At one point the woman with the baby 'kicked up a fit', but then also 'Said she felt really bad'.

 

I have travelled on enough trains over the years where the traincrew have awkward problems of one sort or another,

I am very glad that my railway career never took me onboard a train,

 

cheers 

[brianusa]

GWR has said they will be looking into this sorry affair so perhaps a little restraint by both sides will be welcomed.

 

Brian.

[Steamport Southport]

Really, what is your problem with this thread, it seems you are determined to dig deeper and deeper.

 

The woman had a poor experience and this thread is now all about you.

 

If people keep quoting me out of context then off course I'm going to reply.

 

What I'm saying is wouldn't it be better to look at the facts from BOTH SIDES rather than listen to a story on social media, especially someone known to make publicity stunts. The person hasn't even responded to GWR according to the BBC.

 

 

 

Jason

[jim.snowdon]

Points that are pertinent are that the only legal obligation is for the train operator to make provision for Persons with Reduced Mobility, and that what we would, in common parlance, term disabled persons do not have any automatic priority. PRM, as the operative term in the Interoperability Regulations, covers a whole range of people, including mothers with small children and buggies/prays as well as those with wheelchairs or mobility buggies.

 

Jim

[Oldddudders]

GWR has said they will be looking into this sorry affair so perhaps a little restraint by both sides will be welcomed.

 

Brian.

 

What? And spoil a good ranty thread, Brian? Get reasonable!

[mdvle]

Maybe she should have booked ahead. Not excusing it, just being sensible.

 

Excuses that she couldn't do it online don't wash seeing as she's well know for being constantly on social media talking about "issues".

 

It is possible that the difficulties doing it online she mentions might be related to how the GWR website works.

 

I haven't attempted with the GWR website, but I can say in the past attempting to deal with other booking websites attempting to deal special cases like a person in a wheelchair can be frustrating and frequently impossible.

 

Wouldn't it have been better having a word with GWR before blurting all this out over the internet and press?

 

Haven't deal with GWR, but unfortunately experience often shows the only way to get a company to act is to go public if you have the ability, or to consider the possibility of legal or other action if you don't have the public following.

Edited July 17, 2018 by mdvle

[woodenhead]

Maybe she should have booked ahead. Not excusing it, just being sensible.

 

Excuses that she couldn't do it online don't wash seeing as she's well know for being constantly on social media talking about "issues".

 

This whole story seems a bit fishy I'm afraid. More likely someone trying to make a point and being a total a***hole about it.

 

This is the clincher

 

 

So she can't be bothered to book, why should anyone else have to? Babies have just as much right to travel as the disabled.

 

I also missed this bit out.

 

 

 

Wouldn't it have been better having a word with GWR before blurting all this out over the internet and press?

 

 

Jason

 

 

What if another disabled person turned up who had booked the space. Would she have moved?

 

Extremely doubtful. She would just go to the media and say that she's been victimised like she has done. BTW she can walk and can stand up on stage. It's not like she totally immobile.

 

 

But we can't let the facts get in the way of a good sob story.

 

And before anyone starts saying that I'm heartless and don't know anything about disabled people then I'll point out that my mother is disabled and so is my niece. Whilst I work for a charity.

 

 

 

Jason

 

 

But she refused to move the scooter after being asked to move it. That is where the problem is. She's making out that everyone else is to blame.

 

So the guard was wrong? The other customer was also wrong? 

 

 

Jason

Out of context, you called the woman an a***hole, questioned how disabled she was and then painted her as blaming everyone.

 

There was no need for any of that.

[DavidB]

Not a judgement on this particular case, but just an observation from a number of recent journeys on Great Western that a surprising number of mothers with prams have asked the first class host if they can park their pram in first class and sit there on a standard ticket for their journey, on the basis that there is apparently no room elsewhere in the train for their pram. Each time the train crew have accepted the request without question. I have no way of knowing whether the mother in this case had a first class ticket or not, but the willingness of the crew to prioritise the mother's request doesn't come as a major surprise.

 

David

[brianusa]

What? And spoil a good ranty thread, Brian? Get reasonable!

 

Too late, Ian, already legal actions have been mentioned!

 

Brian.