Gadding about London with a baby & buggy

You could still take a photo and send it to your local councillor, nanachrissie

I have even tried speaking to drivers as they return to cars parked like that on a narrow pavement on a busy road near me when I had no camera with me. Answer - "I was only five effing minutes!"

If pedestrians held up the traffic for five effing minutes, they would be deafened by blazing horns. If we stood in the road so that cars could not get round us, they would be irate. (or run us down, swearing at us as they drove over our bodies....) so why should they block our way and force us to risk our lives?

Pavements are for people, not cars. Wide ones can stand losing a bit of space to parking, but there should always be room for a pram or wheelchair to get past.

Sorry, I should have made it clear, I am not in London... just needed to vent!!

I believe some work has been done on accessibility in London with an eye to the Paralympic Games!!!
Perils of having the oldest underground in the world - in far east their undergrounds are modern, accessible and have toilets at the stations!
I remember once volunteering to take my infant niece home from central london to her parents house in Ealing area.
First came the thorny issue that I was left in a restaurant with a toilet down a narrow stairs. And when you get there what on earth are you supposed to do. Tiny cubicle of course... pee while balancing an 18 month old on knee...? (probably the answer is to insist staff babysit)
I concluded that the only way i would make it (tube and bus) was by shameless ly accosting people and asking for help. Which I did.
(i had got a bit of practice in when my own was that age and used to cross from E17 to Shepherds Bush... Bus, Victoria line, change at Oxford Circus, steps the other end, then more stairs because my sister lived on 4th floor, no lift. I would then have a driving lesson and go back again in time to fetch older DS from school)
It is hard when you are in training (lifting buggy plus heavy child) but darn darn difficult if you are not.

I believe some work has been done on accessibility in London with an eye to the Paralympic Games!!!
Perils of having the oldest underground in the world - in far east their undergrounds are modern, accessible and have toilets at the stations!
I remember once volunteering to take my infant niece home from central london to her parents house in Ealing area.
First came the thorny issue that I was left in a restaurant with a toilet down a narrow stairs. And when you get there what on earth are you supposed to do. Tiny cubicle of course... pee while balancing an 18 month old on knee...? (probably the answer is to insist staff babysit)
I concluded that the only way i would make it (tube and bus) was by shameless ly accosting people and asking for help. Which I did.
(i had got a bit of practice in when my own was that age and used to cross from E17 to Shepherds Bush... Bus, Victoria line, change at Oxford Circus, steps the other end, then more stairs because my sister lived on 4th floor, no lift. I would then have a driving lesson and go back again in time to fetch older DS from school)
It is hard when you are in training (lifting buggy plus heavy child) but darn darn difficult if you are not.

nanachrissie Next time, take a photograph of the narrow space that you cannot get a pram past, showing the number plate of the offending car, and the pram beside the obstruction. Send it to Boris Johnson with appropriate comments.

I have taken my 8week old gd out in her pram a couple of times and what an eyeopener! The pavements are in a disgraceful state, full of small holes to catch the wheels, and uneven bits that nearly have me in the road. Cars parked so near the inside of the pavement that you have to walk in the road with a pram or a buggy!

Gally I'll keep that in mind, thanks.

Gally thank goodness the pushchair that I get to use, goes in the general direction in which I'm heading. In fact, it helps to keep me more-or-less upright. Can walk miles with it. If I had to use the b....r that you're using, I'd finish up somewhere that has still to be discovered

starrygal My daughter bought a cheapy buggy for taking on planes and for the car, but it is an absolute b....r to push - especially up kerbs and isn't too keen on going round corners either - just a word of warning

You can still buy the small buggies which fold up like an umbrella - Argos have them for £20. I intend to get one for my grandson as his current buggy is almost larger than my car - it's just ridiculous. I need to be able to fold up the buggy and put it behind the front seats, and this cheap one will be just dandy.

Clapham Junction Station has recently installed lifts making life much easier

Ooh effblinder thanks for the tip I'll use it plus pass it on. I've taken my 2yr old GD on the bus around the Richmond area but not into the centre of London. Have been in with her and my son and have endured the push chair difficulties. Speaking of push chairs what do we all think of the huge wheeled cumbersome ones of today. When my children were little we had a wonderful 2nd hand London Baby carriage - which had a sprung chassis and heaps of space for shopping. Then the Maclaren push chair came out - it was billed 'it folded up like an umbrella' - and I was free!!! I hopped off and on buses with ease. Now when I get on a bus, despite the room given for wheel chairs/pushchairs just one of these blocks the way. Quite often there is only room for one of these items leaving parents waiting for another. Whereas mine folded easily .

www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/14091.aspx

There is a step-free guide to the Tube on this page which should help you get around

I have not been in London with baby and buggy but have experience in Berlin, Hanover and Dusseldorf. Often there are no lifts so you have to plan your journey very carefully. I once carried buggy and granddaughter up and down the stairs to go from one underground station to another, only to discover I could have walked it in half the time. Hubby and I took 2 children on the tube in Berlin intending to go to the zoo. It took so long that by the time we got to the Zoo it was about to close. Luckily youngest grandchild is now almost 3 so getting about should be a lot easier.

I remember many years ago a friend told me how her mother was just pushing her in a push chair on to a tube train when the doors shut. My friend was whisked away on the train and the mum was left on the platform. How scary was that. Fortunately someone saw and signalled to the mum that they would wait at the next station fer her and all was well......

Just spotted this one, Gadaboutgran. It can be a nightmare on the tube - usually someone offers help but not always and never when my husband is with us, they expect a 60 + guy to be able to haul a buggy and toddler up the stairs ok. I think it would be useful to note where there are lifts and easy escalators on the tube system. Before I went about with my grandson i didn't think about the disabled or young mums; now I know why there are so few wheelchairs on the tube and why the mums look so weary!

Do you know if there is any guide to the transport system that points out the lifts etc. ?

Sorry. I have no experience of baby and buggy in cities. I do know about jumping in puddles. I've converted my eldest granddaughter, now six, who previously tried to pull me away from them. She always tells her parents and I get in big trouble.