by For those facing any sort of handicap, it can be a bit challenging to travel in our world. Of course with the good help of the disabled person’s act, wheelchair ramps and other handicapped accessible elements have been implement in many public locations and building to assist those who need them.
These locations also include public transportation, which has added elevators in subways and lifts in buses. Now these days it may be a bit more common for handicapped people to navigate their way through public buildings and transportation, this does not always mean that those without handicaps are willing to help them or compliment their needs.
For example, as one handicapped man waited for the bus in the cold, he went over the bus that stopped in front of him. As he approached the bus, he had no clue he would be a part of a serious controversy.
The bus driver lowered the ramp and then waited for the other passengers to move out of the way to make room for the handicapped man. But when none of the passengers moved an iota, the bus driver in France grew furious. And that’s when he did something to the other passengers that made headlines.
The bus driver kicked every passenger off the bus. And now he is being praised as a hero and an advocate for disabled people across the globe.
The man who was waiting for the bus in his wheelchair was François Le Berre. He has multiple sclerosis. He was in the 17th arrondissement in Paris when the bus pulled up. But when none of the passengers on board moved for him, he was shocked – and so was the bus driver.
When the driver saw that the other passengers were refusing to move, he stood up from the driver’s seat and shouted: “Terminating! Everybody off!”
The Twitter group called “Accessible Pour Tous” shared the news with the world.
After kicking every passenger off the bus, the driver told Le Berre that he was welcome on the bus. He told the rude people they would have to wait for the next bus.
And that person is right. Although it may be inconvenient to move and accommodate someone with a disability, it is the human thing to do.
During an interview with the Huffington Post, Le Berre said, “No one wanted to move despite the access ramp. When he saw that, the RATP driver quickly intervened. He got up and said, ‘everybody off.’ Everyone did it, but some people did grumble a bit.”
The driver did not just force the passengers off the bus. He left them on the sidewalk with an important message. The driver looked them all in the eyes and said:
“Everyone might need a wheelchair one day.”
The driver let that message sink in while he closed the door and proceeded to give Le Berre a VIP ride to his destination. Le Berre is familiar with such treatment and was grateful that the driver had a heart of gold.
What do you think about this Paris bus driver’s move?
