Gabriel’s great interest is exploring new stops and lines. The school taxi to the special school is not a favorite, and in order to give him the opportunity to travel by public transport, the parents travel with him instead – often together with other commuters. – There are a lot of people and movement in public transport, and if you see something that stands out, you usually don’t know the background, explains Helena. “Can look strange” For Gabriel, who has neuropsychiatric disabilities, it is important that the right bus model is used and that he gets to sit in a specific place – which can be a challenge. – We had a period when only buses with curtains arrived, something we managed to work through. Now there are different bus models that apply on different days, which is difficult for me to keep track of, says Helena. On days when things don’t go as planned, they become more visible in traffic. – Most people look a little puzzled. I try to take other travelers into account but at the same time adapt to Gabriel’s needs to avoid lock-ups, she says. Important to “kindly interpret” each other To create greater understanding among fellow passengers, Helena recently wrote a post in a local Facebook group, where she urged travelers to “kindly interpret” each other. The response has been great and overwhelmingly positive. – Try to think that the person next to you might be having a tough day instead of judging and showing consideration, says Helena. Helena points out that it makes a big difference to show consideration and understanding that not all disabilities are visible. – We may have to do things differently than others. Had Gabriel had a more visible disability, he would probably have received a different kind of understanding, concludes Helena.
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