[Ammi]

Former Paralympian Baroness Grey-Thompson has revealed to Channel 4 News that she recently had to crawl off a train unassisted, prompting the question of whether Britain does enough to assist the disabled.

In an interview with Channel 4, Baroness Grey-Thompson described an "element of fear" in many of the country's disabled when using public transport.

A recent incident resulted in Grey-Thompson having to get out of her wheelchair, throw her chair off the train and crawl off herself.

"I'm ok because I can do that - but there's an awful lot of people who can't do that," Grey-Thompson said.

"And you can't rely on having someone travelling with you - because actually, why as a disabled person should you have someone travelling with you – or relying on a booking system that mostly works, but a lot of disabled people are very reluctant to use trains, because you can't guarantee you'll be met at the other end every time."

With the 2012 Paralympics only months away, equality for the disabled will come to the forefront of discussion and Grey-Thompson's revelations only add to an impression of a lack of provisions for the handicapped population on transport

more:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...6pLid%3D101882

[King Gizzard]

Think there is a very fine line between helping and being patronising

But yes more should be done to make things disabled friendly

[joeysteele]

Okay, this is a difficult one. First off though,I would have to say at present financially, once all the diasbled do get all benefits they are entitled to then for the vast majority that is adequate help although sadly much of it seems to be possibly under threat from this Govt in the UK at the present time.

Finance though is an aside issue from what we do for the disabled generally,that is at times where the problem is.
People may want to do more but fear rejection of their assistance.
I have seen and had such rejection, I have seen a wheelchair user really at odds struggling to get a door open to go through and then when help was offered a very stern 'I can manage' was their response.

It's hard to know when to offer any assistance but personally I would rather offer the help than ignore the situation.

Overall travel and stores etc; have done a lot to help make access for the disabled easier but there is sadly still a long way to go on that one too with many disabled unable to just get around in some places.

So it's a difficult one,if as individuals the disabled were to be more accepting of any brief assistance and more people offered assistance, that would in my view be a good thing. However, it is time the politicians insisted more places ensured disabled access and that anyone with a disability could then get around unhindered.
Of course, theatres and stores also need to ensure they are well equipped with easy access too.

I as a Uni experiment spent a day in a wheelchair being pushed around by a fellow student for that day,we went to a cinema and around a shopping centre and library etc; what amazed me was that very few people even addressed me directly, people taked over me to the person pushing me,asking how I was rather than ask me, I found that really strange.


So I would sum up with a great deal has been done to assist the disabled getting about, a lot more needs to be done still though and even more work needs to be attempted to get a good balance of help when needed without making the person feel bad about accepting help.I fear that attitude/approach issue as to assistance will be a problem for a good while yet.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Okay, this is a difficult one. First off though,I would have to say at present financially, once all the diasbled do get all benefits they are entitled to then for the vast majority that is adequate help although sadly much of it seems to be possibly under threat from this Govt in the UK at the present time.

Finance though is an aside issue from what we do for the disabled generally,that is at times where the problem is.
People may want to do more but fear rejection of their assistance.
I have seen and had such rejection, I have seen a wheelchair user really at odds struggling to get a door open to go through and then when help was offered a very stern 'I can manage' was their response.

It's hard to know when to offer any assistance but personally I would rather offer the help than ignore the situation.

Overall travel and stores etc; have done a lot to help make access for the disabled easier but there is sadly still a long way to go on that one too with many disabled unable to just get around in some places.

So it's a difficult one,if as individuals the disabled were to be more accepting of any brief assistance and more people offered assistance, that would in my view be a good thing. However, it is time the politicians insisted more places ensured disabled access and that anyone with a disability could then get around unhindered.
Of course, theatres and stores also need to ensure they are well equipped with easy access too.

I as a Uni experiment spent a day in a wheelchair being pushed around by a fellow student for that day,we went to a cinema and around a shopping centre and library etc; what amazed me was that very few people even addressed me directly, people taked over me to the person pushing me,asking how I was rather than ask me, I found that really strange.


So I would sum up with a great deal has been done to assist the disabled getting about, a lot more needs to be done still though and even more work needs to be attempted to get a good balance of help when needed without making the person feel bad about accepting help.I fear that attitude/approach issue as to assistance will be a problem for a good while yet.

..excellent post Joey...your comments on your help being rejected and your uni experiment..it is difficult...because we don't know..cant know exactly what it's like or how it feels to be offered assistance..whether it feels patronising....unless we were disabled ourselves...how could we...and there are no...guidelines...because it's up to the individual themselves as to how they feel about being offered help...so I think it should be mutual...disabled people need to show patience and understanding with abled people too...so that we can get it right...explaining why they didn't want help..would have been more..informative

[lostalex]

no.

[MTVN]

Hmm I'm not sure, I think disabled facilities have come on a lot over the last few years though

[Mrluvaluva]

I would think that a lot of disabled people would like to be (or think they are) as independent as they can, so it is frustrating for them sometimes when they struggle. Same as it is for anyone. I would not give up on offering help to people as some will be glad of it and be appreciative.

[lostalex]

The most interstsing thing i saw in the article is when she said "i don't want anything special, i just want the same experience as everyone else"

That's really the point, they don't want sopecial accomodations, they just want the same experience, and yes, that experience is pretty sheety sometimes on public transport, but it shouldn't be that much more sheety for disabled people" they arn't asking for anything special, they just want the same sheety experience as the rest of us.

not being able to get off at yur stop though, that's outrageous. the idea that a disabled person can't get off at their stop, that is wrong.

[Kizzy]

Airlines are the worst, how much assistance you get can depend on how much you paid for your ticket. I think that is discrimination, as everyone should be given the assistance they need.

[arista]

Do We Do Enough To Assist The Disabled?


In General we do
there is always cases of bad people not helping.

[Patrick]

To be honest - no, we don't - do I care? No.

[Iceman]

No, not by a long shot.

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally Posted by Patrick

To be honest - no, we don't - do I care? No.

Well all I can say is, it's a good job a number of people do care, whether they be disabled or not, otherwise things would be a whole lot worse. Why don't you care may I ask?

[arista]

Originally Posted by Patrick

To be honest - no, we don't - do I care? No.

Very Typical of You.



Sign Of The Times

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by Patrick

To be honest - no, we don't - do I care? No.

I hope you never have to think about someone in your family needing something, actually I hope they might pick you up, you have NO idea how people with a disability get on, after you live with someone with a disability come back and make a stupid off the cuff comment like you have, people like you absolutely disgust me, no time for you, if it happened you, id hope people could help. You are so shallow its unreal.

[rk3388]

Originally Posted by Patrick

To be honest - no, we don't - do I care? No.

[Jords]

There is definitely more awareness of the disabled, but I think ignorance is still about.

[Mystic Mock]

Tbh I don't pay much attention about disabled people,but that article made me angry,disabled people do need some help and the fact she wasn't given it is disgusting.

[Kizzy]

Attitudes are 100's of times better than when I was at school 20-30 years ago. We are getting better but its baby steps rather than leaps and bounds.

[Ammi]

..Patrick's post

..it doesn't annoy me at all...it is disturbing...if those are his honest thoughts and I assume they are..then it's the most valid post here imo..because it's answered the questions very simply..no we don't do enough..to educate and raise awareness of disabilities.
What are you Patrick....15..16..? ..and if you've never had any contact with the disabled....I don't expect you have thought about it much..which isn't really your fault..and I'm not sure how much empathy you can have..if you have no understanding
..Imo..the problem is..that you have no understanding..and that for me means we don't do enough to assist the disabled
...It's good that Joey carried out his 'experiment' at uni...but it would be nice to see this type of thing much earlier...at primary school would be best..and revisited later on..working with the disabled..so they can tell us what they expect...although I would imagine that what someone would find 'patronising'..would be very much down to the individual

[joeysteele]

Actually I have something to add here that I didn't already know or take notice of, I had to travel on a bus today that had a longish route, in front of me was a deaf guy with a girl in a wheelchair.

They were told by the driver that they could not board that bus as he was only allowed to carry 1 wheelchair user and there was already one on the vehicle.

The service runs every 45 minutes so this pair had to then wait for the next one. While I can understand for safety reason limitations, I did notice that on my part of the journey, with the 1 wheelchair on, 3 people got on with pushchairs.

It may be my logic but I see little difference between pushchairs and wheelchairs,I made my views known to the driver and said I think such a policy was wrong.
I never realised some travel companies only allow one wheelchair user on any vehicle at a time, unlike pushchairs where 2 or more can be on.
This results in a sort of discriminatory action against the disabled as 2 people in wheelchairs would not be able to go out and travel together because of such a policy.

I think that is unacceptable.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Actually I have something to add here that I didn't already know or take notice of, I had to travel on a bus today that had a longish route, in front of me was a deaf guy with a girl in a wheelchair.

They were told by the driver that they could not board that bus as he was only allowed to carry 1 wheelchair user and there was already one on the vehicle.

The service runs every 45 minutes so this pair had to then wait for the next one. While I can understand for safety reason limitations, I did notice that on my part of the journey, with the 1 wheelchair on, 3 people got on with pushchairs.

It may be my logic but I see little difference between pushchairs and wheelchairs,I made my views known to the driver and said I think such a policy was wrong.
I never realised some travel companies only allow one wheelchair user on any vehicle at a time, unlike pushchairs where 2 or more can be on.
This results in a sort of discriminatory action against the disabled as 2 people in wheelchairs would not be able to go out and travel together because of such a policy.

I think that is unacceptable.

Yes it is unacceptable Joey..and should be addressed..by the companies who do discriminate..of which I suspect are many..because this is discrimination..the bus driver is guided by rules..so he is not to blame personally..and I think..as Patrick's post represents..that this area is completely ignored and then when people are faced with a disabled person..they really don't know what they should do...it's not good enough at all

[Mrluvaluva]

It's a tough one.

From TFL website (used as an example):

On all buses, there is room for one wheelchair user and each bus has a retractable ramp which makes access easier. Most wheelchairs, including motorised types, will fit onto buses but motorised scooters with handlebars can't be carried onto buses.


I think in fairness that 2 wheelchair users should be allowed to travel together, especially as with cuts in some services of recent, means that buses may be fewer and far between. Why should they be expected to make a journey and then have to wait for another 45 mins for the other person to arrive at their destination? One space is not enough. Some bus companies run some very poor services that are bad enough for able bodied people, so why should disabled users have to suffer even worse standards?

There are over 10 million disabled people in the UK, of which 6.9 million are of working age and an estimated 1.2 million of the total are regular wheelchair users. Therefore they represent about 2% of the total population. Things should be made better for them, not worse.

[Kizzy]

A guess is it could be that 2 wheelchairs would be an obstruction in the event of an accident?..im going to ask on the bus tomorrow :/

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Actually I have something to add here that I didn't already know or take notice of, I had to travel on a bus today that had a longish route, in front of me was a deaf guy with a girl in a wheelchair.

They were told by the driver that they could not board that bus as he was only allowed to carry 1 wheelchair user and there was already one on the vehicle.

The service runs every 45 minutes so this pair had to then wait for the next one. While I can understand for safety reason limitations, I did notice that on my part of the journey, with the 1 wheelchair on, 3 people got on with pushchairs.

It may be my logic but I see little difference between pushchairs and wheelchairs,I made my views known to the driver and said I think such a policy was wrong.
I never realised some travel companies only allow one wheelchair user on any vehicle at a time, unlike pushchairs where 2 or more can be on.
This results in a sort of discriminatory action against the disabled as 2 people in wheelchairs would not be able to go out and travel together because of such a policy.

I think that is unacceptable.

This is disgraceful

The buses round here have signs on them (seem quite new, havent seen them before until about a month ago) stating that if there is no space for a disabled traveller then the driver will call for a taxi to take them to any place on the bus route free of charge.