Buss Pass

Barneysmom

signis wrote: »

Our GP has diagnosed Arthritis in my missus, from the neck down to her feet.

He has put her on 30/500 Co-codamols (8 a day) Dolsuepin (1000mgs a day) and Naproxen (1000mgs a day).

Been like this for 2 years.

GP has said that the only way to relieve the pain and mobility problems is to exercise every day - walk through the pain barrier.
And certainly not to give in to it!

I guess it gets to a certain level, then gets too painful?
My mom's had 2 new knees, something done to her shoulder and has arthritis in her spine. Dad's just now waiting for a new hip.
They are older than you though.

Sueinbirmingham

merlin68 wrote: »

Our council only give bus passes to those on high rate mobility. Or who have proof from dvla that they can't drive.

There are other categories of people, such as profoundly Deaf, who are entitled if it's in England.



http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Publictransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

Who is eligible for a disabled person's bus pass

You're eligible for a disabled person's pass if you live in England and are 'eligible disabled'. This means you:

• are blind or partially sighted
• are profoundly or severely deaf
• are without speech
• have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk
• don’t have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
• have a learning disability

You're also eligible disabled if your application for a driving licence would be refused under section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (physical fitness). However, you won't be eligible if you were refused because of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Tehya

signis wrote: »

I agree, if it gets to that point then daily exercise is really out of the question.

However have you seen, even on this site how many who have just been diagnosed as having Arthritis in middle age (40 - 50) start looking to claim every godamn disability benefit going?

Your parents sound that they are entitled to some degree of benefit, but I cannot accept that everyone, just on the basis of a recent diagnosis is that disabled that need 'need' HRM and/or HRC - DLA never mind complain that they aren't put in the Support Group for ESA!

Forgive me if I've misunderstood you post but are you seriously saying that people cannot be that ill in their 40s or even earlier? Even children can become disabled with arthritis so fast that they can go from walking, running and swimming to being in a wheelchair in a matter of months.

My husband has psoriatic arthritis and at only 42 became too ill to work this was within 6 months of his diagnosis (he'd already had the associated psoriasis for around 15 years).

He was put in the Support Group and awarded DLA mid rate care and high mobility as soon as his works sick pay ran out.

If you want to know how bad this type of arthritis can be try watching The Singing Detective. This level of disability can, as I've already mentioned, happen extremely quickly.

Savvy_Sue

birkee wrote: »

No comment, just a question.

What's the difference between someone who can't hold a driving licence on medical grounds, and someone who can't have a driving licence because they've never learned to drive?

the difference is that the person who's never learned to drive can have a provisional driving licence. If a provisional driving licence would be refused on any of the grounds already mentioned, then they can't hold one.

It's the difference between 'not allowed to hold a driving licence' and 'doesn't hold a driving licence'. They are not the same thing at all.

kingfisherblue

merlin68 wrote: »

Our council only give bus passes to those on high rate mobility. Or who have proof from dvla that they can't drive.

My son is 13 - he has a bus pass, as he qualifies for one due to his learning disabilities. He will never be allowed to drive as he will not be capable. As it happens, my son also receives HRM due to him being unable to walk without pain. His bus pass is for life, though (renewed every three years with a new photo), whereas although he has an indefinite award for HRM and HRC, there is no guarantee that he will get HRM when his DLA is up for renewal.

Some people choose not to claim DLA, but can still get a bus pass. Others, such as my friend's daughter, receive LRM but have a disabled person's pass due to having a disability on the list provided in Sue's post - my friend's daughter is severely deaf, with 95% hearing loss.

If anyone has been refused a bus pass because they are not in receipt of HRM, or because they do not have written confirmation from the DVLA that they should not drive - but they do have a condition the list in Sue's post - they should appeal. After all, children cannot drive, but many qualify for a pass, even if they do not receive HRM.

Sueinbirmingham provides the correct information regarding applications for a bus pass.

birkee

Sueinbirmingham wrote: »

There are other categories of people, such as profoundly Deaf, who are entitled if it's in England.



http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Publictransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

Who is eligible for a disabled person's bus pass

You're eligible for a disabled person's pass if you live in England and are 'eligible disabled'. This means you:

• are blind or partially sighted
• are profoundly or severely deaf
• are without speech
• have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk
• don’t have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
• have a learning disability

You're also eligible disabled if your application for a driving licence would be refused under section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (physical fitness). However, you won't be eligible if you were refused because of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Despite my first post, I knew some people would take it as a comment about who qualified for a bus pass.

The reason I asked, is that I DO have a bus pass, but have been unable to use it because of needing a wheelchair, and not having a carer that can manage it. (Wife semi disabled too.)

The other thought, is how does something like deafness qualify for transport requirements, because it's a disability?
I suppose these 'non mobility problem' disabilities qualify for a blue badge too?

It's damned hard trying to find a disabled parking bay sometimes, and the thought that somebody who's deaf, gets to park in one, really quite annoys me.

jetta_wales

You rely on sight and sound a great deal to not get run over and in car parks especially you need all your senses as any one of the many cars around you could start moving at any given moment.

I hate car parks.

birkee

jetta_wales wrote: »

You rely on sight and sound a great deal to not get run over and in car parks especially you need all your senses as any one of the many cars around you could start moving at any given moment.

I hate car parks.

Fair enough, but what happens when you are out and about in the rest of the world, where there aren't any car parks?
The level of surrounding noise is often so great, that even those with hearing, suffer the same disadvantage.

jetta_wales

birkee wrote: »

Fair enough, but what happens when you are out and about in the rest of the world, where there aren't any car parks?
The level of surrounding noise is often so great, that even those with hearing, suffer the same disadvantage.

I can speak for sensory loss but for me it's sight not hearing so I don't know first hand exactly what situations a deaf person finds most difficult or how they coupe but I know that in my experience car parks are one of the most dangerous places to be with regards to cars as with roads you usually have a nice relativly safe pavement to walk on and you don't have to be in an anxious state of causion with every step you take in case a car comes into the side of you. I don't tend to venture far at all without somebody with me though and in car parks when shopping there often just aren't enough hands between us both for me to hold a cane and my partners hand/arm when we have bags to carry too so having a safe place to park makes a big difference to us.

Savvy_Sue

birkee wrote: »

Despite my first post, I knew some people would take it as a comment about who qualified for a bus pass.

The reason I asked, is that I DO have a bus pass, but have been unable to use it because of needing a wheelchair, and not having a carer that can manage it. (Wife semi disabled too.)

There is no 'one size fits all disabilities' answers to any of life's problems, is there though? You have a bus pass: in some circumstances you can get a Carer to travel free with it (probably not with the Pensionable bus pass), so at least that reduces your costs.

Also, you certainly used to be able to swap your bus pass for taxi tokens in some areas: would that be more helpful?

birkee wrote: »

The other thought, is how does something like deafness qualify for transport requirements, because it's a disability?
I suppose these 'non mobility problem' disabilities qualify for a blue badge too?

It's damned hard trying to find a disabled parking bay sometimes, and the thought that somebody who's deaf, gets to park in one, really quite annoys me.

May you never suffer severe deafness and the problems which can accompany it ...

It is true that not all profoundly deaf people have mobility problems, but since the ears are the organ of balance, it's worth remembering that dizziness and nausea can be absolutely crippling 'side-effects' of a lack of hearing. And personally, I know which I'd rather live with.

if you have no hearing, you may need someone with you whenever you go out. If you lose your hearing overnight (which happens!), your confidence is shot to pieces, even more so if you can no longer stand up or walk without falling over, or feeling you're going to fall over.

If those symptoms are variable, having a bus pass would at least mean that when you aren't safe to be out on your own, you don't have to pay for both of you.

And if those symptoms are long-term and serious, you'd be absolutely entitled to the blue badge.

However, just because you have a disabled bus pass doesn't mean you automatically get a blue badge, so you need not worry about that. Anyone with a serious hearing loss who has a blue badge will have a whole lot more wrong with them, and we're not going to play the whole "I'm more disabled / deserving than they are" game, are we? Please?