Channel 4 9pm

liam8282

nannytone wrote: »

i dont 'chose' not to use either.
i am currently applying for a guide dog, but havt to wait to see if ii am accepted.
if i am i will have to wait a minimum of 2 years.
i have spoken about a can with my specialist, and for reasons that i dont feel the ned to explain here, we jointly decided that a cane was inappropriate

i know 7 people who either have dogs or use a cane and none would use the interchannge at peak time unless in an emergency
so i feel rather more qualified to speak aboutthe difficulties that blind people face than you

Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons, what is up with non peak times?

Just one example, but I know people who work in call centres from 7-11 PM.

nannytone_2

personally i wouldnt want to be out alone after dark anyway, but busethe last bus to and from the place i live is 5pm

liam8282

“If you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.”

liam8282

nannytone wrote: »

i am fairly independant because i dont put myself into positions where i KNOW that i will be inable to cope.
i cannot cope in crowded, noisy places and so i avoid them. i would expect that i know more blind/visually impaired people than you do and most are the same as i am.
the ones that arent, are the ines that have been blind/sight impaired since birth and know no different.

i am not embarrassed to admit that i cant cope in situations where i cant see or hear anything clearly and find it amazing that someone with no personal experience thinks it shouldnt be an issue

I don't get it? Cannot cope in crowded, noisy places, you avoid them, but went to Alton Towers for a day out earlier in the year?

nannytone wrote: »

i went to alton towers with my daughter and her family in july. we collected tokens and so had free entry.
a woman i was chatting to had done the same, but had bought the 'fsat' passes for her boys after getting in early, and still having to wait 2 hours for their first ride.
as a disabled person, i got a priority wrist band ( i knew my daughter didnt ask me along just because she loves me!) but these wristbands dont allow you to get on rides faster. they just allow you not to queue.
they write the time on your card that you can have your next ride, and the time is determined by how long the queue for that ride is

there was bo way that we'd pay for the fast pass. these theeme parks are expensive enough already.

nannytone_2

liam8282 wrote: »

“If you don’t want to do something, one excuse is as good as another.”

so i should walk the 9 miles from the interchange?

i dont get called for work focused interviews, but go in the job centre at least once a week to see if theres anything i can do.

they cant even offer me courses beyoung basic maths, english and IT!
i worked for 30 years but all the jobs i had required sight!

what the hell do you expect people to do!!!

i went to alton towers with my daughter and her family.... not alone!
i

Doom_and_Gloom

liam8282 wrote: »

I would say with some confidence that most ities have disabled access buses, trains, taxis. It would be the exception that they didn't provide disabled transport, rather than it being the norm.

If the only option is to use PT, how do they ever leave their house?

But, as I said earlier, people who want to argue and make excuses about everything are good at it, because they do it so often.



Hopefully.

Not all do and even when they do it can be difficult, dangerous or impossible for those in wheelchairs to get to those that are. The nearest bus I can get to on my own in my wheelchair very rarely has a bus that I could acces on my own. I wish they would have a notice of the times they do but it changes all the time and some days there are none that are wheelchair accessible. I can get to this one on my crutches but as I can't walk far even with them it is difficult to go out only with those. The buses that are basically always accessible for wheelchairs are a fair distance away for me and on my own due to pavements, steep drop downs etc it isn't possible for me to consistently manage the journey on my own (I've managed it before but fiance was with me incase). People around here also have a habit of parking across drop downs :mad:, a favourite for this is the only one to get back up for a distance and so would have to use the road until next one which is very dangerous, or go back to last drop down etc. The local train has steps and no lift to the platform so I can't even get the train.
As for your question how does a person go out, well personally I rarely go out without someone due to the above problems, my condition etc. I can count on one hand the times I have gone out on my own and we have lived here 2 years.
I doubt I'm the only one with these problems.

I'm looking for a job at places I'd have to go by crutces to get to (due to problems stated with wheelchair), I'd have to have quite a few adjustments made for me to do the job.
We've talked about moving to make it easier for me to get a job aswell (to a place with wheelchair accessible busses near enough for me) and so fiance would be nearer to his work place but it is a catch 22 situation. Moving would mean a higher rent which would need a higher income, the only way for us to get a higher income is for me to get a job aswell! I have also looked at jobs not possible for me to get to by bus but if I got one of those would most likely get taxis until we moved to make it possible.

schrodie wrote: »

The problem with all of that is not everyone lives in cities(there are I think 50 in the UK) and given that disability is not confined to those who live in cities this fact could be a problem when it comes to accessible public transport for the disabled. Also not all taxis are wheelchair accessible as they are more expensive for the cabbie to buy also not everywhere in the country is served by a train service.

I agree with the taxi comment. My wheelchair folds, has removable wheels etc so can go in a normal taxi easily, but as soon as you mention wheelchair they will only send a taxi that is suitable for wheelchairs, not easy to get on short notice etc as not many of them.

As for the program Karen got on my nerves to be honest. As she can drive she has many more opportunities to get a job than those that can not drive. As for not sewing even I can use a sewing machine if it isn't a foot operated one and that's with my left hand and arm effected by my condition. As shown a one handed woman could do it, it's very likely she could also. If I had that opportunity I would have been happy. Yes she has problems, I'm sure, but there are ways around them when you think outside the box.

I found it very telling that Karen was on IB/ESA but Craig who probably very easily could also have been on that was instead on JSA!

GlasweJen

I work with visually impaired people and can't think of a single reason why someone would say a long cane is inappropriate for a blind person?

Also guide dogs are not invisible so how does this tie in with your ascertains a few months ago that you don't use a cane because you don't want to seem blind when out and about?

Also guide dogs are prioritised for visually impaired people who are independent/trying to be independent so I think you will be waiting for a long time unless you start going out without your friend/family in tow.

nannytone_2

it isnt that i dont want to seem blind, more the fact that i do not look blind.
my eyes appear outwardly normal.
i admit i dont like to draw attention to myself. i had a 'show' cane and almost everytime i used it, i had negative responses because i appear to 'look' where i am going.
a lot of people have actually 'tested' whether i can see or not, and it really isnt pleasant tripping over peoples legs or having them dash out in fromt of you.
the specialist says that while my sight is almost non existant, the fact that i am still trying to use this sight ( not a deliverate choice, just something i cant help doing) it is an obstacle to learning to use a cane as i am trying to over ride what it would be telling me.
as i said... a guide dog is still a few years off and by them i probably wont even be able to tell the difference between night and day, so i wont even be aware of other peoples reactions and will obviously appear 'blind enough'

abudabi

let's all face it shall we and cut to the chase? there are many 'disabled'? people who won't work due to knowing they will get minimum wage of £6 an hour they have no qualificaions, have various 'maladies' not strictly disabled but not consistently able either

they fall between the gaps in society and if they were to work would be beholden to all the other bills ie- community charge rent etc then travelling expenses extra money for fast food etc when not having time to cook etc so their standard of living would rise insignificantly or more likely decline
then maybe their disability happened halfway through their working life ?and they would have to retrain in the knowledge that their younger counterparts are more likely to get the position anyway

also they may have failed marriages, children and all the baggage that goes along with that in mid-life
they would be scared stiff to 'take the plunge so to speak due to the possibility of getting laid off,fired,made redundant or worsening of their condition etc
then they would have to go through the whole process again of form filling and with the incumbent government changing the goalposts all the time wondering whether they would be entitled to anything
let's face it the global economy has changed inconceivably in the last fifty years and i am afraid it is the decline of the western world and it's inability to compete in todays marketplace in low grade jobs

there are many,many dissilusioned people who have never had 'the dream' although promised by this 'aspiration nation'young governmnent consisting of silver spooned toffs with their pr and soundbites,trouble is many know through bitter experience of prior governments of all parties that this is stuff and nonsense

schrodie

Let's all face it shall we and cut to the chase? There are many 16 to 24 year olds who won't work due to knowing they will get minimum wage of £6 an hour, they have no qualifications and prefer to believe they're going to be the next winner of The X-Factor or Britain's (not) Got Talent!!

Yes indeed there are many many disillusioned people around.