Anyone else think this is disgusting?

[citizenB]

Originally Posted by dave

Just for information, this is about to be reverted to the way it was once again.

It was the first thing Gordon said he would do when he took the Prime Minister's position.

Then again, can we believe it?

Originally Posted by gni03349

Will he be there long enough to be able to follow it through?

Well it is hoped he wont be there for much longer .

[gni03349]

Don't know about anybody else, but that's my plan lol

[Davy27]

I think it's disgiusting! Write to local authority or even to number 10 itself!

[Mrs_Ryan]

We've done everything we possibly can....

My mum now has almost a thousand signatures on a petition, there was another accident involving an ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR, so now they are saying they are going to ban scooters altogether!! We're getting really sick now because despite pointing out to them electric wheelchairs are just as much of a hazard, they refuse to do anything about them as they say they arent capable of causing an accident!
Er... hang on, they already have!!!
My mum has got the Human Rights people involved, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, you name it... but nothing is happening still!

[citizenB]

Oh dear, that doesnt sound good at all. I cant see how they can separate the two ?. If a wheelchair has caused an accident, then that should be viewed the same as the scooters. In any event this is preventing disabled people from being mobile. I hope you can find some other way of preventing the company from banning these.

[forgottenone]

Have read some of this thread ... I think in the 21st Century, this sort of thing is not only medevil but barbaric. Once I witnessed a wheelchair bound person at a station ... they got nowhere with the face of 'inhumanity' employed by the station behind the glass partition, as the station had screwed up even though she'd phoned ahead, made arrangements to travel, some problem with getting her on the train, employee was worse than unhelpful, couldn't care less TBH as it wasn't them it was affecting *same old same old then* ... it upset them so much they never travelled, left the station very obviously in a distraught state.

Seems the way the vulnerable, elderly, disabled get treated in the UK hasn't changed in over 500 years.

Pity they wouldn't ban the teeny bopper moms with their push chairs, kids who bite, spit, run amok around the station, vandalise, set fire to seats etc ... until you realize these kids are pre school age ... oops! ... chucking glass at passengers. List is endless. How about outlawing THOSE from trains and buses, stations?? Nope, far too easy to go for the soft option.

A country can be judged on many things. The most basic is how it treats it's elderly, sick, disabled. This company deserves to be put in the stocks for what it's done to you Mrs Ryan.

21st century 'humanity'. Think not.

[Mrs_Ryan]

Just a little update on this one...

After a whole lot more grief with Nexus, including actualyl getting the MEP involved and almost having to go to the court of human rights, Nexus have arranged a special scooter-accessible bus to take her into town once a week and also to the local Tesco once a week. They are working on rolling this out to other scooter users who need it.

thank you so much to everyone on here who left supportive comments and signed my petition - my mum and I are both very grateful for your support and very glad that we have finally come to a solution!

Mrs R xx

[JonCris]

In assume she better not run out of anything then............Sorry but sounds no better than being in prison.......... let out once a week for good behaviour.

Not good enough I'm afraid ................never mind ALMOST going to court you must get the authorities to prosecute Nexis because if this appalling behaviour by the jobsworths is allowed it will be the thin end of the wedge believe me

The disabled confined to their homes until allowed to leave by the local transport company. Unbeleivable....It would be funny if it wasn't so bloody serious

[citizenB]

I have to agree with JonCris on this Mrs Ryan. Although I am pleased that your mum is going to be "allowed" out once a week.. She should be entitled to the freedom an able bodied person enjoys. Surely there must be something that can be done under the disability discrimination act ?

[Mrs_Ryan]

We've pointed out that they are breaching the Disability Discrimination Act but unfortunately them and their lawyers have chosen to ignore this....

Mum isnt too well to start with and I know it was all getting on top of her. She is happy enough with being able to get into town once a week as at the mo she is only able to get there once every 2 or three weeks so its an improvement... but I think she's still on the case with the MEP and MP....

It was very well publicised in the local press that the government suddenly got cold feet over a 300million award to Nexus to modernise the system.... so I think someone high up has heard what Nexus are up to which can only be a good thing.... however this has now been released on the condition the operation of the system be put out to tender, so with any luck this might change things....

[JonCris]

Are these days of her choosing & what happens if she's not feeling well can she arrange another day that same week or does she have to wait until the appointed day comes around again.

Your mum doesn't have to be involved to that extent. You can be her litigation friend & move things forward to legal action against this bunch

[Mrs_Ryan]

Im not sure to be honest!!! I live at the other end of the country so I only get to hear what she can tell me.

I think she is still talking to the human Rights people and they are helping her out - think thats the best thing here as they have all sorts of legal advisors etc working for them!

[JonCris]

You should obtain her consent, in writing, authorising your involvement in which case they will keep you informed of what's happening

[citizenB]

Mrs Ryan, the mobility scooter issue was one of the topics on the Jeremy VIne show on the Radio earlier on.

There were some very good arguments for and against. Mostly for. Whether or not it will go any further I dont know.

One suggestion was quite good.. in that the users of these vehicles be given a test of some kind to ensure they are capable.

After all, just because you are able to drive a car doesnt mean that you can automatically drive a motorcycle.

[JonCris]

A mobility scooter is NOT a motorcycle & before anyone suggests it neither is it a car ........ It's a mobility device for the use by the disabled amongst us so rather than try to find ways of restricting their freedom of movement even more by introducing driving tests (for which they will no doubt have to pay) we should be making it easier for them to get out & about even if they are seen by some to be an inconvenience to the able bodied who must have right of passage at all times as their journey is infinitively more important than that of a disabled person

[citizenB]

I am sorry JonCris, I didnt mean to imply that a mobility scooter was either a motor car or motorcycle. Neither would I want to see the disabled immobilised and house bound (especially as I am disabled and lack mobility myself). The scooters are a godsend to so many people.

I used the motorcar/motorcycle as an example. Car drivers only have provisional licence to ride a motorcycle. Someone who might never have driven anything at all before has the right to use a scooter without in some instances any instruction at all.

Just one of the comments on the Jeremy Vine show was regarding an elderly woman who hadnt quite got the hang of the accelerator and brake and was constantly accelerating when she should be braking. Now that to me is downright dangerous and perhaps at the very least the lady in question should have been given some instruction dont you think ?.

Another, was where a pedestrian was pinned up against a plate glass window where again the driver became confused and accelerated instead of braking.

I have personally seen a scooter overturn due to the rider having little or no control.

I repeat, I do not want to see the less mobile to be incarcerated in their homes.. I want them and every other road/pavement user to be safe.

If you look back over my previous posts you will see I have been a major supporter of Mrs Ryan's campaign.

[JonCris]

Ban all vehicles everywhere then everyone will be safe............ apparently

Of course there are incidents it's just a fact of life but to single out the disabled who already have enough problems because of very few incidents compared to the number of scooters in use is nonsense

I bet compared to all other modes of transport, road or pavement, that per numbers of population disability scooters are the safest form of transport around

[JonCris]

It would not surprise me if more injuries were caused to pedestrians being hit by baby buggies then scooters.............. so how about a driving test for mothers or in some cases fathers

[Mrs_Ryan]

Hi everyone....

I've got a bit of an update on this. In the meantime since my last post, a COMPLETE BAN has now come into force. There is now no means of accessible transport for scooter users.

My mum's case is now with lawyers at the Human Rights Commission, with the ultimate possibility that Nexus could be sued. Obviously Im not allowed to say too much, but we've all got our fingers crossed. My mum isnt well at all the minute due to a nasty chest infection (she suffers with bronchiectasis as well as her other disabilities) so were all hoping it goes well.

I went home the other week for the first time in 6 months and took her out in her manual wheelchair, which really upset her as she felt utterly degraded at having someone else having to push her around as she is used to being so independent - this made us all the more determined to push for a solution.

Still - one good thing was being able to walk past the same staff who were so nasty to her not long ago and stick two fingers up at them (in a manner of speaking, not literally of course!!!) as I had her in an 'allowable' manual wheelchair.. petty I know but it gave us some satisfaction!!!

[JonCris]

Good glad to hear the lawyers are on board, quite right too

There are far to many nasty little people in minor positions of power these days who's goal in life is to pick on the weak & vulnerable in the full expectation they can't fight back