|
|
Letter of the month
GOOD IMPRESSION DOWN PLUGHOLE
Sir – I am a DDMC Rep for the Carlisle area and thought you would like to know, about the trouble my husband and I had in a Innkeepers Lodge a few month ago, in Leeds.
We are members of our local residents group and we have to travel to Leeds at least once a month. Sometimes I drive there and sometimes my husband drives us. We are both disabled people. I am in a wheelchair with chronic arthritus, but am as active as my disability will allow.
The disabled room we always ask for has to have level floor shower facilities because I cannot stand to have a shower. The inn we used this particular day had everything we asked for: level floor shower, double bed the lot. Except when we went to wash our hands, after using the toilet we could not find a plug in the sink.
So I phoned down to the night manager to see if we could have one. I was told, no you cannot have one– because I may fall out of my wheelchair and drown in the sink.
I thought he was joking with me at first. But I soon found out that he meant it. He said that if he gave me a plug, he could get the sack. I asked my husband to go down and get the manager to put this all down on paper because no one would believe me if I said this to them and because I would like a copy of this to send to his bosses at head office.
I got the answer back, saying this was true, their head office had told them to say this to disabled people.
How do they expect disabled people to wash their hands after using the toilet? I was told, use the shower.
I have had some terrible things said to me since I went in my wheelchair. But this takes the biscuit. Has anyone else had this said to them?
Mrs Denise Moses.
Carlisle 
WELL, WE HAD A NICE TIME . . .
Sir – I was sorry to read Mrs Willis's letter relating the sad tale of her visit to Nunnington Hall (Disabled Motorist, February 2005), and am writing to urge disabled visitors not to be put off by her experience, as I had a splendid visit there in July 2004.
My friend and I were directed to the special car parking at the front of the hall, and were escorted by a delightful steward to the accessible entrance through the courtyard, having the adapted toilet pointed out most discreetly on the way. We were made most welcome in the restaurant, where we had a delicious and very reasonable meal, following which we had the best route to the open rooms shown to us.
I knew from reading the National Trust handbook that the upstairs was not accessible to me and my wheelchair, but thoroughly enjoyed looking at everything on the ground floor, even playing with the “entertainment bags” provided for children (though I am older than Mrs Willis!).
The room stewards were very knowledgeable and could answer all my questions about the objects, furniture and pictures on display, and when I was back in the main hall while my friend explored to upper rooms, I was offered a wonderful loose leaf folder with photos and written
information about what I was unable to see direct. In fact, when my friend returned I was able to point out things in the folder that she had not seen or known about just from going around the rooms.
We later went around the grounds and then enjoyed a cream tea to finish what we had found to be a very pleasant day out.
At no time we were treated discourteously or ignored and I would recommend Nunnington Hall as a worthwhile venue to visit, despite not being able physically to access every room.
Mrs Jill Brough
Lowestoft
AGE OF UNREASON
Sir – I regret to have to point out to R Johnson (Disabled Motorist, February 2005) the detestable Government restriction that Mobility allowances are only available to people who apply before they are 65. At 64 years and 364 days you can have it for life, on reaching 65 years and one day you are no longer entitled to get into the system. They give you Attendance Allowance instead, which does not qualify for many benefits that are available to those who got in before the age barrier.
On page nine of the DDMC Handbook you list the six reasons that qualify a person for a disabled badge. Five of them can qualify you for a badge when you are not entitled, by virtue of your age at the date of application, to get what R Johnson considers to be the only realistic condition.
Ronald D Boyle
Windsor
£4.50 IS JUST THE START
Sir – Miss K Norwood of Kent ((Disabled Motorist, December 2005) said we shouldn't make a complaint about paying £4.50 for a possession registration charge. My argument is this – £4.50 can easily go up to £10, £15 or even more.
As the French have abolished road tax altogether, it now presents the anomaly that if you import a French-registered car and keep it off the road you would not have to pay the fee, but if your car is registered in the UK you would. 500,000 people said no to the £4.50 – that says it all.
Luis J Whitehead
Southampton
BRITISH UNFAIRWAYS
Sir – Are your readers aware that the Disability Discrimination Act doesn't apply to aircraft and ferries? This means that companies like British Airways are allowed to discriminate against disabled people, as happened to us. My wife has a fused hip joint, and as it doesn't bend, needs extra room to allow her to sit more comfortably. We find bulkhead seats are ideal. However, when I tried to book and pay for a flight with BA to America, six months in advance, they refused to allocate suitable seating to us. Their reason was that, “on the day”, someone may come along and want to travel with a baby who needs crib space. No “first come first served”.
Correspondence with their chief executive's minions shows that they see nothing wrong with this practise. I was told that we could either buy an upgrade, or turn up early on the day and hope that we could get seats, but if not – and therefore we couldn't fly – there would be no refund. So much for equality.
G A Gouldthorp
Notts
COULD IT GET ANY WORSE?
Sir – I was interested to see in your December/January issue of the DDMC magazine another Baywatch survey, again targeting supermarkets. However, I would suggest that the main culprit
for ignoring the parking needs of the disabled, certainly in my case, is the local authority. I have the misfortune to live in a local authority which, two years ago, came bottom (237th out of 237) in the Government's audit on local authority efficiency.
In the early part of 1996, Rossendale Borough Council, as agents for Lancashire County Council, advertised in the local press inviting holders of a disabled badge to apply for a parking bay in front of their premises. After filling in three of the same forms, numerous letters, telephone calls and the consultation process involving neighbours, Lancashire CC and the police, and after waiting almost two years, a bay was formed in front of my house. I was informed by an officer of the council that this was not for my exclusive use and any other badge-holder could use the bay. Unfortunately, however, he could not tell me what action to take if any non-badgeholder used the bay. I tried the traffic wardens and the police, but neither appeared to have any previous experience of this type of situation.
The village where I live (Helmshore) has now been overdeveloped with residential property and, in accordance with town planning law, each unit has parking spaces within its own curtilage. Consequently there are now no lock-up garage sites in the village except those on council estates. This means that those of us who live in terraced property (now considered as second-class citizens) have to park on the carriageway. Having complained to the council about this problem, I subsequently received a letter telling me that anyone can park in what I considered was a disabled parking bay and that neither the council nor myself can do anything about it.
When I queried this, I was told by the Engineering Services Manager that there was “no Traffic Regulation Order to support the parking bay”. When I asked him about the possibility of getting a TRO he just said that it was a longwinded process and did not offer me any further assistance,
even though I was aware that, according to the local press, several TROs had recently been applied for in the district.
A few days later I received another letter from the council suggesting that I might apply for one of the lock-up garages on the council estates. Even though I still consider myself to have a sense of humour, I considered this to be a sick joke.
The nearest estate is half a mile away and I would have to get a taxi to collect my car and take me back home later.
Can anyone imagine a more farcical situation? I am approaching my 78th year, have arthritis in both legs causing me to have several nasty falls. I also have emphysema, all of which means that I can only walk a very short distance.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Rossendale District Council are contravening the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Part 3. In all my considerable experience in local
government affairs, I have never come across a more uncaring and unsympathetic attitude by some of its officers. The nearest town to me (Haslingden) has four car parks in its central area with a total of 160 bays. Six bays are reserved for the disabled. The Association of Building Engineers says (re: the DDA) “The guiding principles must be to create a barrier-free
environment, ensuring that people with disabilities are fully integrated into society.”
I would appreciate any observations or advice anyone maybe able to give me.
T B Fisher FRICS
Helmshore, Lancs
SPANISH VANISH
Sir – As a disabled driver (loss of left leg) I have motored in many countries or Europe and the USA. I have never experienced any problems with parking, and in the USA one very friendly cop said, “OK buddy, I'll keep an eye on it for you.”
The one exception was Spain. Visiting the town of Cartagena in the south, I parked in a quiet side street displaying my badge. When I returned later the car was missing and on the ground was a screwed-up piece of paper stating that the car had been towed away to a compound.
I took a taxi there and had to pay a fine of £40 to retrieve the car. An official there, seeing my disabled badge, advised me to appeal. I wrote to an address in Madrid enclosing a photograph
of myself minus my artificial leg. The reply came back that “as we are the authority we can do what we like”.
Alfred Casman
Borehamwood, Herts
DON'T AXE ALL DOUBLE BEDS
Sir – Recent correpondence in Disabled Motorist about access in hotel rooms interested us very much, particularly the bed and shower situation. Pairs of twin beds that can be pushed together certainly give more flexibility to a greater number of disabled people and their carers than double beds do, but not every disabled couple would choose twin beds. The shower situation is rather more clear cut. I think most severely disabled people can manage a shower with shower chair, but few can cope with a bath.
As far as facilities go, we had a good experience at an Express by Holiday Inn, where we had an excellent shower room. The bed was a double, but I got the impression that on request a carer could sleep free of charge in the connecting room. Our own request, which was granted, was that our 11 year old daughter could sleep there free, since in the inaccessible family rooms she would have been able to share with us.
We don't in the least mind people campaigning for twin beds, but we do not want the situation to swing entirely away from doubles. As for able-bodied people, there should be choice.
Incidentally, in trying to book large holiday cottages involving at least three bedrooms, we have found that the ground floor bedrooms far more commonly contain twin beds thandoubles. My husband is now expert at moving furniture and tieing bed legs together. We then put a 5ft wide pressure relieving mattress on the top.
Diana Pargeter
ROLL ON ROLL-IN SHOWERS
Sir – I read with interest the comments about disabled accommodation (Disabled Motorist, February 2005). In my opinion, unless there is a roll-in shower it cannot be called wheelchair accessible.
New hotels are being built that are not accessible. It cannot cost more to fit a rollin shower than a bath. Thank you for your work for disabled motorists.
Peter Duncan
Westcliff-on-sea, Essex
BE PREPARED TO MAKE YOUR OWN BED
Sir – I read the correspondence concerning Travel Inn and Travelodge with interest in the light of my experience.
I have been fortunate with Travel Inn as I can get the wheelchair into the bathroom but only rarely can I use the bath itself.
Double beds are not a problem.
However, last July we had to use Travelodge. As we were attending a wedding, I booked three months in advance and accepted a twin-bedded room. On arrival we found a single bed and a couch. The latter was not made up and the receptionist handed my wife the bedding and said she could not leave her post to help.
This was a great shock as even in the cheapest B&B you do not have to make your own bed on arrival.
My complaint to Travelodge has not been resolved. I declined a £20 voucher for use at Travelodges. The company failed to address my point that the brochure made no mention
of twin rooms – I gather it is normal to expect customers to make up the couch. Let others be
warned.
D Miles
Ruislip, Middlesex
TESCO TRIUMPH
Sir – I am enclosing a parking notice which the Tesco store at Pasteur Road, Great Yarmouth is placing on cars parked in disabled bays or mother and toddler bays (right).
I don't know if the talk I had with their Customer Service Manager had any bearing on this matter or not, but I understand the store got a very bad write-up regarding disabled parking at the store in the Yarmouth Mercury last week.
I shall be writing to the Customer Service Manager to congratulate him or whoever is responsible for this action. I spoke to Mark who collects the trolleys at the store, who seemed very keen to put parking notices on cars parked with no badges and he told me he is very careful not to put a notice on while the person responsible is around as he has been threatened with a punch-up on many occasions.
I do feel congratulations are due in this instance. Incidentally, Lowestoft Port and Haven Authority have employed a clamping firm to clamp vehicles not on official business.
S W Gilbert
Lowestoft
THE LIGHTS ARE ON, BUT . . .
Sir – I read with interest the article “Warm Front Coming Your Way” in the February issue. Several years ago I had a visit from a surveyor of Warm Front who calculated that I was entitled to one lightbulb only, which I did not receive!
I have cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, a gas fire and three electric storage radiators which I purchased myself. Will there be any point in a surveyor calling again?
PS - I own my own home and am a war pensioner.
RF Limburn
Havant, Hants.
NEW LEAF WANTED
Sir – On shopping at Sainsburys in St Albans, my wife and I were angry to see a mobile library taking up four parking bays for the disabled. As it was, we could not get parked near the
shop and we are both disabled. On talking to an employee we were told: “They have to park somewhere”. Is this the way Sainsburys treat their disabled customers?
Mr R Collier
St Albans
|
|
|
