People who aren’t disabled don’t understand how difficult it can be to travel. I became affected by my disability 8 or 9 years ago. Before then I commuted to London to work, drove anywhere I couldn’t take the train, didn’t need to use taxis because I could either walk to where I needed to go or if I needed to take a tube or train, I didn’t find places inaccessible.
About 8 years ago, I needed to start using a powered wheelchair. I could only walk short distances and its when my world became so much more difficult. I found many of the places I could access previously became impossible. I still had to travel as I am extremely active in my UNION. I found though that although I was able to use the assisted travel scheme, once I got on the train, I worried that there would be no one at the next station to get me off the train.
This feeling of panic got worse when it actually happened. Another passenger got a member of staff while another passenger held the door open. Thank goodness it was an older train that had the type of door that you could hold open. This experience would play on my mind every time I had to travel. Generally other passengers are willing to help, but occasionally they are the problem. Having to get people with suitcases to get their stuff out of the wheelchair space has led to an angry argument. Again, no train personnel to help sort it.
Now when I have to change trains from one side of London to another, I can’t use the underground. Many stations are not accessible. Even if they are listed as being
equipped with a lift, these are not always working. So I need to take a taxi from London Liverpool Street to Euston, a journey that can be prohibitively expensive. Twenty to thirty pounds. Supposedly you are able to book taxis which are wheelchair accessible in advance. The three times I tried to do this, I arrived at London Liverpool Street only to get a text message to say that they couldn’t get a taxi to take me. Luckily most black cabs can take my chair and my assistance dog and any suitcases I have.
Although some people have reported difficulty taking their assistance dog with them in a taxi, I have never found this to be a problem. I always take a dog bed for my dog to sit on and he travels very well. Over the past 5 years, I have developed quite annoying anxiety. This anxiety plays on the experiences I have had and it starts the night before even though I have booked assistance and bought my tickets. I then worry whether I can get a blue badge space at the train station. I worry that traffic will make me late and miss my train. In order to manage this anxiety, I have to leave the house much earlier to get to the station to beat others to the blue badge spaces. I don’t like to travel alone and if the anxiety gets too much, I will just not go.
These are the things that people who aren’t disabled don’t realise when they see our complaints about wheelchair spaces on trains, inaccessible toilets on trains, worrying about whether or not their will be someone with ramps to help us to get off the train.
When my brain decides to get even more involved in my worry, I get what is called brain fog, this causes me cognitive difficulties and I don’t understand directions and I worry I will get lost. So when rail companies talk about getting rid of the conductor on the
trains, I worry that there will be no one to help me if I get stuck during my journey.
I can’t talk about using buses as my wheelchair is very large and it might be difficult to board a bus. The stories about arguments between mothers with prams and people
with mobility aids just puts me off. I would worry about getting into an argument with
one of these mothers who refuse to fold down their buggy to allow me to have the
wheelchair space. I have read that the disabled person has been asked to get off the bus. I just choose not to get involved in that type of journey and so eliminate the worry. I have seen both sides of the travel situation. I don’t like to be anxious, I don’t like to be dependant on other people. I just want other people to be understanding and make it easier for me and other people like me to travel safely and freely. If transport systems don’t work for disabled people, less of us feel able to travel, our world begins to shrink. Being anxious about traveling has stopped me from participating inn some activities, socialising with friends and just being independent.
The Klockwork Raven 