Public Transit

[Micheline]

Well my daughter and I try to get out once a month. We walk (ok, she walks) downtown we look around, mother daughter time. We take the bus back home because of the big hill here. So we have been tking the bus since x-mas. last month i get a bus driver, telling me my powerchair is not approved for the bus, no tie downs (loaner chair).

So last week we go out and we see the same bus driver. As we wait for the bus, he calls the driver and tells her, not to let me on. I politly(sp) said, this has not been an issue before the other driver said something. She explained to me everything, i sat there with a smile and said I understand. so I asked about the Handy dart bus, she said nope.

On the lighter side, i should be getting mine today or sometime next week. I called my OT to tell her, so was so upset! She was calling Medichair to yell at them and make sure my new one has them. She is a 5 foot french women, love her!

so my poor daughter has to walk back with me, because the curbs are not powerchair accessiable (sp) they are too high. and some of the drivers here are "crazy" I have almost flipped my chair twice, thank goodness she was with me.

I shake my head at all those signs that say "handycap accessable"....

 

[John1]

Hi Michelline,

There is nothing like moving to a wheelchair or scooter to open one's eyes to the inadequacies of accessibility. You at least have accessible buses in theory. We don't and many or most stores in our downtown are not accessible. I drive a wheelchair rampvan and in many of the parking lots, "wheelchair" spaces are way too narrow to accommodate my van. I've become quite active in promoting awareness of this issue locally and even got a CBC film crew to put me on the news and they measured many of the inadequate spaces. I've found that politicians don't care though for the most part. We are such a voting minority.

I can't use my nearby Dominion store because none of the wheelchair spaces are actually accessible unless you can walk. How ironic is that. I've spoken to the manager many times over the past three years about the problem and get great sympathy and expressions of intent to repaint the spaces but nothing happens. We needs lots of squeeky wheels with lots of patience.

John

 

[BarryG]

So I went to the town office the other day to talk to the director of the town Handi-Bus about what the service is and how it works. I don't need it yet and hopefully won't for a long time but I thought I might as well be proactive about finding out what options there are in my town of 10,000. As we live within town limits and pay property taxes to the town I thought that I would be eligible but I was told that because we live down a 4 km (2.5 mile) gravel road she didn't think that the bus would be able to go so far out of it's way. The bus is specifically designed and tasked to travel around the town picking up and delivering handicapped people to and from things like school, doctor's appointments and the adult day centre. Anyway, I guess when the time comes (if it ever does) I'll drive my wheelchair down the road (right in the middle :twisted to a place where it is convenient for the bus to pick me up.

 

[John1]

Hi Barry, that sounds like a grotesque policy. Maybe you need rattle a councilor's chain.

We have a bus to transfer disabled people as well but apparently it must be booked weeks in advance. Makes it useless for most of life's happenings. I was thinking the other evening that perhaps the city could subsidize a few of the cab companies to have some of their regular taxi vans converted to wheelchair vans. Then they could serve both customers and there wouldn't have to be dedicated vehicles booked way ahead.

 

[Micheline]

we do have subsidized taxi's, but none are wheelchair accessable so what are we to do, tie a rope and drag me! with our handy dart, they also require notice but if it's raining i don't like going out. specific pick up and drop off times, but will not guarentee from 2:30-4pm as they have "lots of pick ups".

 

[SteveS]

We finally got our power chair yesterday and they took the broken down loaner. She is a proud owner of a Invacare TDX SP (as shown in picture) With all the add-ons and bells and whistles it was just shy of 20 thousand. I still can't say that without almost choking on it. Surely these can't cost that much to manufacture so someone is lining their pockets. We thought a head and got everything she will need in the future although she doesn't need it now. This one has tie downs etc and now she will be able to get back on the bus and use the Handy Dart system as well. She had the guy from Medichair crank up the speed so apparently this thing just zooms. I am going to test drive it myself later. I need to put a horn on it, cause I know she will be zipping all over the city during the summer and god help anyone that gets in her way..haha. I even offered to get her a personalized license plate for it, lol. I need to think of something fitting for it to say...lol. I was looking at it this morning and visioned racing stripes or a nice flame paint job.

 

[mare]

Have a great ride, Micheline! Now get out and go shopping! LOL

 

[rick/Wpg]

Nice ride! Go for it!
Rick&Joan