Thread by @ireland

IRISH TRANSPORT. It's a well established fact that I am one of the poster children for scraps with our transport providers

irishtimes.com/business/trans…

facebook.com/BusEireann/pos…

https://twitter.com/Wheelie_Happy/status/1001783405548359680

The Irish transport system as a whole is an unrealistic cluster of toxic waste when it comes to access anywhere outside of Dublin in my personal experience. Having to book bus travel 24 hours in advance via invasive questionnaire is appalling.

I'm not sure about the rail procedure, but I know the notification period is 4 hours. So if disabled people want to travel, they cannot do so without what, asking permission? Please, may I access your transport?

Staff are apologetic when things go wrong; at the end of the day, I recognise 9 times out of 10 that it's not their fault (I have had some woeful experiences with staff as well)

It's something I and many others have spoken extensively on. There was a report published recently. It's a start, along with the appointment of disabled people to transport boards across the country. At the end of the day, to enact change you need the voices of those it affects.

While the system is broken, there are issues on a human level that really need to be fixed and ones I have tweeted about and posted about on social media a lot. Namely; people with buggies.

The vitriol I have been subjected to on busses from people who were told to fold up their buggies that are parked IN THE DESIGNATED ACCESSIBLE SPACE.

"Can she not get the next one?" - In the lashing rain
"If I had of known I'd have to fold it I wouldn't have brought the child"

"She should be asked to move"
"The baby is asleep this is a disgrace"

I have had gangs of people huddle together and talk about how disgraceful and inconsiderate I am FOR TAKING A BUS AND SITTING IN A SPACE DESIGNATED FOR ME AND OTHERS LIKE ME.

I have had to round on people and defend myself while taking a bus. Against verbal abuse. Dirty looks, loud exaggerated sighs.

I know that transporting a child is tough. But I'm not asking you to fold your bundle of joy in half and throw it in the luggage rack

I think people need to be more aware of what their words can do to someone. I won't travel at certain times of day in Dublin if I can help it because I know that there'll be a larger concentration of buggies and I am weary of fighting with people

Same with the Luas. I have people shoving into me with their buggies and then giving me a wry smile and apologizing. Or people angrily asking me to step aside in a sardine-can packed Luas and when I tell them I can't move my chair they'll swear and grumble under their breath

I am tired of passively agreeing to get the next bus for the sake of avoiding an argument. I am tired of pretending not to hear gaggles of people whispering about how it's a disgrace that I stood my ground

Allow accessible spaces to be populated by disabled people. There is a reason that there is a separate buggy area. I don't care if your dumpling's triple decker delux buggy doesn't fit in the designated spot; not my problem and CERTAINLY not fair game for you to spit abuse at me.

I'm lucky that I'm a mouthpiece who doesn't take any kind of guff off anyone. I will send shots back at people and I will fight and kick and scream until the other person concedes. But for anyone not able to do that?

Or anyone less battle hardened? That could put them off transport forever, and it effectively takes away a vital independence; because you couldn't hand your child to someone to fold your buggy.

There's also taxis. Not enough accessible taxis, people get stranded. The one in Dundalk finishes at 6 so I've had to teach drunk students how to dismantle my incredibly expensive wheelchair and pray it doesn't get broken.

There's a campaign I've seen in Dublin recently (I can't find pictures right now, but if someone has any please send them on!) on billboards called "my life isn't subject to availability" regarding accessible taxis. It's so true for all transport

Disabled people run on the schedules of others because the structure isn't accessible and there are attitudinal problems that need to be addressed.