Fibro exttremes

[Guest guest]

I am posting now because I am frustrated with something in the real

world... I need to get a new car because my wheelchair doesn't fit

well enough in this one, and my car is only 3.5 years old and its got

every bell, buzzer and whstle I wanted, and although I can get teh

chair out, its difficult and wears me out so I can't do that more

than once or so a day so " they " decided I needed to get rid of my

beloved, posh Vectra and get a wheelchair car. Its because I

have " advanced " at work, meaning I need to go in and out during the

day, and because we can't rely on parking I need reliable ways to go

disatcnes my back and legs wont go on their own. (as an aside, the UK

has excellent suport for disabled in employment, is it worth a post?)

How come whoever makes cars thinks that all disabled people have

compeltely lost their sense of taste and seem to think we WANT to

drive the box-on-wheels things that they sell for wheelchairs? The

only cars I have found that I can get the chair in other than the

sqauare things (Kangoo (or rather KangootoHADES in my mind) and the

Berlingo (or Berlingofaraway)) are the Vauxhall Zafira- which takes

12 weeks to get here, and the Kia Sedona which won't take a trade in.

The car I wanted, the Nissan Qashqai, has a real sapre tire, but 3

inches too little head room. The car lease scheme for the disabled is

good- have teh car for 3 years and hand it back, and for the mobility

benefit you get, you have a car, insurance, all maintenance, car tax,

etc, all you pay is fuel. But, an automatic, air conditioning and of

course the enourmous boot all mean a huge advance payment that you

just give to the car dealer and have nothing for except a more than

basic car.

That and except for the blessing of the ricability site, none of the

car dealers seem to measure their back-of-the-car room in anything

but litres. If I could melt the car down, then pour it in, litres

would be helpful, but I really need inches or centimetres.

How come elbow crutches only come in black? Isn;t there any purple or

pink or glittery stuff they could make the vinyl components? Why when

you become disabled is the world suddenly about utlity instead of

choice, beauty and posh, zippy cars that look good as they speed past?

I wish people who think they understand disability, what it measn and

what people need could all have the reqirement to be disabled; then

there would be nice cars that fit wheelchairs, purple elbow crutches,

and we would live in a world where the disbaled parking was

everywhere and the able bodied had to beg for a space when one of US

pulled out of it.

Just thought I would share with people who understand! WOuld it be of

interest to post for about Motability in the UK, and the kinds of

benefits and processes there are here for the disabled?

Bethannn