People with disabilities cannot help who they are, they’re just the person that they are. I realised something that hasn’t been noticed before, and this is the lack of respect that public transport has for people with disabilities. I know that there are assessable areas within the train, bus and ferries, but it is the disrespect that these people have towards my community.
So here is the Story. I was hanging out with friend of mine, who is a full-time wheelchair user and we were going to catch the fairy to the zoo. What we didn’t know was the ramp on the other side was getting repaired at the time, but the owner of the fairy came out and basically told my friend off; he said “You shouldn’t go on there. There isn’t a ramp, it’s off for repairs!” And then he slammed the door on her. We both looked at him like he was insane, then I look at her and she had this face on, like this has happened before. I was so surprised that he said what said and did what he did, he should have been much politer then he was.
Did you know that 23% of people living with a disability do not drive! This fact is insane as they can’t drive because there mental, physical state or they choose not to drive. Some of these people have a carer to take them around, but in most cases, they take public transport like everyone else.
So why did I take this picture? Most people do take public transport, in more particularly they do take a bus or a train. From what you have just read the public transport should always have accessible ramps. Because it is not our fault we need it, it is their fault for not providing these accessible ramps to those who need them.
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