Catching transport

As someone who can’t drive, I need a way to get around when I’m not with either on my parents or my support worker, so today’s blog is about the other transport I use in my world. I choose to not drive due to my disabilities, my CP, my intellectual disability, but also my mental health.

Does this make me unfit to drive?

I’m unsure, back when turned 16 I tried so hard to pass my L’s test at our local testing place, but I couldn’t pass it. Tried like 20 times during the September school holidays, and mum said, “you’re not going back until you pass ALL of the practices”. So, whoops 🙈

Did you know that 92% of Australians choose to drive? This leaves 8% of Australians relying on public transport and car travels like Uber and Didi to get to place they need to get to.

As soon as you pass the test to get your L’s at your local centre, as a disabled person your required to sit another test at the Independent Living Centre and they tell you if you’re fit to drive or not. This is the test I haven’t done yet, as I haven’t passed the first test at the licensing centre.

So, how do I travel?

If I’m not with a support worker, I rely in between Didi and Uber for most of my outings. And this is due to my anxiety and low spoons with catching public transport. My anxiety happens when I miss a stop – fingers cross this never happens 🤞

I only use public transport when getting to and (sometimes) from TAFE, but that’s about it. When catching public transport to a new place I’m often anxious and constantly looking at the Transperth app for their live timetables. Yes, I know that this way can be expensive, but with the help of NDIS payments I can rely on Ubers as a tool for me to be as independent as I am.

In Uber you can subscribe to receive Uber One benefits, and this does include a discount on travel. A friend of mine said this is worth the money – not a sponsored blog.

Suggestions to drivers

I’ve had a variety of drivers over time, and if you think they’re the same not there. I’m very lucky that I haven’t had the issues that pop up on the news from time to time, but let me just tell you not all drivers are friendly even though is fuckin in their job description 🥺

Some of the things that I’ve been through are:

• Drivers taking off without letting me buckle in first.
• Thinking that because I’ve got a disability, they should open and shut the back door for me. Unless I ask for this, please stay in your chair.
• Talking to me while I’ve got headphones on, or when I’m not answering them. Yes, I’m quite friendly, but in this situation, I just want to get to my destination.
• Dropping me off and picking me up from the other side of the road. Um hello, if the destination says that number can you please drop me off there and not at another address even if it’s just two houses away?

For my own security, I always check with the driver who knows who’s in the car and where we are going before I shut the door for the ride to start. If I’m ever unhappy with the driver I don’t say have a good day/evening, but if I’m very upset with the rider, I slam the door shut – this doesn’t happy very often, but I need them to know what they did (in the list above) wasn’t alright. I always put a complaint into Didi or Uber depending on which one I take, to ensure I’m helping the next disabled person who’s riding with them.