So I headed towards the M11 with radio and heater on. 10 minutes later I realised I was cold and my hands were going into that weak claw they do in winter. With the new car, the accelerator is a little tougher but also I can’t reach the heat. So I started to struggle to get above 20 mph going onto the motorway. People were flashing and beeping and I started to crap it.

1 hr left and nothing looked optimistic. So I pulled in on the hard shoulder to calm and think. I tried to set off and now 10mph is hard. Back to the hard shoulder I call mum. We decided I can’t risk it and called 999. The traffic officers arrived while mum, Dave, Robbie and Jamie head to meet me.

The officers were great – we fired the heater, I moved to the next junction and pulled into McDonald’s car park where they bought me a tea. I spoke with Alessandria who put a good positive spin on things. Then the cavalry arrived. Jamie said if I wanted a family reunion there are easier ways.  So with mum I managed to drive back for sky plus Gavin and Stacey.

Then this morning I headed for the dreaded hospital review. I had blood tests, x-rays, stethoscopes, nutritionists and physio. As mentioned I hadn’t had physio in a while and am scared of the physio terrorists. However this time she was very attractive and funny and alleviated the pain somewhat. So I have been discharged, told to rest for another week with new medicine, go back for more physio and monitor it. I would rather have had “u r fine now” but this is probably the best news. At least it’s not terrible news but I do need to kick this 100% before getting back to normality.

Thanks for the get well messages guys. The Xmas period better watch out providing I’m back…

What I do want to do is an overarching blog on transport bouncing off of an interesting book I’m reading. Its by Ben Elton and called Gridlocked and was recommended by my aunty Diane and her boyfriend Dave at Sibfest. Very quickly Sibfest was the name given by work colleagues to the family gathering I attended Saturday. Beyond this my weekend was minimal due to feeling under par. Diane and Dave have ME and a guest blog on the subject is coming soon.

So without ruining or spoiling the book, it is a thriller about the head of a motor company wanting to kill an inventor for their new invention that could kill the entire road industry. The twist is the inventor has cerebral palsy and the reason for the invention is to win the love of a girl who was put in a wheelchair due to a car hitting her. The invention will allow her to be more mobile.

The point is while the book is well written, with a great plot and hilariously funny, it also explains disability so well. For example the way taht getting a wheelchair on a bus results in people staring the way you do at a person holding you up at the supermarket checkout while they write a cheque (the same as when I am carried on to planes too). Also how taxis are just hit and miss if they stop, but then the tube!

He looks at this as a parallel to apartheid in South Africa, which sounds way OTT. However when you see that a citizen of the UK cannot access the main form of transport in the capital city it is incredulous. Realism says that there’s money and physical limitations to changing the Victorian underground. Flip side is even if it takes 100 years we should seek to practically stop this basic form of segregation.

Outlining these issue here does not show the humour and vigour of the book. Please do read it! It does show how my car breaking stresses me much more. It is my lower stressed route to everywhere. Any other transport thoughts, please do share…

The financial assessment and adapting of the car was smooth, unlike 6 years ago when getting my first van. Historically the paperwork and preparation was so time draining it put people off even looking. If you want info on the assessment stage and learning to drive please email me.

The problems started after I collected the vehicle around 2 months ago. Since then I have had to take the car to the garage 3 times, twice it was towed for the same fault and the most recent time took over 3 weeks to mend it.

The effect is not being able to get in the tow truck and being stranded at the breakdown location, while the breakdown company take the car away. Once home I am stuck in London as the train station near my parents is too far and there is no way to go from the station to their home. In London I have to go everywhere with my PA’s unlike when driving my car alone. Many buses refuse access especially in rush hour, which is when I’m going to work due to “no room for the wheelchair”, “ramp doesn’t work” or “wait for the next one, there’s a pram on”. In arriving late to work and stressed, I have had to keep chasing the garage and Motability to see what progress has been made with my car.

I decided yesterday that the process and system could be improved. The breakdown company, Motability and the garage either pass the buck or more likely do believe it’s simply not their responsibility with each scenario.

From my point it can’t be assumed I can keep spending my working day arranging all of this and driving back and forth to the garage every other week. Also I have paid for a car, as well as forgone monthly income for it, yet I have barely used it. As a customer/purchaser this can’t be right.

It comes back to intervention. Without the government run Motability scheme I could not afford to drive. This is not a private market. In the realms of that the breakdown company need their cut for towing, they still should be more aware that if a customer can’t get in the tow truck on a Sunday they can help out beyond the “policy guidelines” to help that person home. The garage needs to be paid for their knowledge, time and technology, which they are. But once they’ve adapted the vehicle for larger sums of money, their after sales service should be just as apt as if there were many other places vying for my business. Unfortunately this is a seller’s market with little enforcement of standards due to fact the government will pay for the work regardless, but no accountability from delayed times and inefficiencies on the customers are considered. A market based on social values – disabled people driving and being independent – does not have the social business model that should be demanded.

Without intervention the demand for certain products is too small to stimulate the supply. So if the ideal market generally is a government stimulated one, they need to ensure a contract is won on strict terms of before and after sales service. Maybe the customer should be contacted to discuss their experience of the process to review this. However until alternative adaptation specialists are in abundance it feels like one is metaphorically over a barrel with no alternative. If you buy food at a restaurant you don’t like, you go somewhere else right?

I have given these thoughts to Motability and I hope they will enforce these improvements in the process for me and for others. I will keep you posted on the response in up to 5 working days.

Having travelled to the Canary Islands many times before this wasn’t a difficult journey in terms of disability related. However there are a couple of things I’d like to touch on.

Firstly the reason I have been so many time to these islands (beyond more guaranteed sunshine) actually is wheelchair related. Whenever in the past I have looked for a new destination, a new adventure etc the hassle is unbelievable. For those who haven’t travelled with a wheelchair I can tell you the house to airport trip is usually fine with your general transportation method refined over the years living in the UK. Even the airport part is much better once you know your needs and can communicate them firmly and politely. This means I check in, introduce myself to the disability desk and tell them I will meet them for boarding to be carried on the plane, and they can only then have my wheelchair for the hold. It’s the transfer abroad, hotel accessibility, hoist and showerchair hire and general infrastructure on the resort where it gets complicated. Its only once you have been somewhere that you refine this aspect from experience. Hence after a while the simple tried and tested becomes the desirable, even as an adventurous exploring type person. Don’t get me wrong I have done America and Australia which all went smoothly all things considered. Now working full time I just need a holiday to relax and do not have the time to plan such trips. Maybe in a couple more years I’ll go for it again.

The second aspect is around cost. Although I know in Lanzarote I can get wheelchair accessible transfers and hire medical equipment this is not cheap. Being on an average wage and doing average things in my average week, I have to budget and save for holidays like everyone else. So when the transfer costs £150 and the hoist and showechair £100, £250 of my earning goes on things over and above accommodation, flights and important drinking funds. Its something you learn to live with and I am definitely not normally a complainer but anyone with a sense of logic can see this is somewhat unfair in trying to live a ‘normal/typical’ life.

I would like to finish with how this was a great holiday. I managed to de-stress from work, think about a few things about where I am heading post moving to London (local council being something new and exciting) and caught up with my family. We had great days on the beach, lovely meals in the evening and drinks with karaoke later on. Lanzarote will suit me fine for now until my yearning for disability skiing or diving takes a stronger hold along with a boost of crazyness…