Introduction I moved into my new home at the beginning of October 2019. It is a custom-built home that has a focus on accessibility and exercise. I have a disability and use a variety of wheelchairs. I also have a road bike, which is actually a tricycle, and drive a VW transporter van. The van has a lifter that opens to the left, and I need a space in the garage to enter and exit the van. When its better…
Man Up 2016 – promising to help men The event ‘Man Up 2016’ at Life Church, Ingle Farm, promised to help men learn how to be a Christian man in today’s world. After parking my van, I jumped into my wheelchair and couldn’t find a suitable entrance. A church member opened a set of blinds, and I rolled up a ramp. ‘Does anyone in a wheelchair worship here?’ I asked, already knowing the answer. Locating an accessible toilet shouldn’t be…
Australia Post Accessibility – an introduction I use a wheelchair for mobility purposes and this blog is about Australia Post accessibility. I hired a post office box at Prospect. The post office is in the North Park shopping centre and surrounded by shops. It takes me only four minutes to get there in my powered chair. Australia Postboxes at Prospect The PO Box area wasn’t designed for people in wheelchairs, as the door is heavy, at an awkward angle, and…
Scentre Group accessibility – introduction to the audit This blog concerns Scentre Group accessibility, and in particular, the Westfield Tea Tree Plaza store. Please see my previous post about accessibility at the centre. The Scentre Group asked me to conduct an audit, and I’ve shared my results with them some time ago. Now I share the accessibility issues affecting people in wheelchairs. The Car Parking The Australian standard for accessible parking can be read here. Many PWD require a space…
Westfield accessibility – introduction This blog concerns wheelchair accessibility in the Westfield Tea Tree Plaza store. As I’ve been taking my powered chair there since 2013, I’ve not experienced problems until recently. The Scentre Group has interests in and operates the Westfield shopping centres in Australia and New Zealand. A total of 41 centres with over 11,500 retailers. My closest centre is Tea Tree Plaza at Modbury, South Australia. Ever since I received my Malvern Star dragster bicycle, I have…
Introduction Every four weeks I visit my local GP to get prescriptions for the multitude of medications I take. I’ve had the same Doctor for over a decade, and he has helped me in many ways. I visited the Doctor in an alternative location, rather than where I normally visit. By the time I got back into my van, my wheelchair was damaged, both my hands were hurting, and I felt stressed and angry. Shouldn’t a visit to the Doctor…
RAA wheelchair road service – an introduction Fortunately, my seven-year-old Pride Quantum 6000Z powered wheelchair, has broken down infrequently. Two flat tyres and twice the battery was disconnected, once by Qantas baggage handlers and the other time by me. I exited the footpath and onto the road, and the asphalt was laid too high and caught my footplate. After tilting forward and lifting the drive wheels off the ground, the chair crashed back down, it turned off and wouldn’t turn…
Keep SATSS Taxi Subsidy – introduction SATSS – South Australian Taxi Subsidy Scheme gives freedom to PWD – people with disability to travel. It discounts taxi fares by either 50 or 75%, depending on the disability. Each eligible PWD gets 80 vouchers every six months and saves up to $4,800 a year. Sounds great, but the SATSS taxi subsidy will cease to exist this year. Transition to NDIS As PWD transition to the NDIS – National Disability Insurance Scheme, the…
SCI driving – introduction I acquired a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in 2009. During my time in ICU, I received a letter from the Department for Transport. They cancelled my driving licence, and it was upsetting to receive a message like this. I was mentally low and struggling to come to terms with my life and what the future holds. It just added to the list of things that I would never do again, and I added SCI driving to…
Disability Humour – introduction ‘Disability Humour’ – It’s not fun living with a disability, but the humour makes it easier. Before acquiring a disability, my humour, including pranks, would regularly get me into trouble with other people. I took a rubber dog poo into work at Origin Energy and placed it into the filing cabinet of a work colleague. The plan was that they would be shocked, and then realise it was only rubber, and then have a laugh. Instead,…
