╨╧рб▒с>■  13■   0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ье┴5@ Ё┐H%bjbj╧2╧2 *.нXнXH      И№№№№№№№ЇЇЇЇ  ╢        Ф Ц Ц Ц Ц Ц Ц $╦ Rа║ №     ║ №№  ╧ :::  № № Ф : Ф :.:h :( ,№№h  0╧`╞н ┴Ї*T И х 0 ^ ╜:╜h №№№№╜№h  :     ║ ║ фЇ:ЇCASE STUDY A I recently booked a return trip in a wheelchair accessible taxi in Canberra to go from my home to attend a social function in a nearby suburb some 10 minutes away. I told the person at the taxi company that I had an electric three wheeled scooter and was told there was no problem (I have been doing this for about a year now and there has not been a problem). The booking was confirmed on a couple of days before the day I needed it and again on the morning of my function, prior to my departure - this is my usual practice. When the cab arrived I was transported in the back to my destination. When it came time for my return trip home, I waited on the footpath in the cold wind for about one and a half hours, but the cab did not come. Eventually my carer came along and rang the taxi company, only to be told they wouldnТt be sending a cab unless I could transfer to an ordinary seat by myself Ц I am unable to do so. The company said that if I couldnТt do this, they wouldnТt be coming to get me. I was told this was because of insurance reasons and that the three wheeled scooter would not be covered if there was an accident. Eventually a cab came and my carer helped me to transfer from the scooter to the seat and when I got home the driver helped me transfer back into the scooter, leaving me on the footpath to take care of myself. By this time I was so cold and weak that my co-ordination was affected and it took me about 15 minutes to get inside my front door. This is because I have a push button security code and I was unable to push the buttons to activate the code, so that I could open the door. The taxi company have now told me they would only transport me if I have a four wheeled scooter or a wheelchair. I have used cabs about 15 times in the previous year without any trouble, and always felt stable in the cab. I always give full information for the booking to the telephonist including that it is a three wheeled scooter. I do not understand the difference between transporting a three and a four wheeled scooter as in both cases the passenger is unsecured whilst sitting on the scooter and in an accident would still either be thrown from the vehicle or against the handle bars of the scooter. Also, there seems an equal chance of the seat becoming dislodged from the frame of the scooter. The scooter has previously been secured by a strap over the rear and across the front of it. I have had Multiple Sclerosis since 1958 and have no option but to have a mobility aid to enable me to live an independent and dignified life. I have invited a representative of the taxi company and their insurance representative to visit my home, at my expense, to demonstrate to me why it is unsafe to transport a three wheeled scooter, however they have refused. Because of the taxi companyТs refusal to transport me I am now unable to use my taxi vouchers or exercise the option of transport by taxi or another method of transport. I want to be able to experience the same freedom as other citizens to be able to attend appointments with my dentist, optometrist, bank, doctor or to conduct my business and social affairs. Example: during a recent period of high temperatures I had cause to make a dental appointment and my carer agreed to escort me to the dentist (some distance from my home) as a cab would not be made available to me. I experienced some anxiety wondering if it was going to be a day of high temperatures (as it had been in the 30s and my Multiple Sclerosis makes me very heat sensitive), or possibly raining (which in fact was the case). Either of these scenarios would have prevented me from attending the appointment. I would like to be able to go shopping, do my banking, or have choices regarding my social independence. As a result of this treatment I experienced physical discomfort and loss of independence due to being cold and tired, leading to a reduction in my co-ordination. I also felt humiliated and frustrated and a certain degree of stress due to a fear of being stranded forever. In fact it took me more than twelve hours to physically recover This discrimination severely restricts my life in other ways. For example, recently I had a pest control company coming to spray my home but I had to postpone this work as the company wanted me to leave the house for two hours and it was too hot for me to go any distance on my scooter and was unable to get a taxi to take me anywhere. It is difficult to anticipate the weather when making such an appointment, so that I can co-operate by leaving the house. This is why my freedom to go out with the help of a taxi is vital for my independence and quality of life. Also, although it is less satisfactory to me, I am still able to use the older style of high top taxi, but the taxi company have not even suggested arranging to make one of these available to me. These cabs will, of course, be eventually replaced. I understand that the national road rules state that a person must transfer to a seat and wear a seat belt unless their wheelchair or scooter can be properly secured in the vehicle. Apparently in the case of three wheeled scooters this cannot be done and so the government is insisting that people with three wheeled scooters cannot travel in taxis in Canberra unless they transfer to a seat and wear a seat belt (unless they have an exemption from wearing one) Also there are apparently no Australian standards telling manufacturers what is the basic standard for making three wheeled scooters in Australia, so everyone is making scooters whatever way they want. As there is no Australian standard, this means that scooters made overseas and imported into Australia, are also a problem because there is nothing to say whether they comply or not with an Australian standard Ц this complicates things also. I would like to have the taxi company act fairly and reasonably by providing me with full use of the taxi service, immediately. I also believe the taxis need to be modified in whatever way is necessary to enable all mobility devices to be carried. This could include installation of inertia reel seatbelts to secure the passenger while sitting on the scooter, in addition to securing the scooter Ц this should satisfy the insurance company concerns. Another way would be to install seats that swivel and adjust so that I can transfer if I have to into an wheelchair accessible seat. As taxi owners pay a lot less for the licenses to operate wheelchair accessible taxis, they should not be financially disadvantaged in making any modifications necessary to the taxis, especially since the government is the one insisting on the road rules being obeyed. If the taxis cannot be modified to make them safe and suitable for use by myself and others like me, then maybe the government needs to get involved in developing Australian standards to fix the problem. Maybe they should consider buying back our three wheeled scooters and giving us the money to buy four wheeled scooters so we can go out and get on with our lives Ц this would probably cost them about $10,000 for each scooter Another way of fixing the problem would be to change the road rules about people transferring to seats and wearing seat belts. This is a less exciting alternative as we need to be safe when travelling and if by doing this, it means we are travelling unsafely in the back of the taxi, thatТs probably not such a good idea. G%H%ЎЄhТ/9hТ/9hnH tH   ! 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