to think people should be a bit more sensitive when discussing things in public in front of people they don't know?

[FioFio]

I have just stood behind a couple of women in Tesco I don't know why I go there, it's convenient berating the fact that children with special needs get free transport to school and how bloody dare they blah blah blah and why on earth aren't their parents means tested

I mean what the actual fuck

And, FioFio?

The OP may or may not be a hack for some grubby rag but they're sure as hell being ridiculous.

Want to come back and tell us why all your past hundreds of posts have been deleted, FioFio?

Yes, a medical one. You are stunned because??

Actually, don't bother to answer. No desire to engage with someone so rude and strange.

That's odd, Worra. The OP's posts all come up no problems when you do a search for posts with her name in them rather than posts written by her.

But FioFio, regardless, you're still talking out of your ass.

Because I needed to point out to you that a partially sighted person might have more trouble getting on a bus during school hours than on a Saturday - that you have completely failed to read the parts of the thread which explain about how transportation works, just those two things make me surprised to read that you are a medically trained doctor.

lack of compassion ahem

I think hawks response made sense...what is the point wasting resources on transport for someone who is clearly able to use public transport???? I dont understand what is wrong with that point of view

I'm strange? Because I disagree with you?

typical doctor

Maybe all children who get free transport should be means-tested

Yes lets do that because we will probably find that they do not have an earned income (disability benefits are disregarded) and they do not own land or property, so it is fine to means test disabled children, it will propably take all of 30 seconds, unless they are royalty.

"what is the point wasting resources on transport for someone who is clearly able to use public transport"

It isn't, it is getting harder to award transport, budgets are being cut back on, even for fostered children to go to supervised contacts.

An assessment is done on the child's whole needs and circumstances. transport ensures a daily education, which is every child's right.

Then you didn't read my post. Of course buses are crowded at school time. She took crowded buses and tubes in holidays and at weekends. She often told us she'd have no problem taking the school bus but as the taxi was offered to her she tool it. How many teenagers wouldn't pick a taxi over a bus?

And lack of compassion? I'm an oncologist. Hard job to do without compassion.

I find your attack on me strange, yes. I'm sure if I were ever to meet you in rl I'd find you charming

Bottom line is that when we struggle to fund life saving treatment in this country, ANY waste of public money makes me furious.

Some people are extremely self centred and hold opinions on things they know very little about (like OP's example). People like that merit very little thought OP, I wouldn't even waste a second on them.

At the risk of pointing out the fairly obvious, LEAS work out their transportation needs with a view to getting best value for money and usually award contracts to specialist firms and taxi firms.
The charges are not the same as if you just call for a cab.

Getting transport to school is not a given. It is awarded if the LEA Ferlinghetti there is a need.

Assuming that we can second guess that process from out snap shot of someones life is nearly as stupid as picking one case and assuming that is indicative of the system.

I read all of your posts, thanks very much. I see that you feel very cross at a partially sighted young woman being aided with transportation to education as YOU feel it's a waste of resources.

I wasn't attacking you, I was merely disagreeing with you.

lancelottie I can see I have upset you, and for that I am sorry. However I stand by my views that where possible taxis should be shared. I did however mention I appreciate this may be differcult due to behavioural / medical issues. This was clearly the case in your childs case, so in the case of a child they know to be very violent - no they shouldn't be forced into sharing (obviously). You have to appreciate that lea ave different rules / criterial. Up until recently ours was known to be quite lax compared to most, so most parents had very few differculites in picking the school of there choice, I admit the has been tighten up during the last few years. You are working from home, this is quite different to not working or having any other dependents at home with you. In the case of families which have been brought cars especially for their children, do not work or have dependents at home, are I receipt of carers allowance, then yes I think they should be taking their children to and from school. You don't have to agree with me, it's just my opinion.
To the poster who wanted to know where all these galaxies are, I could give you a guided tour if you liked? Although again, I admit that the criteria for receiving one is getting tougher.

Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of cases i know of are well deserving, but the odd golf playing family annoy me.
Still not quite sure if the op had an problem with people expressing an opinion, or just expressing an opinion they didn't want to hear?

Ok. You disagree with me. Fine. Can only assume you think that wasting public money is ok. Marvellous that we're all entitled to our opinion isn't it?

Oh, and the only reason I knew about my neighbour's situation was that she LAUGHED about what mugs the LA were for giving her a taxi and told everyone how hilarious she thought it was. Not many people shared her sense of humour.

Yes, I think wasting public money is brilliant. You caught me out.

Funny how these people who are Ripping Off The Hard Working Taxpayers are always laughing hysterically and talking to neighbours/friends/people in the post office about it.

I didn't ask where the galaxies are, I asked where taxpayers were bringing them from.

I know exactly how motability works - it doesn't involve taxpayers buying or bringing cars. Also your golf playing couple can't both be claiming benefits for caring for one child.

Hawkmoon269

That is an astonishing leap. I suspect that SheIsTheCatsMother does not approve of wasting public money. I suspect her point is that you are choosing to assume it is a waste of money when you cannot possibly know the full reasons why a hard to obtain service are available to this young woman.

You are taking your limited awareness of one persons situation and extrapolating that negatively across an entire system

It would be akin to my pointing out that my fathers oncologist was an arrogant insensitive twat an assuming therefore that being an oncologist rather privies that you are indeed rude, superior and a bit thick. Which of course would be foolish.

Why can't parents drive their own children with SN to school in their Subsidised car you ask?

Perhaps because the school is much further than the local school and by the time they have dropped off their child they would be late for work and they'd have to leave early to travel back to collect at 3

Perhaps they have other kids at other schools they have to get them too

Perhaps they are soooo tired after yet another night of little sleep

Why should they not pay?

Perhaps having a child with SN's costs far more than one without?

Personally I'm thankful my DS who has a SN's statement is considered able to use public transport to get to school and travel with his mates, i'm glad he can cope and am not jealous or cross about those who qualify.

Add message | Report | Message poster hawkmoon269 Mon 02-Jul-12 15:34:02
Oh, and the only reason I knew about my neighbour's situation was that she LAUGHED about what mugs the LA were for giving her a taxi and told everyone how hilarious she thought it was. Not many people shared her sense of humour.

Yes. Of course she did. No, really. It sounds so likely And not at all contrived even though it fits your unreasonable waste of money scenario so neatly.

FioFio has been posting on here longer than almost anyone I remember so definitely not trolling

I don't see anything all that controversial in any of the opinions given in public so far tho (excluding of course those aimed at individuals)

Why shouldn't people have to pay for transport to school/GP appointments/missing appointments? Only convention says they don't have to pay at the moment and there are changes being made all the time to rules such as those. Lots of things are means tested already. I'd rather that changes affecting families with children with special needs were lower down the list of benefits to remove than, say, free bus passes for OAP's but then I suppose that view would upset a lot of over 60's

Parents whose SN children are not transported are offered £20 a week by my LEA.

It has to be remembered that not all parents have cars and especially the parents of complex disabilities (not necessarily mobility issues, so no car) are often those that cannot work and are no limited low incomes.

pag that's just rude really isn't it.

I was just giving one example. Believe it or don't. Your choice. Not a comment on the whole system.

That's enough ridiculous time wasting for me. It's a shame that there's so much aggression on here. I shouldn't have mentioned my job as it's actually slightly hurtful to have it used against me. Lesson learnt.