To think I should be allowed to access my road 24/7?

[poopypants]

Cycle event. Road closures. I mean why is this s thing? People have lives. What if my holiday return flight booked a year ago before cycle events were published flew me in on this day! What if my pet needed the vet? What if I was pregnant and needed to get to an antenatal appointment ? What if I had a shift job that required me to leave home or I finished smack in the middle of the event? Hospital appointment? Dialysis appointment? Chemotherapy session? It's endless. People have lives that require them to be able to come and go. How is it ok to hold people hostage?

what I meant is I’d hate to think they were stuck inside but if they had a wheelchair or similar they could still get out the house but that is totally dependent on the situation I understand that.

Not everyone with a disability has a wheelchair. Some have special shoes, braces, a cane, prosthetics, etc. They might be able to walk for a very short distance (like the length of the lounge), if that. They may walk in a way that means their legs drag or shuffle. They might lack the balance and are serious risk of a dangerous fall. These are the people who if left without vehicle access are stuck at home. It takes a very long time to "qualify" for things as well, so some people might have to wait longer than others for blue badges or wheelchairs.

ginger I appreciate that and understand in those circumstances it must be frustrating. I’ve just had a look on the ride london info page and there are apparently vehicle crossing points etc for carers and free minibuses. I’d hope these would help in some way.

I appreciate that and understand in those circumstances it must be frustrating. I’ve just had a look on the ride london info page and there are apparently vehicle crossing points etc for carers and free minibuses. I’d hope these would help in some way.

The issue I have with this is that we are in the process of applying for a blue badge. So how do I know if someone is going to deny us because we don't have the right paperwork yet? That would be my worry if I lived on a road in this situation. Some people are understanding but some people are very "rules are the rules" types who will cause people waiting like us to suffer.

ginger I’d hope that’s not the case and you get what you need. I have psoriatic arthritis and when i was early 30s my mobility was bad but I’m now 41 and thanks to amazing medication I’m on now I’m fitter than ever. I think that’s why I push myself to keep my fitness up and try and help others.
I hope you get your blue badge and aren’t put out too much.

Icantstopeatinglol

Thanks, I appreciate that.

Thankfully, after the velo midlands fiasco, velo north didnt have enough participants sign up and got cancelled. There would have been whole villages cut off all day for that.

If you're going to feign understanding, at least talk about "disabled people" rather than "the disabled"

at I meant is I’d hate to think they were stuck inside but if they had a wheelchair or similar they could still get out the house but that is totally dependent on the situation I understand that.

Unfortunately i don’t have a wheelchair yet
When people’s hobby mean others are unable to leave their homes, animals are not able to get treatment then no it is not ok.

However, I do think it’s a good thing to do things to keep healthy and fit whilst raising money for charity.

There are lots of ways to stay fit and healthy and lots of ways to raise money for charity that don't impinge on other people (and disproportionally impact already vulnerable groups).

If you're going to feign understanding, at least talk about "disabled people" rather than "the disabled"

I hope this isn't directed at me. I'm not originally from the UK despite living here now and despite both of my children having SN with one going to the orthotist often, I don't live on SN forums trying to pick apart the right terminology for the UK. I will keep a note of this now, but if you read my old MN posts you will see I am actually unable to socialise with others in SN playgroups because of my children's disabilities being too severe.

And this is exactly why I say, some people are not understanding to others. That's why I wouldn't trust all people who work for one of these races to let us through without bringing the right "papers" since it can be such a minefield when dealing with sticklers for rules and using all the right words all the time. It's not easy, no one has given me a manual on how to be a mum to disabled children and everything changes all the time as to what's right or wrong. I'm not an expert, I'm just a mum who's in this now. I wish people were more supportive.

Just to clarify, where I used to live (US) you could say words like "School for the Blind" or "School for the Deaf" but I just researched online that the DWP here says you can't do that anymore. I wouldn't have known that because I never applied for benefits before since I'm foreign. Anyways, I learned something new today.

Regarding Ride London, no it is not always the same weekend. It is in August this year and has been July previously. The leaflets for residents were only put through residents doors a fortnight ago and the road signs only a couple of days before that.

The signs have been up for a month in my area.

BlueSkiesLies people who live near Wembley and football stadiums, concert venues, etc. moved to those areas in full knowledge that the proximity would come with predictable drawbacks.

Not necessarily. Relatives of mine moved to a road near Twickenham Stadium over 30 years ago and obviously accepted there would be some disruption. However, since then the size of the stadium has massively increased and they have many more events there, including concerts. They're not complaining about it, just as plenty of people on the Ride London route accept that it's just one of those things about living in society.

Stretching it a bit there I think.

It would be different if they already lived in an area and a stadium was built down the road.

Icantstopeatinglol I would think people would get behind a proposal to charge an extra penny in tax per thousand in taxable income in order to secure funding for cancer research.

There comes a point where the public stops caring about charities - charity fatigue - and I suspect from reading this thread that that point has been passed by many.

I think what would annoy me is that I pay road tax and council tax for my car and for my Street/area. But you're still inconvenienced. What do cyclist pay?

If they are drivers as well as cyclists then they also pay road tax.

What’s this road tax you talk about paying? In the UK Churchill stopped road tax in 1937 and roads are paid for through council tax and generally taxation, which everyone contributes.

I agree with op. Where we live someone's horse died giving birth. The baby died as well because they wouldn't let the vet through to get to the emergency!

perfectstorm

Who said I was on holiday? You've made that one up all by yourself Petal. I was giving examples of people's potential situations. One being a return from absence and another being necesary and esseantial medical treatment. How you take offence at his is bizarre. Go away and re-read with less anger and hate in your mind please. Think of OTHERS and their potential situation rather than focusing on just you.

Isatis

2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months....not really relevant if flights were booked 6-12 months ago and hospital treatments are regular and essential. Disabilities don't take a break either.

I've moved now but had 6 years of this. My house was a long distance from the closed roads. I came back from being on holiday to be told to park and walk. I had 3 dogs with me who are all elderly. Fresh shopping. Boiling hot day. And teo toddlers who couldn't walk. I was fuming. I explained the situation and my 6 month old was screaming to be fed but alas they wouldn't allow me through. This was at 10am. Said come back at 4pm. Fuck that. I drove through the blockade. Takes the piss.

Kidworries, they would let the vet through but not in his estate car

With all his equipment and medicines.

2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months....not really relevant if flights were booked 6-12 months ago and hospital treatments are regular and essential. Disabilities don't take a break either.

As pointed out upthread, though, they actually announce it more than 12 months in advance. Not many hospital treatments take place on Sundays, and there are arrangements in place for people who have to be able to get out for that sort of reason. As for the flights, again there are ways round the problem which are mildly inconvenient but not the end of the world.