Disabled Student Protests Lack of Public Access by Blocking Buses

18 year-old Maria Whitefield repeatedly caused rush hour traffic gridlock Friday by maneuvering her power wheelchair in front of city buses that did not have working ramps.
Miss Whitefield has complained to the bus company and the mayor and felt protesting was the only way to get her message across. 
For more details check out 'Let Us On The Bus' over at the Camden New Journal.

Comments

[The Angry Gimp]

I love this story. I like how she zoomed around in front of the bus so police couldn't catch her. Hilarious!

Should she have protested in another more organized and safe manner? Yeah, probably. But anyone who's been in this sort of situation can relate to the frustration and anger she undoubtedly felt. Sounds like she just snapped; it was the straw that broke the camel's back. That's so awesome that she "stood up" for her rights like that. I'm sure people were ticked off that they weren't getting to work...but you know what? She had to put up with that crap all the time. Maybe people will think about this issue now. Kudos to the drivers who cheered her on!

[Gimpy Mumpy]

"It's all very well have accessible facilities but what is the use if disabled people cannot get to them because they are unable to use the transport sytem?"---Very well said MB! I couldn't agree more. This is a huge problem and the more we speak out about it, hopefully, the sooner the problems will be solved.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as my grandmother likes to say!

[marmiteboy]

This makes me so angry. The Disability Discrimination Act in the UK is a flawed piece of legislation. Although it is now illegal tohave inacessible facilities (or at least fail to provide a reasonable adjustment) public transport reamins immune from this until 2020. It's all very well have accessible facilities but what is the use if disabled people cannot get to them because they are unable to use the transport sytem?

I recently had a exchange of e-mails with Transport for London (initially it was over some posters on underground trains that used antiquated and offensive language) about this subject. I pointed out that only 16% of the whole network had wheelchair access at it's stations. I was told in almost boastful terms that by 2018 50% of the network would have wheelchair access (with no steps between street level and platform) I didn't know what to make of this. oes it mean that the other 50% will have to be made accessible in the 2 years to 2020? I bet it isn't done.