General Chat

I think most of us have a love hate relationship with technology. Good when it goes well and helps us and bad when it goes wrong. :-D

Ann - so true! Unfortunately/fortunately, I look nothing like that now, so no-one who saw me would recognise me :-D

Also, without technology, I wouldn't have been able to find / 'stalk' the grandson of my grandad's best mate to offer him a couple of letters his grandad wrote to my grandad.
I haven't quite got to the position of messaging him on facebook, but have written an apologetic note in preparation!! Now I need to find the letters, and take photos of them.

Technology also enabled me to donate a cap to a museum. My mum's second husband (el fascisto) was given it when he was evacuated from Battersea to Devon.
Somehow, I ended up with it, didn't want it, looked online - realised it's possible historical significance, contacted a Devon museum, and sent a photo of it - and they really wanted it!
No way would I have travelled down there to see if they were interested, I would have just thrown it out..

maggie talking of technology. who knew that when that photo of you (your avatar) was taken, it would appear on computers etc so that lots of people could see it, in so many years time?

It's not just the welfare state, it's the support agencies that back up/fill the holes in the welfare state.

It's a sneaky gradual erosion of the welfare state .

All these old/ ill/ poor people are such an expensive nuisance.


"welfare state, concept of government in which the state or a well-established network of social institutions plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. "
https://www.britannica.com/topic/welfare-state

I've already seen something about that :-|

Here it is:
Consultation opens on proposed changes to County Council financial support for transport and travel
Hampshire County Council is seeking views on proposed changes to supported passenger transport services (local bus and community transport services funded by the County Council) and the County Council funded enhancements to the Concessionary Travel scheme in Hampshire.

This was issued on 6 June

They've also already cut funding for the homeless.

It does seem when they need to save money they first look to those who probably won't or can't make a fuss. Next thing will be cutting free bus passes.

On the subject of volunteer minibuses - Hampshire County Council has also cut funding to groups who run these buses, and others who use their cars to run the frail and elderly to doctor and hospital appointments, and to social gatherings..
Why do thy need funding, one may ask. Well, the drivers need a yearly DBS, and their cars have to be checked every 3 - 6 months, rather than (but as well as) a yearly MOT. Funding paid for this.

My brother used to be a volunteer driver of a minibus - it picked elderly and vulnerable up from various areas of the New Forest, and took them shopping.
It wasn't an easy task!
One lady regularly forgot to get dressed, :-0 Brother had to remind her.

Another thought that anything on display after the checkout was free!
He managed to persuade the supermarket to not charge her with shoplifting, but did suggest the supermarket provided some staff to help these people - 'Or', he said, he'd 'Find a supermarket that wanted their custom'. I believe he also mentioned that he used to work for the local newspaper (he did - about 50 years ago! ) :-D

You can hear the cogs of the manager whirling - if the local press used it as a story....

They provided staff to help! :-D :-D

But, it appears, the elderly and frail no longer need to visit hospitals, neither do they need any form of social life. :-| :-|

i live in a village but, because it is in the Central Belt, has a good bus service which is well used. Our buses also have a moveable step for wheelchairs and is also used for mums with buggies and people who can't get up the steps.

We also have a volunteer minibus, fitted out for people who cannot use the ordinary bus for whatever reason, which runs a couple of days a week, on request, and goes door to door. I have never had any need to use it, but I know people who do and they say it is a brilliant service.

I don't know the 961.
Going to Glasgow I travel on the 914, 915, or 916, all with the steep steps, though a wheelchair ramp is available if requested when booking a seat.


For people not in wheelchairs, their website says (possibly optimistically) -

"If you are a passenger with walking difficulties, your driver can assist you to board the bus or coach before helping you into your seat. ."

Hmmm - yes, I expect they would. Most of them are lovely.

If I lived in a larger populated area such as a town,then the buses would be the bigger modern type with facs for disabled. But i live in a small rural village where less people travel on a bus, hence the small mini bus!

All the citylink buses i have ever been on did not have any ramp just steep steps up onto the bus.Any prams etc were put in the luggage space under the bus. I use to feel sorry for women with young kids struggling to climb on the bus and the seats are very small.

If you are a wheelchair user, then yes you can tel in advance and there is a ramp at the back of the bus but im not a wheelchair user.

The Citylink 961 service is a single coach and has steps up onto the bus, there is no ramp to help you get on!

Florence - (I expect you know this)

"We welcome all customers on Scottish Citylink services and do our best to assist those with walking difficulties or those who normally use wheelchairs.

If you normally use a wheelchair, we recommend that you book your coach travel online - this will provide you with the most up-to-date booking experience. If you need further information before you book your coach journey, please contact us either by calling or dropping us an email. We’re always happy to help!

Via email [email protected] - emails are monitored 7 days a week, 8am to 6pm."
https://www.citylink.co.uk/help-support/


Even though I'm still able to climb the bus steps, I would never risk trying to travel on a Citylink bus without booking - far too much likelihood of being left behind at the stop if the bus is full.


Doesn't help your local bus situation, though.

Most of our buses have platforms that can be raised and lowered and for wheel chairs there is a ramp that can be added.

I’ve had a bus pass for over 18 years but I haven’t used it since pre-March 2020. I only ever used it for the short trip into our little city centre as it was obviously cheaper than parking fees. I have noticed recently that our LA is letting people park on-street free of charge after 2 pm but I think it may only be to encourage more into the city centre which, alas, has been going downhill for years as stores moved out because of LA rates. We have always had a good bus service into the city - every 15 minutes - less if I walk a little further to the stop on the main road. It is unchanged since lockdown.

I use my car if I want to go anywhere else.

Florence, our service buses have a big square drop-down step/platform (for want of a better description) for wheelchairs which our drivers operate should a wheelchair-bound person want to board the bus. It falls level with the footpath for wheelchair access then is raised by the driver to the level of the bus floor.

I’ve been watching the Hampshire transport story on regional television. An absolute disgrace.

That is really bad Maggie. How can they get away with that? I hope the newspapers have got hold of the story. There must be other ways of saving money.

I am entitled to get a bus pass - first I need a photo!
Daughter took some a week or so ago - but they weren't any good - and I just can't take 'selfies'. :-(
Sister's coming tomorrow - hopefully I'll get one then.

Technology's all well and fine, when used properly.
I went to a protest today. Hampshire County Council wants to reduce home to school transport for SEN/disabled children. They think a child can walk up to a mile to catch a bus, This also may be a bus with non SEN children, and no escort. The Council is under the impression home to school minibuses or taxis are a waste of time and money.

The Council held a consultancy. What they could have done, using technology, was contact every parent/carer of a SEN child in the County - but they failed to do that. Instead, the consultancy was on HCC's website - so, unless you happened to visit their site, you wouldn't know about it.

Co-incidentally, I was also one of the 'coders' of the replies to this 'consultancy'. Of the, about 600 replies, about 20 were all for it - but they didn't necessarily have SEN children, they'd just found the questionnaire

Now, I've worked with SEN children, and fully understand why some need picking up from home, and why some can't be in the same proximity as 'X', 'Y' or 'Z'.
I can also understand how, to some, being on a bus full of other children would be scary.
It appears, the 'powers that be', have absolutely no idea. :-| :-|,

If they'd contacted every parent, personally, they'd have had more replies - which, obviously, they didn't want, so they decided to NOT use technology to get their own way.

I havent applied yet for the buss pass as i cant get on the bus?

There is a lift on the ferry but not great if you have mobility problems and i would certainly not be able to climb up the steps on the citylink buses!

From where you are, Florence, I believe your bus pass allows you two free return ferry fares per year to the mainland .
Are you able to make use of that?

Argyll gran, I sympathise with you as also living in a rural area, our buses are nor very frequent. Workers bus at 7.45, next bus 10.45am, then 3.10pm and last i think at 6.45pm.My daughter has great difficulty when arranging hospital appointments.
Coming back from town its 1pm or 4pm, 6pm or 10pm. Her appointments to fit in with buses need to be at 12 -2pm.

Def no buses on Sunday!

When its xmas and new year, my sons father has to take him 30 miles to work, come back and then go for him at 8pm or whenever he finishes as no buses on bank holidays but the supermarkets are open and he doesnt drive!

We have a 22 seater tiny minibus and it very squashed.

However it has 4 steep steps and no ramp for disabled and so i cannot get on the bus.
They only need to provide a ramp for disabled people if the bus has more than 22 seats!

Florence in the hebrides