Wheelchair on Ice

[Jezobelle]

The car park that's for my block of flats been built with two disabled spaces that are on the furthest side away from the pavement that leads to the properties. To make matters worse, the cars that line the edge of the pavement are packed so closely together, you've no chance of getting through with a wheelchair - and even if you did, there's not any dropped kerbs!

So, I ring the council and they say 'oh well it's a private car park so nothing to do with us.' I track down the company who built the car park and they say 'oh well we did design it as you suggested but the Council didn't agree and the re-design was the only way they'd approve planning permission.'

What makes it worse is the pavements have been cleared of snow (which is great) but the car park has been left so now resembles a skating rink. So not only do I need to get out of my wheelchair, carry it above my head while squeezing sideways between the cars, I now have to skate across to the other side and hopefully come to a slithering but safe halt where my car is.

And they wonder why I'm relouctant to come into work!

[Ginsing]

that sounds terrible and shows how single minded people are - so thoughtless. I hope you got safely to your car xgins

[Extremelygrumpy]

If it wasn't so tragic you would laugh at the stupidity of the way things get designed...

Go carefully VG x

[Jezobelle]

VG - you're so right.

I have emailed the Residents Association who said that 'it would be nice if the car park could be gritted to prevent this annual problem but it's up to the association to decide.' My reply was that it was more a case of Health & Safety than any nicety, but could she please raise it as a matter of urgency with the rest of the association as it wouldn't be very 'nice' if I fell and sued the backside off them!

There's very few things we can do that don't cause pain, but smiling is one of them so even if it's ridiculous beyond funny, I will still manage a small raising of the lips for the sake of my own sanity

[Hidden]

My Mother has the same problem with her block of flats. She is marooned in her flat, can't get out of the block because the car park is treacherous. The snow has frozen and turned into compacted ice making it lethal. All of the residents are literally stuck inside because they daren't venture out of the main door.

They rang the property management and they were told they'd have to wait for the ice to thaw, the council won't help as it's private property and hubby and I can't get to her to rescue her because the snow and ice are too bad to travel at the moment. What an appalling situation for elderly or disabled people when they are trapped at home because of ice.

[Cat53]

Maybe local MPs could help with this issue.

[migrembe]

I am with verygrumpy on this one. if it wasnt so tragic it would be funny. I unfortunately am housebound until the snow goes away. Thankfully my lovely neighbours came and cleared the steps from my house and asked me if there was anything i needed.

[sue57]

Ohhh, isn't this always the way?? Sainsburys opened a new store round the corner from me. Great!, I thought! But, as usual, the disabled parking spaces are furthest away from the door!!! The parent and child spaces are closer!! Great planning eh?? XX