I just think it is unacceptable, the way people in the UK are getting treated by government policies.
I was wondering how I can help stop this, such as protests were people demand there rights to accessible buses.
The government have changed the policy so that autistic people no longer are eligible for a bus pass. I am in need of this kind of bus pass because I have always had trouble with the systems and processes like having to have internet access. I am tired with being lectured about my phone when I have paid for a phone bus pass. The bus policy demands internet connection and there is free wifi on the bus but they are telling me I now need to pay for mobile data. Even if that gets sorted, there is still going to be problems, especially with my disabilities which stop me from being able to stay organized, makes me feel like there is some sort of confrontation sometimes if there is a problem with the bus system.
This all seems way over the top, considering the fact I used to get free accessible bus travel and now I'm no longer entitled to accessibility help because my impairments aren't 'severe intellectual impairment'.
I never got a letter, an apology, or explanation as to why this has been taken away from me and all they do is reference laws that are vaugely written to cut out as many disabilities from qualifying as possible from getting the help they need.
I also have problems were I am just not patient enough to wait for a problem to be solved with my bus ticket. I need it to be simple otherwise I'm prone to harressment from bus drivers trying to uphold the rules and treating there job like it's to investigate 'criminals' who may attempt to not pay for there ticket.
It's not the bus drivers fault but there are many bus drivers who do not seemed to be trained to cater for different needs. This is something that would be much easier to deal with if I was treated fairly and not discriminated against because my disability is deemed unworthy of getting help for. I mean c'mon, I even pay for my bus tickets and still get problems.
I have questions for the council like 'is discretion and fast tracking help forbidden while waiting for another health checkup (I was meant to get one but now I have to push to get one) from the government to see if my diagnosis is missing any information to prove my need for accessibility help'. Reading my documents, it does in fact prove that I have very real problems that impair my ability to enter and leave the bus without the full support. If there was more recognition and help for people who 'arent entitled' to disability passes then it would be more fair but it feels like society has been programmed to think they have the right to have a stern talk with people like me about how I behave instead of leaving me alone and accepting that I'm not hurting anyone.
I got told off before for dancing at the bus stop and not in anybody's way. I needed a little joy but this horrible bus driver wasn't having it so I told me off. I also got tired of another bus driver because he was asking way too many questions when I was trying to use there wifi to activate my bus pass. I got accused of using bad language for trying to explain my disability. It is too much work for me to explain over and over again. It feels like if I point something out, because bus drivers are not trained to be fair and accepting of people with disabilities, it instead creates a hostile environment. So this isn't just about if I can financially afford getting on the bus but there is implications of being discriminated against through this lack of recognition. Maybe some of the things that bus drivers ask of me would be a reasonable ask if I didn't have autism and other disabilities. I look and seem perfectly normal which means that people don't see my disabilities. I deem our society unfit for dealing with autistic people so by not renewing my accessibility pass, I have to deal with badly trained staff all the time. Not fair!
I can't drive, I can't always talk to bus drivers about my problems for discretion, I feel harressed if the systems are not in place to help me out.
Another thing that annoys me is that even if I did have the pass, they would limit the times I can get on. After 9. But why should I not be allowed help any time of day? What if I needed to be somewhere before a certain time?
I am expected to now seek more documentation for my disability. This is totally infringing on my rights because there is no fast tracking process and the system automatically got rid of my bus pass and they obviously did not check up on me to see if I needed help. It's hard enough getting diagnosed and adds more stress because the government are greedy and they would rather categorize me as not being disabled enough than analyse my individual needs.
What do I need to do? I am going through the protocols to get my diagnosis so I can prove that I am in need of help but I want to kick up more of a fuss than just getting help for me. I want to demand fairness for everybody who is experiencing similar issues.
Could I perhaps setup a group of people who get on the bus before 9, who have disabilities and have people refuse to pay so that the bus driver hassles the bus company because (I hope) they wouldn't be able to get the police to punish people for sticking up for basic human rights.
Here are some phrases and words that I can relate to right now:
Unfair, discrimination, oppression, human rights abuse, creating problems not solving problems, not assessing individual needs, adding hoops and barriers to get help despite sufficient documentation, no fast tracking to get extra help but long and tedious processes that do not help anybody but just adds inconvenience to those in need, creating a hostile environment for disabled people, disabled people treated like criminals, undemocratic systems and processes, reducing as many people as possible from getting help they need, tiny bit of extra potential profit over being helpful and upholding human rights.