From: Youssef Abi Khattar [joey_80@hotmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, 27 June, 2001 18:44 To: disabdis@humanrights.gov.au Cc: k.heavens@uws.edu.au Subject: Re:austed-list HREOC INQUIRY INTO WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TAXIS Youssef Abi-Khattar 27 Rosehill Street Parramatta NSW 2150 Sydney Australia phone: 02-96130113 e-mail: joey_80@hotmail.com Dear, so I don't talk too much I'll get right into the subject. 1- thank you very much for your services, I know you are doing your best to help us, but the system needs some work and we'll help you to fix some problems by our experiences. 2- I am on the taxi subsidy scheme, I'm a university student which makes me go arround in taxis a lot, I am physically disabled, and I use a 3 wheeler electric scooter. 3- I find the taxi fare is expensive, going from my home's address to uni used to cost me arround 7 or 8$, time delay was always, sometimes I had to book a cab since the morning to leave in the afternoon, even though it arrives late, I ask the driver why? he replies it's the main base and I ask the main base or booking office and they say the driver was late, so we need to get on time. 4- while fastening and wiring the scooter etc... the fare is increasing by time, and this operation could take long time, so we are paying more and still in the same spot, same while getting down from the taxi in addition there's like a little step between the boot and ramp like a grill and can't run over it. 5- it's very sad while waiting on the footpath hoping to get the cab whih we booked it previously and we are getting so late, other normal people simply wave and 10 taxis are there to pick them up, or they can simply use any public transport while we can't, we look to see Wheelchair taxis, there's none, that's discrimination. 6- sometimes, they are really rude at the office, if you tell them you are in a hurry, you need to get to university or we have an important meeting we must attend on time and I've been waiting for more than 30 minutes they say we can't predict time or if you are in a hurry, walk there (it isn't even funny). 7- sometimes and by coincidence while waiting for the taxi I meet a wheelchair accessible bus, which is unusual as well, I hop on then call them to cancel the booking, they say, you should've called earlier the cab is on its way, you shouldn't do that, and the second operator would say, sorry we couldn't locate a taxi for you, so one say the cab is about to arrive and the other say we haven't even contacted one. 8- I can see more than 10 normal taxis at Parramatta station while there's no wheelchair access taxis, and if so, it would be previously booked. 9- you need to increase the number of vehicles going arround especially in crowded areas, if so and we catch one the driver would say call and book, I'm booked, even if it's raining, I'm under the rain, there's no where to go and what he does, the driver drops by a nearby newsagency to read a newspaper or the women's weekly (how sweet). 10- I can't deny that your vehicles help when you run them properly and fairly and that is by not using them arround the airport to pick passengers with luggage, it fits a lot of bags doesn't it, it's so easy too. 11- the long stretch taxis aren't too bad but unfortunately not for my scooter as it's 3 wheeler, and the taxi has two aluminium rails which is designed for a normal wheelchair, I tell them that while booking but they say it's the only available, the taxi comes to pick me up and the driver has to lift the entire scooter from the front and I'm on it to put in the car, that isn't too good for the driver, it's painful and it's tiring especially because the scooter is so heavy and low, I don't like that because I don't want the driver to be on a wheelchair very soon because he helped me, once one of the drivers even dropped my scooter, we were worried he could've hurt himself or break the scooter. 12- the best wheelchair taxi is the van (I think you call it the metro) with the electic hoist, it's easy for the passenger and driver, if the driver is comfortable he makes a good company with the passenger or if the driver is upset, the passenger wouldn't enjoy his drive much. This taxi is easy to get on, to put the seat belts on etc... and most of these vans are airconditioned and new, (thank you, it's good to be cool in summer and warm in winter). 13- the flash taxi (like the station wagon with the bubble in the back). first the ramp isn't very accessible, as on the back of my scooter there's two little supporting wheels, they get stuck while going up on the ramp and the driver has to push it, trust me you don't want to push this thing when it's stuck, it's so tiring, then the wheelchair place isn't very big, I have to pull the front basket out and put it aside, bend the steering wheel till it get into my lap which makes it very uncomfortable, and the scooter won't be stable at all even if it had all the ropes or belts on, on very turn you feel like you are going to fly out of the car, every fast take off you feel that you fell of the back and you need a microphone to give the driver directions or ask to stop or for help when needed, once I was coming from Flemington market and the driver said no need to tie me up and I fell in the cab on one side, he saw me so he quickly turned the other way so I was leveled it wasn't a very good idea because I hit my head and my mum nearly had a heartattack when she heard the bang and I wasn't behind her, it isn't a very good idea to eat and get into one, it's pretty bumpy out the back. 14- I don't hate the system, I like it very much and I'm happy to see these taxis and disabled going arround as normal people do, as I say, disabled people are people too, they need to get arround and they need to do what the big guys do too and it hurts them not to do what others can do, please don't think of us as we are childish or anything but if we could've been better we wouldn't use wheelchairs and live like normal people and we wouldn't hastle you. 15- sorry I think I wrote a lot, you better not read it at night time, you'll definetely fall asleep, thank you once more, hope you'll improve your services so we improve getting arround. 16- my experience going arround using wheelchair access taxi wasn't too bad but it could be much better, I was more worried to get to uni or home more than accomplishing my assignment as it was a bigger and a harder task, I used to worry more about the transport then my education as it was a problem to me especially in bad weather, cold, rainy or hot, even in dark times. 17- hope transport would be assistant as it's designed to be, and we can see taxis going arround in all the streets, waving to a cab and 10 of them come to pick us up, I just need to tell the drivers not to avoid us, we are fun to be with, we have a good sense of humor and we have good jokes. 18- take care and wish you all the best. If you need to contact me, please e-mail me at joey_80@hotmail.com 19- I agree with all what it was said in the received message which was sent on: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 18:23:41 with the subject: austed-list HREOC INQUIRY INTO WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TAXIS 20- in general public transport hasn't been as helpful as I expected as I have tried the buses and they weren't reliable and not as many. Once I needed to get to Westmead Hospital to see my dentist on an appointment, I waited over an hour to catch a bus that was accessible as I previously booked a taxi and was very late and din't show up, the westmead bus shuttle were all old models with big steps, even it was hard for elderly people to get on, so I called westbus and made a formal complaint I even sent them a written e-mail, with no luck so I called the taxi service and finally got there late. 21- by the way, before applying for university my first and biggest issue or problem was transportation, so my first interview with Ms. Kerri Heavens Student Disabilities & Equity Consultant, who is trying her best to help me with everything especially tranport and I'm very thankful to her, to solve these problems. so all of us will make a good team. Yours truly, Youssef Abi-Khattar. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.