I have a Disabled railcard and personally I see it as a privillage and not a right. I had no idea I was entitled to one until I was refused a Driving License by the
DVLA▸ .
I think the idea behind the railcard is that some people because of their disabilities have to take an able bodied person with them to help them with their travelling. E.g. assisting them onto the train, accessing catering etc.
So here's a question. Why should somebody who is disabled pay for 2 tickets without discount simply because they cannot travel alone??
If your disabled to that extend
(and lets remind ourselves that you don't have to be in a wheelchair to be disabled) then it's hardly your fault you need assistance is it..?
also, do you think that a disabled person really wants to stand out or stigmatise themselves by being entitled to the discount??
The discrimination though that really annoys me is when a wheelchair occupant isn't asked for their disabled railcard, whereas I am asked for it. Surely that's like saying "You don't look disabled, are you trying to cheat the system here??"
I hope I didn't sound to critical or mean posting that. I just have a problem with the way people make out that being disabled is all full of perks and things, because really, it isn't...!
Also if I have picked up the wrong end of the stick here then I do apologise
Sorry if my comment sounded mean. I have no problem with people with disabilities getting extra services in order to enable them to do what non-disabled people do at the
same price. So if you need an extra ticket for a companion, or more space on the train (for a wheelchair for example), or a ramp or other help boarding then that should be provided at no extra cost. Similarly, reasonable arrangements to give disabled drivers priority in parking spaces outside their house or a shop are good. The difficultly i have is when disabled people are given something free or cheap because they are disabled. I think that this is wrong for two reasons - 1, It is unfair to non-disabled people, 2 it is patronising and stands in the way of real equality. Would you not rather be able to live in a world were you are able to access all the services and products that a non-disabled person can on a basis of equality (ie at exactly the same price as everyone else) rather than a world in which some things were unneccessrily out of your reach but in compensation of that you got a discount on train fares as a perk?
Similar logic applies to the elderly. I'd much rather live in a world where old people can take as full a part in society as possible (because of for example, good access to stations, shops, houses etc and because they were wealthy enough to participate) than one where it's rubbish being old because you can't get out as much as you would like and even if you could you couldn't afford it but in partial compensation the bus and the telly are free.
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