Driving is important for three main reasons. I would say, freedom and independence and safety.

As a 25-year-old with spinal bifida and a full-time wheelchair user, I’m always thinking ahead and planning for the future. Having a car gives me such freedom in terms of thinking of where to live/where I can live, how to get around, meeting up with friends and family, and allowing me to travel without having second thoughts about planning my long journey home. London transport isn’t always the best for disabled people as buses can break down and trains do not always have the best staff/accessibility. Some of the big stations do not have a lift which is terrible for such a large city. Some employees are also rude and incompetent in doing their job properly, as I’ve had to on numerous occasions explain how to use/place the ramp when getting on/off trains. Having a car escapes such problems as I do not have to deal with bus ramps breaking down on me or having to rely on staff taking me off the train. London transport and all can also be busy and people are also not willing to move out of their disabled area. Having a car also eliminates these problems.

A car allows independence as I do not have to rely on anyone to get to and from a journey and do not have to worry about times of traveling as I am in the comfort of my own car and can travel whenever I like. Independence for a disabled person is a massive thing as it allows growth and new beginnings. Knowing that I can get to wherever I want at my own comfort brings my mind to ease and helps with one less issue I have to deal with as a disabled person in the UK. I have a freedom pass (basically a free Oyster card) however it only works from 9am. This is very discriminatory as it’s the government’s way of saying disabled people do not work. My job starts at 9am which means I leave at 7:30am just to get on time however I am made to pay for my traveling due to the time restrictions. A car gives me the independence to get to work, cuts the journey to an hour, and know that I can go out afterwards without having to plan ahead of booking assistance or missing transportation.

Lastly, having my own car provides me the safety to travel to and from locations. Sometimes I miss the bus going towards my house and the night bus only drops me down the road. This is scary as I would have to push myself for 15 minutes to get home, which is hard as it’s up a hill, very tiring, and very unsafe. A car gets me home without a worry, especially in these current times and as a female, safety is important for me and my family. My mum is a care worker so she is not always able to pick me up and cabs are not always accessible/available.

Having a driver instructor, like Eshan, who has adaption and likes to teach disabled people how to drive is amazing and needs to be taught everywhere!