Dawlish Discussion

The next time I come to Dawlish I will not be using my car. During a recent stay I was absolutely astounded by what I witness. I was awoken in the early hours by what I can only describe as one horrendous person who decided to play musical cars. They revered the car back and forth so much they not only woke me but my child who has disabilities and severely upset him.   

I was about to go out and give them a piece of my mind when I witness them practically parking their car a millimetre away from the car in front. Later that morning I witnessed the poor person who owned this vehicle struggling to try and open their boot.  I went to try and assist them but it was impossible. It turns out they were trying to retrieve their daughter’s wheel chair from the boot. I was horrified that someone could be so callous and behave in such a manner.  They must have know and seen that the car in front had a wheel chair in the boot. So much for showing some compassion, this person did not.  On returning home I retold friends what I witness, the look of horror and disbelief on their faces that a person could behave in a way to a disable person said it all.

I am sorry to hear that you had to witness that sort of behaviour in our town, from what you say you saw most people would think you’re mad.

But there is one street in dawlish where I have also seen this happing

On my way to work about 530am there was a woman who pulled one car out of a parking bay then move another car in to wear it had been pulling it so close to the back of the car in front she then moved the other car in font of her neighbours car and left very little gap at all

Her neighbour must have had a reel job getting anything in and out of there car

This woman then walks into a house that had an empty driveway

Just as I was about to pull away I then saw her walk across a road and jump into another little van and drive off.

I found out latter that day from a work colleague of mine that she doses this to make it hard for a family who’s chid uses a wheelchair. Like you I found the whole thing unbelievable

I am so glad someone else has posted on this subject.  I am still angry as it took me over an hour to calm my son down.  I have never seen reversing like it in my life. The noise from the person revving the engine at such a time in the morning did not help. I have to say I found most people very friendly and only to willing to help in the town.  People who treat disabled people in such a manner in my opinion should be named and shamed. Thank you for your reply as I now know others have seen this. Maybe the local council could help this family with a parking space? So they wouldn't have to put up with this person treating them in such a manner. I would be more than happy to pen a letter to the council. I have never seen a disabled person treated in such a way.

HAVE  word with the person . If they do not comply Smash there face is in . SORTED.

I find this all a little strange

ME 2 but WTF      

seems that someone just wants to "name and shame" a neighbour for bad behaviour, without them actually being brave enough to come out and name names or even the road this happened on.  Timandra you say people like this should be named and shamed or is this just a ploy to get support for a designated disabled space?

re dj

a ploy to get support for a designated disabled space? the girl involed was born with a very rare condition and only this year had major surgery to her feet  for the 8th time in her life if you want to know the road its third avenue dawlish.

if you and the 2 that agree with you have that in mind then you need to take a long look in a mirror at yourself, i know this girl from when she was at school and she had to come with her leg in a metel frame for a whole 6 months  as well as dealing with being partially sighted

what do you find right about someone parking so close to the boot of a car that the family cant get her wheelchair out forcing her to have to walk to her house i will speak to her father to see if he is willing to name the people concerned on this site.

i hope you reflect on your last post as even i know that they have not ever tryed to get a parking space but rely on the good nature of people maybe a video of those involed doing what they do might be a good idea

If I knew who this person was, or come to that DJ their name I would gladly provided you will it. I Came to Dawlish for a break. 

Strange Roberta you are absolutely right. Where I live people have a little more understanding and compassion, especially for those who are in need of a little extra help. 

I thought this Discussion board was avilable for all to voice their views. It is now apparent to me, it is only acceptable to voice them when you are not being critical and live in the Town.

My son is disabled he was very upset by the situation and due to the fact I had never witness such behaviour before, I thought I would mention it. 

AS for your comment DJ I do not get involved in neighbourhood disputes or anything as underhanded as what you are suggesting. I am a decent hard working person who doesn’t take kindly to remarks like, "is this just a ploy to get support for a designated disabled space".  It is obvious you do not understand the word liable. Well I have decide it is not worth getting upset over someone's shallow comments. Thankfully the people I did converse with in the town were very nice, pleasant and well mannered.

Is there anything we can do to help this young girl out ?

I would very much like to now see DJ reply and give his thoughts now more has been posted

before i put my view on this discussion,

many thanks

mary

I have absolutely no problem AT ALL with people who genuinely need help getting whatever assistance they can both from the Govt/Council and from their fellow townspeople.  There was a time a while back when a person in my own family had a blue badge and it was a blessing to be able to use disabled spaces when they were with us, otherwise trips out would have been a nightmare.  Don't presume you know me or my situation.  And Timandra, yes I do know what the word liable is and means, do you?  I imagine you meant libel.

The original posting was very strange in its wording, as was the second one.  And now all of a sudden, after my posting, more details are forthcoming on one incident which make it clear it is far more than just rumour-mongering in that case.  I was not the only person to find the postings strange though.  As this situation of clear harrassment is going on towards this particular girl Bluebell mentions why on earth has no-one reported this to the Police, Highways Authority or the Council so that it can be dealt with?  Just posting it on here still seems a strange way to deal with it, but clearly it has highlighted the problem and maybe if the people responsible read this site maybe they will consider their behaviour and see it as abhorrent as others do and change their ways.  I can only imagine that was the intent with the postings.

There will always be nasty people in this world, just as there will always be nice and pleasant ones.  And there are people who use the system to get advantages for themselves that they don't genuinely need, so don't be surprised when people question it at times.  Clearly in this case there is a genuine need and that is fair enough.

Thank you DJ for your post also thank you to jools88 for your offer of help       

I think this discussion started because someone felt it right to post what there stay in Dawlish was like, and what she said she saw.

This was followed by a second post confirming that what we read “which is unbelievable really” but in fact does happen.

I have had 35 years of experience of looking after disabled children at a well known Exeter school and got to know both this child and her family her father become a close friend of my husband so we both know them very well.

 When my husband don was visiting having his computer fixed he witnessed a blue ford escort parked right on the boot of there car don was told that this happens often and mainly early in the morning (I like to say the phrase used in the first post musical cars seems very appropriate) we know ourselves that the police can not do anything as the road they live in does not have yellow lines they can not use there driveway as getting a wheelchair out and pushing her around to go up the pathway is not safe its all to tight.

The highways authority and council are powerless. I could quite easily name the culprits but I do not think that this is my place to do so.

 I can tell you this young lady was born with a very rare syndrome in fact there is only 12 reported cases in the world it has many aspects to it including very severe clubfoot cleft palate as well as causing eyesight problems and some hearing loss it is a muscle related syndrome which leaves any one with it not even being able to smile when anybody with it cry’s it would only be one tear produced.

I know she had more foot surgery in may this year, when they removed the frame in September she was able to start walking around her parents help her to get out of there car and with the aid of rails on the driveway managed to get her in doors but because of the foot position it caused her toes to go under her foot which then had to be corrected with more surgery pins had to be put into the toes to straighten then, she can walk but finds it painful and you can clearly see that her walking is very impaired

To be doing this to a disabled person of any age is immoral I feel there must be something wrong in there heads to do it .I can give all this information because of my involvement with her during her life.

 I also have the full permission of her parents I would finish by saying that now this is in the open the two people concern with there silly games will stop but I wont hold my breath.

I hope this clears a few points

Mary

 to you all . i say again anything we can do to help just let us know. i am sure there are more folks on here that will help out too..

All the best. Julian.

Can this not be reported to the Police? Surely this is a clear case of obstruction?

I have read all this with great interest. Surely this is a clear case of harassment. I find it difficult to believe that the police can't do anything about it. Isn't there anyone of a legal persuasion who could act for this family?

Thankyou for you reply and sorry about the spelling mistake. I am also sorry to hear people in your family have suffered trying to park with a disabled badge.

I would just like to give you all an update as to how this has affect my child. Today I received a phone call from my son’s school and was asked by the speech and language teacher if I could enlighten her as to what happened while we were away. As when she asked my son about his break, he became very upset and got up shouting about noise and car. My son attends a base unit. He has speech and language difficulties amongst others. One is  Hyperacusis  which mean’s he has difficulty tolerating everyday sounds, some of which may seem unpleasantly or painfully loud to him, but not to others. He also takes a slow releasing medication to help him sleep. If woken he will not go back to sleep.  

I explained the above incident to her. Her reaction was like many of disbelief and saddened as she was fully aware that i also needed this break.  I assured her it was absolutely true and to please go on to this page as I had posted on it.  I am angry and upset that my son now associates his break with this incident. I am even more angry and upset that people who behave in such a way don’t realise the damage they cause to innocent people. I don’t think it would have mattered if I had parked my car there, displaying my son’s blue badge these type of people are ignoramuses and disgusting. If i ever come back for a visit i will not put my self through the stress of driving my car, but will use other forms of transport.

I am sorry if you thought it strange, when i first wrote this post, to be honest I was still actually bewildered and angry, at my son being woken like that and by what I had seen.   I hope the family do receive help as they were really nice people and my heart went out to them.  I would also like to thank them for the interest they showed in my son and their offer of help. 

Such harrassment could be a criminal offence and it may be worth contacting the police.

From Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Prohibition of harassment.

(1)A person must not pursue a course of conduct—

(a)which amounts to harassment of another, and

(b)which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.

(2)For the purposes of this section, the person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amounted to harassment of the other.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/40/section/1

2Offence of harassment.

(1)A person who pursues a course of conduct in breach of section 1 is guilty of an offence.

(2)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1997/40/section/2

Thank you Don for this information. Perhaps something will now be done for this unfortunate family. It gives Dawlish a bad name when things like this go on and nothing is done about it.