David

Certainly Dick, however, is it beyond their technical expertise to provide a toilet? Whatever, not a pleasant experience for disabled people, so I am researching the Calais/Dover ferries. David

Since the demise of Speedferries I have been researching alternative car ferry routes across the channel for me as a wheelchair user. My son recently came over on the Norman Voyager, and told me that it was not wheelchair friendly which surprised me on a new ferry.  He said that the passenger lift from the open air car deck arrived at a landing half way between decks, with flights of stairs to go either up or down, so LD Lines are out.  He also told me that there was no full wheelchair access once on the passenger deck. I am now looking at the Calais/Dover route.  I do not like the tunnel as I cannot get the car door open far enough to get out of the car once parked on the train, and toilet access on the train is difficult. Does anyone have experience of using a wheelchair on either P&O or SeaFrance?  Are there any pitfalls in the booking process, is there anything particular to request, and are there problems on the vessels? Thanks in advance, David

Yesterday I was very pleasantly surprised when I took my daughter to Nantes Airport.  After reading this forum I was concerned about parking, but I found Nantes airport to be very wheelchair friendly. Signs to disabled parking were lacking on the approach roads, but I found that there was a large bank of blue badge parking spaces in car park P2, with easy access to the terminal.  Further, the first half hour was free, and two euros for the next two hours. Once in the terminal, the place was open and airy with disabled toilets on the ground floor, and easy access to both check in desks and the arrivals hall.  There was a coffee bar on the ground floor, and wheelchair accessible lifts to the first floor restaurant and departure gates. I have not flown from this airport, but I would recommend it for wheelchair users to meet guests and to send them on their way. David

I have to say that I really do not understand this, but it seems to me that to use a torrent you have to keep your computer permanently on line? Would ths work in a rural area with long above ground telephone lines, albeit broadband enabled, but which demand that, when not in use, the computer is switched off and disconnected to protect against the remotest possiblity of thunder storms? I ask this after blowing two live boxes and two lap tops, all on separate occasions, and all supposedly protected by Belkin surge protectors, when there were no forecasts of thunder storms, but which nevertheless developed.  I switch off instantly at the remotest suggestion of a thunder storm, but our overhead lines extend over five kilometers that I have been able to follow, and twice I was blown off line when I had no idea that a thunder storm was around. David

Before this thread gets separated, I would like to say a big thank you to all contributors so far to this thread, and to Cat for her work with the sticky, it looks as if she may have some more work. I am now very glad that I asked for this section to be started, as already we have a wealth of information which was not on this forum before. However, I feel that there might come a point where there are too many stickies so that people with questions are just referred to a sticky.  I suggest this, perhaps wrongly, as I also hope that this section might provide a route for anyone feeling depressed or bewildered about their disability to seek some sympathetic help from those with actual experience of disability. Again, many thanks to all, David p.s.  I feel a bit like a midwife helping to give birth, or perhaps like a proud father.

f1steveuk, I think that you may have missed the point of this thread.  All respect to Jason Watt, he has done well.  However, he must have had a lot of help and money to be able to race again.  Sadly this is not available to many disabled people, and I would like to at least try to address the help aspect. Further, you do not say how he copes away from his racing bike when he is in a wheelchair, or where he obtained all his help. You seem to imply that most disabled people simply accept their disability, and wallow in sympathy, forgive me if I am wrong.  I am sure that many disabled people would love to have the opportunity that Jason Watt has.  Perhaps this forum could help some to at least partly improve their quality of life.  I know that I fight against it and would love to resume a normal life.  However, I am starting to become realistic and accept what I can and cannot do within my means and resources. David

Ron, I certainly take your point about the name Disabled in France, and I agree with what you say.  Should this forum prefer, I would not have a problem with changing the name, but I suggest that the name should be all inclusive for people with any form of disability. When I first raised the matter I was mostly thinking of those people who were mobility impaired, and because of my own mobility impairment I was primarily thinking of those in wheelchairs.  However, when I considered a name, I wanted to be all inclusive, and I did not feel that the title "Mobility Impaired" would cover all disabilities, as of course some disabilities do not include mobility impairment.  Therefore I rejected the title mobility impaired as I thought this would be too restrictive. If you think that the present name is inadequate then please suggest a different all inclusive title for Admin, the Mods, and the readers, to consider.  I really do not think that mobility impairment would be satisfactory, but thank you for your helpful and constructive comment, rather than Norman's rather bitter snipe. Norman - I very much appreciate the femail emotiveness, and I am not above a bit of male emotiveness myself.  As a disabled person, there are times when I would really appreciate a forum to explain my problems, and have some sympathetic femail emotiveness to help me through a bad patch.  Not reading much French, sometimes I would prefer femail emotiveness to cold links to French web sites, good though they may be, but that is a personal opinion and an appeal to the femails not to withhold their emotiveness. David

Many thanks Admin and Mods. Much appreciated, and very quick action. David

Many thanks RH, and thanks also for the link which I was appalled to read. I will send Coops a PM once I have read the thread in full. Regards, David

I see that there has not been any preliminary feedback from either Admin or the Mods.  Perhaps a bit too soon, but do I need to press the report button to draw their attention? David

Coops, I was concerned to read that you are taking your first ever wheelchair shopping trip.  I have been off the forum for a while - have you had an accident or illness?  I do hope that you are only wheel-chair bound for a short time, and not for life. How did you manage with your shopping trip?  I am sure that an account from you of your very first trip, from such an experienced poster, would be of great interest. Kind regards, David

Burgundy Maid, I agree with every word that you have written, in spades.  Thank you for such an informative post. These problems do not only apply to the long term disabled, but can also apply to any forum reader at any time due to sickness or accident.  Perhaps a special section in this forum could help those newly or temporarily disabled seek help and advice from those with actual experience? For example, CPAM will supply a wheelchair free of charge if prescribed by a doctor.  This wheelchair can then be replaced every five years. David

A USB reader would be ideal. David

Bugsy, I am not sure if your suggestion would suit my slides.  Your suggestion seems to be aimed at negatives, and negative strips.  My slides are individual transparent photos, not negatives, and they are surrounded by a cardboard frame. David

Excellent Ame and NormanH, I think it might also be very useful for those people who find themselves temporarily disabled such as people who have had an accident and are mobility restricted. The assistance to all, wheelchair or not, could be of great benefit and may also include support and assistance groups. e.g., you have an accident, stroke, other problem - where do you go for help, how can you cope practically? You want to go shopping or on holiday to a particular city or resort - how would you manage.  Public transport, hotels, car parking etc.  For example I recently asked on this forum about disabled (blue badge) parking at the driving licence centre at Niort.  I was given much helpful advice about parking in public car parks at some distance down a hill - very difficult in a wheelchair.  When I went there I found a blue badge space right outside the office! The trams in Nantes - can you take a wheelchair on board?  At other towns - which supermarkets help the mobility restricted?  For example in Perpignan Carrefour provide two electric shopping carts, Le Clerk provide nothing - who do I use?  I use Carrefour and I have spent much money there in the shopping cart - I now will not use Le Clerk.etc, etc. David

May I suggest a new section for disabled people in France? This could include all medical problems, car parking, transport, shopping, hotels, holidays, any assistance available such as help around the house and garden, and generally how to live in France in a wheelchair. One subject might be to encourage supermarkets to provide wheelchairs or electric shopping carts as is done in the UK, or to set up a scheme such as shopmobility in UK. I do not know if this would receive much support, but perhaps you could ask the forum if the contributors would support such a section? David

In the poor weather lately we have been clearing out some cupboards, and have come across many old photograph slides.  Our slide viewer which we also found seems to have given up the ghost, and we cannot find the slide projector though we do still have the white film screen on a tripod. Is it possible to buy a device for scanning these photo slides onto the computer? Many thanks in advance, David

Hagar, I take it back.  I just found the web site of the "Brilliant" and it looks quite plush, and has a photo of Prince Charles.  It also has linen napkins!  Perhaps it has changed since you were there - it does look very good but perhaps quite expensive now. The Halal though has not changed at all. David

Yes Hagar, the same restaurant, and as far as I am aware they still offer a free popadom with every pint.  My son now works in the City, and he eats there regularly. Take your word for it about the "Brilliant" in Southall - is it easy to find? Regards, David

For me, the best curry house in London is the Halal Restaurant which is a small back street restaurant in the small lanes just south of Aldgate. Fantastic curries for all palates, cheap, and far better than any of the Brick lane places.  No fancy service, like the Fat Duck etc., and do not expect linen napkins! Drinks are mostly pints of beer, but wine can be had. Anyone else know of it?  I would hazard a guess that it might be the best and most authentic curry in the UK.  The place has been there for donkey's years and I think it predates all the Brick Lane restaurants. David

We would prefer 1.6 euros to the pound which is what it was when we moved over!  No chance I suppose? David

Thanks for clarifying that Danny, fair comment and I now understand your disagreement with my first post. David

Danny, You state Quote "I think it is fair to say that ALL of the ISPs (including Orange/FT who can also be extremely incompetent) can be a shambles when there are problems. For this reason, I still am happy to have the insurance of the FT line in the event of no adsl service" unquote. This seems to be a sweeping statement and you do not say how it is fair to make this statement.  I cannot comment on ISPs other than Neuf and Orange/FT.  However, your comment confuses me for two reasons, and I would be grateful for further info, as I suspect the OP would also. 1 - You say that Orange/FT can also be extremely incompetent yet you go on to say that you are still happy to have the insurance of the FT line.  This seems to be a contradiction. 2 - You make a serious allegation that Orange/FT can also be extremely incompetent, yet you give no examples.  This is the first time that I have heard this allegation about Orange/FT and I would be grateful if you could give further information, including some evidence of the actual type of alleged extreme incompetence.  As I said in my post I did have technical problems with Orange/FT, but these were resolved quickly and competently to my satisfaction.  At the very least with Orange/FT you can go to the local FT shop and complain.  I have done this with Orange/FT and the local shop could not have been more helpful.   Neuf do not have any local shops, and I suggest that this service should be considered when chosing an internet provider.  I have also had the overhead telephone line, which provides the internet connection, accidently demolished by the local farmer.  Only one phone call (by mobile phone) was required to Orange/FT who came out very quickly to repair the line.  I also received separate text messages to the mobile phone advising me of the receipt of complaint, the time of attendance by their engineer, the time of repair, and the results of final testing.  Hardly extremely incompetent!  I do not know what would have happened if I was with Neuf and was without an FT phone line.  As you saw in my post I gave an outline of my problems with Neuf.  These comments were based on my own experience, and I can back up all my comments with copies of letters sent to Neuf and received from Neuf.  My comments were based on provable fact, and I did not include any suggestion of exaggerated hearsay in my post. I am sure that your post was written in the same helpfull manner, and I would be grateful for your explanation of your conclusion that Orange/FT can also be extremely incompetent, as I am sure that you would not like to mislead the OP. I have sadly learnt that in this life "you get what you pay for", so after bitter experience I have chosen to pay a little extra and use Orange/FT. David

We can only speak for ourselves, and some people say that Neuf is good.  However, we had a most unhappy time with Neuf.  The problems were similar to powerdesal, but with the addition of a really very very slow broadband connection when there was actually a connection.  No amount of expensive phoning (on the modem telephone which was charged) by a native French speaker on our behalf, or writing letters by avis de reception were of any use, and the service remained terrible. We gave up trying to resolve the technical problems and after reaching the end of our one year contract, terminating the contract was a nightmare, including multiple letters with avis de reception and professional translators costs, threats of 150 euro fines against us, French bank charges for stopping a direct debit authority, etc, etc, but that is another long story. We eventually won, and now would not consider any supplier in France apart from FT/Orange even if they may be a little bit more expensive.  At the end of the day, regardless of nominally cheaper rates with Neuf, Neuf turned out to be far far more expensive than FT/Orange for a terrible service.  We have had technical problems with FT/Orange, but they were quickly and professionally resolved to our satisfaction. Hope this helps, David

Think I'll be off to P&O then.  How good are P&O for disabled travellers? David