Following on from the discussion regarding the overzealous clamping of cars displaying mobility parking permits, Matt sent me a few pics detailing his latest encounter. While Matt admits his permit had expired, he says he had no idea, and was never sent a reminder notice, despite CCS Disability Action finding it within themselves to send him various newsletters and pamphlets throughout the year. Here are his pictures below, featuring: Matt’s clamped car, with mobility parking permit (albeit expired) displayed in

Lately I’ve been getting all kinds of reports regarding overzealous parking wardens clamping/towing cars showing a valid mobility permit for almost no reason at all, or because the permit was “partially obscured”. Have you any experiences you wish to share? Also, have a read of the story below (and note the way the reporter describes the woman as a “pregnant paraplegic” – is she not also a person?!): A heavily pregnant paraplegic has had her car clamped at Christchurch’s Eastgate

I’ve written about Auckland’s Re-Li-On-Us Mobility Taxis before, who are – in my humble opinion – the best mobility taxi option around, but as part of our latest iPod competition, here are Saphiya’s thoughts… They have a toll-free number – 0800 025 999 I especially liked the service as it was appreciating and was naturally friendly. ARTA’s Total Mobility swipe card is accepted. Easy to get in and out of vehicle. Saw that there was a first aid pack and

I’m sure many of you have seen the latest ad from Land Transport New Zealand, promoting cars with side airbags as helping to prevent brain injury during a crash. What you might not have realised, however, is that the woman in the advertisement is actually an Australian actress. Admittedly, she is very convincing, but is it right that we have able-bodied people pretending to be disabled? Why couldn’t they use a Kiwi who had actually experienced brain injury? Check out

Well mark this down in the ‘never-thought-it’d-happen’ file, but a bloke over in the UK has built the world’s first motorbike designed specifically for wheelchair users, and boy is it impressive. The bike is actually being shipped over here and donated to the CatWalk Trust, to be auctioned off to raise funds for spinal cord injury research. Campbell Live had a piece on the bike tonight, and you can catch the video here. Drooling compulsory. PS. I wonder if these

Hahaha… Steep much? And just in case you weren’t sure what/who it was intended for, they’ve made it unmistakably clear

So I’m sure you’ve all heard of how PM Helen Clark’s security entourage blocked all the mobility parking spaces outside Christchurch’s Town Hall last week. What that did, interestingly, is bring this debate over the misuse of mobility parking spots into the mainstream, and the NZ Herald has a really fascinating debate going on over here on this exact subject. Here are a selection of my favourite comments: Tow the offending vehicle to the farthest corner of the car park

I’m sure it’s nothing new to any of you that petrol prices are on this inexorable rise to, well, unaffordability, but do you think as disabled New Zealanders, this is having more of a severe impact than on the rest of the population? Many of us are on a benefit of some description, and some have no other income outside of this. It would be a real pity, methinks, if rising petrol prices meant many disabled people could not venture

Well I’ll be, have all my Christmases come at once? If I had a spare $50,000, maybe. Researchers in Pennsylvania, USA, have developed a new laser-guided robotic wheelchair which – all by itself – attaches itself to your vehicle’s hoist after transferring into your car. That’s right, it’ll attach itself. That is, you hop in your car, and your little robot does the rest. Pretty sweet, eh? Would certainly eliminate the need to gut vans to make them self-drive for

Should we paint mobility parks blue? Apparently it deters those who shouldn’t be parking there… What do you think? Research undertaken by the disability support service found that 55 per cent of people using mobility parking spaces with the existing yellow markings were doing so illegally. After being painted blue with yellow markings, the misuse dropped to 51 per cent after three months and 42 per cent after six months, according to Research NZ, which monitored the parks. During the