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#41
14-03-2011
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in the early nineties when i used to go away racing all the time, i remember one racer who was in a wheelchair, there were always people who would carry him up to a chair on the rostrum or him and his wheelchair onto the rostrum, everyone helped out. if you did that now health and safety would have a fit, plus people dont seem to want to do things like this any more, probably for fear of being sued. As for the disabled access act, i know a shop owner who ended up in court because he could not provide a suitable disabled access to his high street shop, the council tried to close him but failed, as national parks were the ones who stopped him adding a 'temporary' ramp as his shop was in a listed building. the funny thing is he sold things like diving and climbing gear, not the most popular things for the majority of wheelchair users
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#42
14-03-2011
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What the chuff is DDA and HASAW?
There is a simple solution to this problem - make everyone race from the floor. Does that discriminate against the short arse? At york we don't even have a rostrum for club nights. We just use the benches left in the hall by the school so at best we're standing 20" off the floor on a 12" wide bench that's not capable of taking a whelchair. Unfortunately I think the only clubs that are going to be able to provide access are the ones with a permanent, full time venue.
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#43
14-03-2011
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Where we all agree that providing access to race facilities for wheelchair users is a great benefit to our hobby and encouraging more racers...
there is the fact that modifying a large number of club facilities would not be viable for that club to afford to do without assistance and, as i have already found, getting the assistance with funding is pretty non existant unless anyone can seriously shed light from experience? I think us as nationwide racers can do the job of collating info regarding which existing clubs provide required facilities... then submit the list to BRCA to publish and have a sticky in the forum in a sensible thread/section. so to start the list: * Ardent Raceway (indoor 1/10th/1/12th on road, mardave and 1/10th off-road), * Moto Arena (indoor 1/10th on road and 1/10th offroad), please add any clubs you know of or edit info as corrections, Mark 
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#44
14-03-2011
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A guy used to race at Crawley outdoor off road track in a wheelchair that lifted him up a bit, he drove it round next to the rostrum, raised the seat up on his chair and raced from there. But a valid point is can't you drive your car from your wheel chair on the ground? Yes not ideal, but you could still race.
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#45
14-03-2011
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I've been racing on and off for nearly 20 years and have only ever seen 2 disables racers. Or is it a vicious circle?
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#46
14-03-2011
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Problem is we'll never know the answer to that question, if clubs are able to make adjustments in the future, then we'll be able to answer it.
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#47
14-03-2011
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At the end of the day any of us could be in the same position... I had to give up the hobby 10 yrs ago after smashing my wrist and not being able to use my hand for over a year, Its pretty gutting having to give up something that you are passionate about. If we can do something to help people that want to race then there should be no question, least we can all do is promote those clubs that can offer wheelchair access.
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#48
14-03-2011
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Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT (HASWA)
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#49
14-03-2011
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+1, well said.
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#50
14-03-2011
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Is there anyone out there - anyone at all - who has something positive to contribute to this debate? Why does it always seem that those who have an excuse not to do anything (and hide behind all sorts of things to make sure they don't have to do anything) post, and those who can do something don't?
The H&S/DDA/etc excuses hold absolutely no water whatsoever. We didn't welcome those with a physical disability in the years when none of this H&S and DDA stuff existed, and we haven't changed one iota from that position since. Today, we are still way less than welcoming, and certainly don't make any effort to attract people for whom RC would be something they could easily do, even if they are restricted from physical sports. Before, we simply ignored it and now (because we don't want to appear to be discriminatory?) we trot out the H&S/we're only a Club/too hard/too risky excuses. Feck-all has changed, so why not be honest and say you can't be arsed to try and help? Let's have posts from people who are prepared to work with those who understand the issues, and are just looking for people to take a rational risk to help them race. I'm fed up with hearing from people who say it's all too difficult, and mount one unsubstantiated fear on top of another as some sort of reason to Matt why we can't do it. It won't be long before the "where have all the racers gone?" and "what can we do about the sport before it dies?" posts appear. Here's a ready-made community of people who want to race, and all we do is tell them it's all too difficult. Hardly our best plan, eh guys? Just a thought...
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#51
14-03-2011
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Quote:
I think you just did 
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#52
15-03-2011
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Hi all, me who started the debate, first of all i welcome all replies and untill you have tried racing from sitting in a wheelchair then believe me you really cant understand how hard it is. I was able to walk right up untill the age of 39 then overnight became wheelchair bound, i understand that yes making a rostrum for wheelchair access is costly, but again Radio Control Car racer, FEB 2011, has an article where a venue the rostrum only allowed 9 drivers, so they built an extension to allow 15 or more drivers all i can say is untill you are in a wheelchair you would then see how unfair and advantge you have over someone who is low down, you try the next race meeting SITTING in a chair and try to race believe me you will not be able to race properly as you cannot see the corners correctly at all.
Let me know how you get on and please be honest.
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#53
15-03-2011
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I have followed this thread with interest over the last few days. I am able bodied so dont use a wheelchair.
People will not understand how hard it is and will never race sat down in a seat because they would be disadvantaged. In my opinion this should have been dealt with at club level. It is unfair for this to be spread across a nation of clubs who may never encounter a disabled racer. If I were in your situation Neil, I would be extremely annoyed if provisions were not looked into at my local club. They may not have the money but should at least cost the mods and have an open discussion with members. Just my opinions, I am a crap driver and am fitted in somewhere, is it so difficult to accomodate people?
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#54
15-03-2011
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2ndly my wife is in a wheel chair not that she races cars but I was thinking would it be viable to have a portable fold down ramp built for you? of If you had one of these http://www.bentleyfielden.co.uk/prod...scopic_38.html would 7 feet be enough to get you on the rostrum? Just a thought and hope it may help.
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#55
15-03-2011
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Rostrom is scratch build (will be) so will have a ramp. I just hope Neil (above, not me) pulls his weight when marshalling!!!
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#56
16-03-2011
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Hi again Neil,
I have read this whole thread and after reading the last few new post's there are a few points I would like to make. I can't help but feel perhaps some people have the wrong attitude when it comes to this subject. I'm not singling you out Neil. Now I would never begin to say how tough it is to be in a wheel chair, I could only imagine how hard it would be!!! But how about a positive mental attitude towards this subject. Find a club to race where the people are very nice, yes this can involve a lot of driving, get involved, race as much as possible, even if you have to do it off the ground, yes it's gonna be tough, but as you get to know the members of the club talk to them about a disabled ramp, and see if one could be built!!! This may mean trying a few different clubs or a few different sections. Now you may read this and think "what a load of sh1t" I am talking. But the truth is Neil, there is no easy answer! But don't give up on the sport you enjoy because you can't get what you need/want or because the people you have been dealing with aren't giving you the answers you want. Get out there and make it happen.
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#57
16-03-2011
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I've only been twice, but at Wrexham, they have a ramp to a lowered 1 or 2 space rostrum, that is also further forward than the main rostrum. I have tried practicing by sitting on the stage at my old club, and it isn't easy, especially in a big hall.
The main issue though, is always going to be money. I'm not going to mention the club as that wouldn't be fair. But a club has recently changed it's rostrum and resurfaced the track, but no ramp upto the rostrum, and I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think that if clubs don't realise the demand is there, they don't know to fulfill it, and I do know, most clubs will try to help "lifting you upto the stage / rostrum, but I know from Sam's point of view, he'd be too scared for himself and the people helping him to be happy doing that. Maybe you could write something for Circuit Chatter to make everyone aware of the problems, and making th clubs aware of the issue too.
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#58
17-03-2011
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Southport has within the last year or 2, altered the rostrum area in front to allow a platform leading to a mini rostrum.
As far as i am aware, this was a collaberated effort between the club and the racer. Im sure if any club was decent enough and had a permanent rostrum, and there was a contribution made ( why not adapt ). There might even be funding available. It would be interesting to see if anyone else knows more info on Southports details though. Col.
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#59
17-03-2011
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Southport's disabled access was paid for out of the clubs funds, and was incorporated into the new rostrum build.
We are fortunate at Southport to have a a good committee with a wide skill base within the club memebership, so all welding, joinery and foundation work was done by a small band of club committee members. The council were not interested in helping us financially, nor were any charity funders interested because of a number of reasons namely because the improvement wouldn't help enough people. 
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#60
27-03-2011
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Ive been racing since the age of 17 i am 43 and through no fault of my own am in a wheelchair, i went to bed saturday night woke up found i could not walk, that was four years ago since that day ive not raced but hey it happens.
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