Monday 22 September 2008

The World According to Russell

On my way home from work the other day I was using the zebra crossing near to where I live. One car stopped and the one coming the other way was a distance away to be able to see me and stop. However it just carried on while I was virtually in the middle of the crossing, another step and I would have been another statistic, unfortunately it just happened to be the next door neighbour in there big 4x4. rather incensed by the fact that she had nearly knocked me over I knocked on there front door and I said "did you realise you nearly fucking knocked me over at the crossing" you are supposed to fucking stop at the crossing when someone is walking across" all she said was "I didn't see you ". I can't remember whether she said sorry. If she did I would have been happy enough about that and perhaps she won't do it again the next time.

A little later on her Husband Russell came round to say that I shouldn't go round to there house swearing in the street [despite the fact his wife could have killed me]. What am I supposed to do go round to later for a cup of tea and cucumber sandwiches and say "when you next go over the crossing be careful and just try and make a better job of it next time"

Russell is the kind of guy who is aggressive, paranoid, intimidating and in the past has had heated arguments with his wife which the whole street and beyond can hear and he pushed her out round the lawn and then comes round our house ranting about was it us called the police.

I said to him don't come round here giving me a lecture when you should be more worried about wife's driving. I had every right to be angry. I have already been involved in one road accident and been on a life support machine and left brain damaged and I haven't any more plans to be on a life support machine. he said "I bet you don't know what a lecture is mate?", after I told him I had a brain injury he started talking to me like I was a bit simple. This in turn prompted my Wife to arrive on the scene and she said to him not to talk to me like I'm stupid.

My children were traumatised by the whole thing and hid in there bedroom and later said that they were glad that the nasty man from next door had gone away.

I did phone the police up later about about the near miss at the crossing but they could not do anything as I had not been injured or killed.

So if you drive a car and you go over a crossing while someone is walking across it doesn't matter until you are actually hit. it doesn't make sense that you have to be injured first before anyone can do anything.

I emailed the county council about the crossing and its dangers and they said it is going to be converted into a puffin crossing. Whether that makes it any safer I will have to wait and see

Monday 15 September 2008

Give it to the Cripple Pt.2

I finally heard from McDonald's about my complaint after my visit a couple of weeks ago. It is just a basic acknowledgement of my email but it doesn't answer my actual complaint. It makes them aware though that people listen to what there staff are saying in front of customers.

Whether anyone actually does anything about the guy who said "give it to the cripple" is a different matter. This is basically what they said:

Thank you for contacting us about your visit.

As a company we aim to provide 100% customer satisfaction and high standards of quality, service and cleanliness at all times. I regret this has not been your experience on this occasion

Your comments are taken seriously by us and have been passed to the management team. The details of your complaint will be used as part of their assessment of the restaurant's performance and procedures. These ongoing reviews help to identify any areas needing improvement within the restaurant.

Wednesday 3 September 2008

Brown Envelope from Hell Part 2

First I would like to say thank you to Benefitscroungingscum for plugging my blog. I have not got a thing for Jeremy Kyle but it makes me angry when I hear the media say that allegedly Incapacity benefit recipients are sitting on there backsides watching the 42" plasma tv watching Jeremy Kyle.

I just came up with this taking it easy watching Jeremy Kyle and it seemed to stick. I imagine Bendygirl came up with hers with how people see benefits recipients as scrounging scum or benefit cheats rather than human beings just trying to get on with there lives as best they can.

While on the subject of TVs I was given a TV because someone had just bought a new one and thought I would like there old one which was very kind. If anyone would like to donate a 42" plasma tv that would be nice as well.

If the media actually took the time to see how people on IB get through day to day, week to week, month to month, they might find out what it is like to be on IB.

I had my brown envelope from hell come this morning, after I stopped shaking I read that the DWP have decided that I do not need a medical [that's a relief in itself] and I have enough points and my case will not be reviewed until September 2013. I have been since told that 5 years is the maximum that they can leave before another review. It was also a good indication what was in my brown envelope that there was not a map to go to the medical test centre. I think it is the first time I have not had to go to a medical.

What a nightmare it has all been what I have had to go through in the last few weeks just to prove I have had a brain injury and the symptoms exit and I am not just making it up. Why is it necessary to put IB recipients through all this?. We would all love to go to work but peoples medical conditions can make it difficult. I could sit at home feeling sorry for myself but I don't and I find doing voluntary work is quite therapeutic and I am putting something back into the community.

Having recently seeing how a McDonald's staff member treated there disabled team member I certainly won't be rushing to apply to take meals out to the customer in the blue bay. I never did hear anything about my complaint about my observation.

No doubt though James Purnell and his cronies or whoever in the future will think of new ways to pick on disabled people. They are probably thinking up something new now.

I feel that the my recent experience with the IB50 has not helped my health at all with all the worrying. I have been worrying about stupid things like whether the DWP have been parked outside in the car park where I volunteer checking on me. I imagine it will take a few days to sink in and I will start sleep properly again.

The only thing I am thinking of buying at the moment is the definite remastered edition of Rage In Eden by Ultravox. I loved the album when it came out the first time, it is a very dark album, I still love Billy Currie's swirling synthesizer riffs while he makes love to his keyboards. it still sounds as good as it was then in 1981.

right I am off now to go and sit in front of the 42" inch plasma TV and watch Jeremy. Where's the lottery ticket?