Disabled Motoring UK

Last updated

Disabled Motoring UK
Type Charity
Founded1922
Headquarters UK
Website http:// disabledmotoring.org

Disabled Motoring UK is a non-governmental organization founded in the UK in 1922 and was recently known as Mobilise. It is a campaigning charity for disabled drivers, passengers, and blue badge holders in the United Kingdom. Disabled Motoring UK lobbies the government and businesses to improve parking, access, and refuelling services for disabled people. Disabled Motoring UK does not just campaign for motorists but also supports scooter and wheelchair users, as well as the families and carers of disabled people.

Contents

History

Disabled Motoring UK was formed as the Mobilise Organisation in 2005 from the merger of the Disabled Drivers' Motor Club (founded in 1922) and the Disabled Drivers' Association (founded in 1948 as the Invalid Tricycle Association). The DDMC was formed by seven ex-World War I veterans (with just six legs between them). The DDMC was a campaigning organisation from the very beginning and, even in the 1920s, it led a campaign to ensure that disabled drivers were permitted to drive cars as the Government had proposed banning them from obtaining licences in the Road Traffic Bill. It was one of the first, if not the first, organisation of disabled people, entirely run by disabled people.

The DDA began its life when the founder, O.A Denley ("Denny"), was paralysed from the waist down after contracting polio. Denny had to leave the Royal Navy and his dream to visit Switzerland appeared to be over. However, in 1947 he decided not to let his disability stop his fulfilling a lifelong ambition and set about conquering the Swiss Alps.

Starting from Greenwich he took his Argson mobility trike through France and on into Basel Switzerland. With BBC Radio 4 covering the attempt, he scaled three mountains with a combined height of 18,676 feet (5,692 m), and descended into the Rhone Valley. After arriving in Geneva he headed back to London and was received by the Members of Parliament in London. Taking momentum from this feat he founded the Invalid Tricycle Association which evolved into the charity today

Information

Disabled Motoring UK is currently campaigning on the issues of:

as well as many more issues facing Disabled Motorists.

2011 Alps Challenge

From the 4th to 16 June 2011 Disabled Motoring UK, with Norwich marketing company The Lively Crew, recreated the journey of their founder by restoring the original Argson mobility trike used by Denley and following his original route through the Alps. [1] The original trike is being restored by Corporal George Bascope and Craftsman Ben Haywood of the Royal Light Dragoons in preparation for the trip.

On 4 June 2011 the trike set off from Greenwich and headed south to Newhaven, cross the Channel to Dieppe and followed the original route. The team then headed to Paris and then on to Basel. From Basel the trike will climb three mountains, and take part in the Tour de Suisse, before heading back to London for a reception at the Palace of Westminster.

The team met up with their French and Swiss counterparts, as well as government members tasked with disability rights. Celebrities including Adrian Adepitan, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Nicolas Hamilton are assisting the team in taking the trike on its journey.

Related Research Articles

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The AA British motoring association

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State disability benefits

State disability insurance is a type of insurance for workers who are ill, unable or injured. Its partially replace wages in the event a worker is unable to perform their work due to a disability. In some states, there are many types of organisations that provide different disability insurance. These organisations have specific definitions regarding what is a disability and how a person should qualify in order to receive the benefit.

NRMA

NRMA is an Australian organisation offering roadside assistance, advocacy for motorists and road-users, motoring advice, car servicing, International Driving Permits, travel and other services in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is a member-owned mutual company limited by guarantee.

IAM RoadSmart

IAM RoadSmart formerly called the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is a charity based in the United Kingdom and serving nine countries, whose objective is to improve car driving and motorcycle riding standards, and so enhance road safety, by using the British police's system of car and motorcycle control commonly known as "the System". The System was devised in 1937 by racing driver Mark Everard Pepys, 6th Earl of Cottenham, to reduce accidents in police pursuits.

Mobility scooter Mobility aid

A mobility scooter is an electric vehicle and mobility aid equivalent or auxiliary to a power wheelchair but configured like a motorscooter. When motorized they are commonly referred to as a power-operated vehicle/scooter, handicap scooters, or electric scooter as well. Non-motorized mobility scooters are less common, but are intended for the estimated 60% of wheelchair users who have at least some use of their legs.

Invacar Small single-seater vehicle designed for use by disabled drivers

The Invacar was a small single-seater microcar vehicle designed for use by disabled drivers, and distributed for free in the UK.

Handcycle

A handcycle is a type of human-powered land vehicle powered by the arms rather than the legs, as on a bicycle. Most handcycles are tricycle in form, with two coasting rear wheels and one steerable powered front wheel. Despite usually having three wheels, they are also known as handbikes.

Motoring taxation in the United Kingdom

Motoring taxation in the United Kingdom consists primarily of vehicle excise duty, which is levied on vehicles registered in the UK and hydrocarbon oil duty which is levied on the fuel used by motor vehicles. VED and fuel tax raised approximately GB£32 billion in 2009, a further £4 billion was raised from the value added tax on fuel purchases. Motoring-related taxes for fiscal year 2011/12, including fuel duties and VED, are estimated that will amount to more than GB£38 billion, representing almost 7% of total UK taxation.

Disabled parking permit

A disabled parking permit, also known as a disabled badge, disabled placard, handicapped permit, handicapped placard, handicapped tag, and "Blue Badge" in the European Union, is a permit that is displayed upon parking a vehicle. It gives the operator of a vehicle permission to special privileges regarding the parking of that vehicle. These privileges include parking in a space reserved for persons with disabilities, or, in some situations, permission to park in a time-limited space for a longer time, or to park at a meter without payment.

The Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) is a South Australian automobile club providing a range of member services including: 24-hour emergency breakdown, vehicle inspection, motoring advocacy, road safety, motoring road rules information service, technical advice, travel services, security, tour planning, accommodation booking and also a subsidiary insurance company.

Vehicle recovery

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Motability is a charity in the United Kingdom. It oversees Motability Operations Ltd, which runs the Motability Scheme intended to enable disabled people, their families and their carers to lease a new car, scooter or powered wheelchair, using their disability benefit. Currently, the scheme has more than 650,000 customers.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a social security benefit in the United Kingdom paid to eligible claimants who have personal care and/or mobility needs as a result of a mental or physical disability. It is tax-free, non-means-tested and non-contributory. The benefit was established by the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, integrating the former benefits Mobility Allowance and Attendance Allowance and introducing two additional lower rates of benefit. Prior to 2013 it could be claimed by UK residents aged under sixty five years. However, the benefit was phased-out for the majority of claimants between 2013 and 2015 and replaced by a new Personal Independence Payment. DLA can still be claimed by children under sixteen and can still be received by existing claimants who were aged sixty five or over on 8 April 2013.

QuadPara Association of South Africa

The QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) was established in 1978 as a non-profit organisation which strives to prevent spinal cord injury through high-profile information campaigns, as well as to protect and promote the interests of people with mobility impairments through lobbying and advocacy.

Personal Independence Payment is a welfare benefit in the United Kingdom that is intended to help adults with the extra costs of living with a long-term health condition or a disability.

Adapted automobile

An adapted automobile is an automobile adapted for ease of use by disabled people. Automobiles, whether cars or vans, can be adapted for a range of physical disabilities.

Invalid carriage Self-propelled vehicle for disabled people

Invalid carriages were usually single seater road vehicles, buggies, or self-propelled vehicles for disabled people. They pre-dated the electric mobility scooters and from the 1920s were generally powered by a small gasoline/petrol engine, although some were battery powered. They were usually designed without foot-operated controls.

Rachel Mary Rosalind Hurst CBE is a British activist and former director of Disability Awareness in Action (DAA), an international network working on disability and human rights.

The National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) was a non-profit staffed organisation controlled by and run for disabled people active in social care issues to campaign for and support the independent living of disabled people in the community and using personal assistants, as opposed to living in institutions such as care homes and hospitals. It ceased its work in December 2011.

References

  1. "Alps Challenge summary". Disabled World. 15 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013.