Dyspraxic Adults

How are you all getting on and off trains?

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to get on to trains especially since the rail network has been upgraded (I'm in Ireland). Since the upgrade the space between the train and the platform appears much bigger, or maybe the newer trains' doors are higher up, I'm not sure. If I've got no luggage I can sort of haul myself up by grabbing the side of the door but if I'm carring any kind of bag I just can't coordinate it without freezing up. If there is no-one around to help a frustrated dyspraxic I'm jiggered.

I once literally gave up trying to get on a train as I just couldn't climb on with my heavy luggage in one hand and the bag was too heavy and I was too short to heave it into the train before I got on. I gave up and exchanged a four hour train journey for a 6 hour bus journey. Lost the cost of the train ticket and had to shelll out for the bus fare aswell.

And as for getting of... Well lets just say I once fell out of a train. Thankfully, it was stationary at the time...

I know what you mean about the gaps. They can be daunting. :L what I always like to remember though is that if I take my time by putting my luggage on first and then getting on it helps. The train has to wait for you if your getting on and off doesn't it?

This is probably the one and only benefit of a wheelchair... They put a ramp down which means there is no gap

gherkin001 wrote:This is probably the one and only benefit of a wheelchair... They put a ramp down which means there is no gap

Some people just love to brag :p

lol, but in all seriousness, when I say one and only I'm not wrong... because of the chair I have additional problems with my shoulders, moving along a path where there are driveways is a nightmare as going in a straight line across a slope is so difficult, I usually end up in the road, and having forgotten which way I was supposed to be going in the first place grrr....

Getting on a train is probably the only time I dont have any difficulty... although getting off easily is dependent on the station of my departure letting the destination station know that I'm on the train so they can get the ramp out

Yeah i actually never thought about a wheelchair being difficult on a path but can really see how it would be.

Does dyspraxia make using the wheelchair more challenging?

It has its moments... Trying to keep both rear wheels moving at different speeds gets awkward, if both rear wheels go at the same speed, with all the dips and potholes along the pavement (and there's A LOT) you end up either spinning in circles or ending up off the path (exceptionally irritating), then there's maintaining that while going down hill while trying not to play "people bowling" with anyone ahead (easier said than done)...

Then there's the usual problem of remembering what you went to the shop for after all the effort of getting there, and how to juggle what you bought to get it home (usually solved by means of large rucksack over the handles, but when I forgot to put it on... grrr).

I find I have a fair bit of problems co-ordinating my hands to be able to stop one wheel while pushing the other forward to turn corners (and getting the right wheel stopped)... Can make it a nightmare, thus I love it when someone else offers to give me a shove

Yeah im terrible at remembering what i wanted to buy, or getting sidetracked and buying everything but what i came for. Then theres getting to restless in the queue and putting everything back an walkin out lol

Does that maybe depend on the type of wheelchair you use at all?

I would assume an electric chair would be much easier to control, but being that I havent used one I couldnt say for sure. My problems are with a standard manual chair, but if I ever get my wish of an electric one, will be interesting to see how much of a difference in control it has.

Yeah i suppose electric ones do the control for you. Is your upper body strength related to the control or is it complete co-ordination?

A bit of both, upper body strength is important in being able to get anywhere, particularly with slopes no matter how minor they seem when walking, what I find quite odd, is that my arms have become really muscular since being in the chair, but I have trouble picking up an Argos catalogue lol

But co-ordinating what I need to be doing with each arm is the bane of my life

How long have you been using a wheelchair?
I could help you come up with some exercises if that would help? Maybe some things would help give you better control.

Let me know if you do

Girl265 wrote:what I always like to remember though is that if I take my time by putting my luggage on first and then getting on it helps.

Yeah, I try to do that too. The problem is I'm only short so if my bag is heavy then I'm not strong enough to lift it high enough (I really have terrible upper body strength). Or, if I have more than one bag then I can only manage to get one in. I can't shove it in far enough to make enough space for the second bag and no way can I climb on with a bag in one hand.

I don't know about you, but I'm always extra concsious of causing a delay to others, not just getting on and off public transport but generally in environments where dyspraxia can be an issue. Like doorways (door frames and handles really, really hate me!), I always let others walk ahead of me. I'm not just being mannerly, I don't want them to see me bump into something obvious and don't want to slow them down. So all the extra hassle getting on and off trains adds to the stress for me. I think I should just think "sod 'em!" but being slow at basic stuff was something I was always getting crticised for as a kid and for some reason I still feel shame about it. Strangers don't know I have a problem and I can't really blame them for getting annoyed. But I can't turn around to every tutting person and say "excuse me, but I have dyspraxia, so this is quite a challenge for me".

It's one of the drawbacks of it being invisible to the naked eye.

I want a ramp!

Ive never had this exact problem, but i know the feeling! Its that flustered "arghh everyones looking at me like im an idiot" feeling, right?

Just imagine you are them and someone in front of you is struggling with heavy bags, they may not be dyspraxic but everyones struggled with something heavy or awkward before. I know its hard to, but just try to remember that nobody will actually be angry, and if they are then remember once you leave the train you'll probably never see them again and they will have forgotten it within 30mins.

Try not to beat yourself up about it, no one else is

Oh and the thing about everyone criticising you for being slow, i can completely relate to. I recently had a phonecall where i had to answer some security questions (appointment times etc) and i couldnt instantly recall any of the simple details.

The woman on the phone was saying "how can you not remember when its the same time every time?", being totally serious. I kinda laughed it off a bit but inside you really wanna just punch them in the face lol. No one gets the fact that you really are trying just as hard, if not harder than alot of people without these difficulties.