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A DUBLIN MAN who advised the Government on a new wheelchair accessible taxi scheme says he felt compelled to do something to tackle the lack of available vehicles after an incident in the city centre four years ago, when he was left stranded for four hours.
Stephen Closkey, from Swords, said he was left waiting “freezing” in the rain at the side of the road three years ago after a cab he had booked for 2am failed to show up.
He ended up having to call his parents to come pick him up.
“It left me in bed for a few days sick,” Closkey told reporters at the launch of the new grant scheme yesterday.
Keen to help others inconvenienced by similar experiences, Closkey went on to set up the website wheelchairtaxi.ie, which provides transport listings for the entire country.
You can search any area of Ireland, and you’ll find wheelchair-accessible transport in your area. We’ve got taxis, we’ve got mini-bus hire, we’ve car hire, even a few wheelchair accessible fishing boats.
He was appointed to the Government’s Taxi Advisory Committee last year, and has since been providing input on a range of issues, including the initiative announced by Public Transport Minister Alan Kelly yesterday.
It’s hoped the scheme will boost the number of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles in the country’s taxi fleet by around 200, to 1,060. Opening to applicants from early next month, it will provide €1 million in grant funding for drivers who want to buy a new accessible taxi, or upgrade their current one.
Closkey described the scheme as a “good start”.
At the moment we’ve two wheelchair accessible taxis in the entire of Tipperary. So when you’re looking at statistics like that, you’ve a long way to go.
He said he hoped his contribution to the taxi advisory panel would help “keep the issue at the forefront”.
Now 30, Closkey suffered a spinal cord injury 12 years ago that left him paralysed from the neck down, when he fell from a hay bale. He said he also suffered from other “knock on” effects as a result of the injury, including pressure sores, kidney infections, spasms.
“Think of something pleasant so you appear sincere” OR be sincere.
You forgot to mention that Winston Churchill spent most of his life in an alcoholic haze. His famous “fight them on the beaches” speech sounds so belligerent because he was apparently 3 sheets to the wind . The nation thought that it was his fighting spirit that made him sound so resolute but in fact it was more probably the contents of a bottle of brandy that gave him that growling tone. The only thing he didn’t do was finish off his speech with “the fugging bashtrds, I’ll take ‘em all on!”.
…rewriting history there Brian, are we?
Ya churchy baby loved the sauce, some of his hardest and best decisions were made late at night with a brandy bottle. He said that he got more out of booze than booze ever got out of him.
The Dude, far from it. Churchill was a renowned drinker who had champagne for lunch and dinner followed by brandy and was rarely seen without a glass of whiskey by his side. He reputedly got sick as a young boy and his doctor advised him to drink sherry as a remedy only he neglected to mention how much and more importantly when to stop, This article http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11371641/The-day-I-tried-to-match-Churchill-drink-for-drink.html lays out what Churchill drank during the day. It would make most people completely useless by tea time but to someone who had being drinking for years it would be achievable.
Another notable person who was an working alcoholic for most of their life and still achieved success is Ingvar Kampard, the founder of Ikea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingvar_Kamprad . He reckons that he became an alcoholic by drinking large amounts of vodka while doing deals with suppliers and customers in Poland as he grew the business. He reputedly drinks 2 bottles of vodka a day but dries out 3 times a year.
It didn’t stop him from becoming the greatest leader of the 20th century!
I never said it did. Although calling him the greatest leader of the 20th century may well be a matter for debate.
Keep your hands out of your pockets as you shake someone’s hand. Solid advice
Mono Official
And politicians take note, – keep your hands out of other people’s pockets when shaking their hands…
” 2. Reduce how quickly and often you nod. ” – Mary (headbangin’ to a ‘Whole lot of Rosie’.) Robinson take note.
‘Make people feel like they’re the most intelligent, impressive and fascinating person you’ve ever met’
So.
If you’re talking to some boring a**hole then you’re actually suppressing your rational intelligence and becoming a two faced duplicitous a**hole yourself in the process.
Great.
That really makes sense.
One sure fire way to become the least influential person in the world….
Tell people what you really think of them.
That is the most intelligent, impressive and fascinating thing I’ve ever heard. Please, Oran, do go on…
Is that you Oprah?
Oran what if bullies read this and thing, yes we can bully someone and use these techniques against the victim they are bullying? By spreading lies about the victim to justify the bullying as craic or as excuses for the bullying by controlling the reasons for it or getting others to join in on it because they are stupid or immature not to know the difference?
……
Keep on noticing this trend: Take a common sense subject, go over think the subject for years & then write a book about it.
No to FG/Lab/FF
So what is the alternative ?
A shower of misfits !
Careful what you wish for
Seeing as it’s about being a false leader.
Should we not ad.
1 Be corrupt and willing to take back handers.
2 Get wealthy corrupt backers behind you and be willing to forward their agenda no matter how vile it is.
3 Loose all respect and love for fellow humans including your own family.
…and use a teleprompter.
Johnneary
And hire 25 personal assistants and staff to tell him what to say, – but heaven forbid that he takes part in any live debate, in case he’s found out…
…I was referring to Hussein Obama
Amen Guys.
Practicing all of the things in the above article won’t produce a charismatic/good leader.
It may produce a bought out, false also-ran puppet pseudo leader, kleptocrat or crony capitalist.
‘Think of something pleasant and a photo of Oprah underneath..bad call
This is a joke but did you mean… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SOvZmVD1kQ
I use to get drunk and loved everybody then and I didn’t have a good time unless the other person had a good time as well.
How about stopping this nonsense and become truthful to yourselves and to others, liking or loving people is the best way to becoming charismatic. Anything else just makes you a liar to yourself and to others.
I do dislike this as it is a way to make people fake in other to get what THEY WANT and that is using people. Another name for people like this is sociopathic…
13. Get confident, stupid!
Wave your hands all over the place whilst talking
Is not meaning and believing what you say the most important thing not good acting.
You wha? “Think of something pleasant so you appear to be sincere.” Become an excellent listener by deliberately pausing and asking questions.” and “Combine your power with warmth to create a full, charismatic package.”
Congratulations, you are now becoming a sociopath?
A bad handshake is the worst, men or women it doesn’t matter a limp,weak n slithering handshake has just ruined anything else you try to say! Also don’t touch me anywhere else when you shake my hand, my hand your hand end of,no shoulders, no elbows, no mid arm,no mid waist just the hand thanks!
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