City living challenge

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

dave k

Nomad
Jun 14, 2006
449
0
47
Blonay, Switzerland
Dave K, have you ever tried to get work when you are disabled?

(But of course, as Im a Vunerable Adult, I suppose the local authorities would take me in)

No - I'm not disabled.. And you're right, you would be far higher up the order for local authorities. Local government are a lot better at employing disabled people that private enterprise usually. When I worked in a Bank a guy I knew had a car accident and lost one of his legs. The Bank refused to give him a car park space because he wasn't born with that disability - only when the local council got involved did they agree.. Strange attitude, as we had mandatory Gay, Lesbian and Transgender equality training once every 2 years.
 
3

320

Guest
Wow! if Nebraska is like that I will try not to go there!
Around our way the country folk are generally quite helpful if you are seeen as trying to help yourself out of a hole.... I cannot think of a single banjo player around here.....
Good honest chapel going Welsh they are see!

i probably shouldn't have made it sound so grim.

however you can't walk onto a farm and expect a smile first thing anymore. doors are locked. oblio mentioned shotguns, they are usually next to the door ( they used to be for varmints, i guess they still are).

the point i was trying to make is that where ever you are has its own pluses and minuses.
there isn't a guarantee of hospitality. i've had all kinds of experiences in all kinds of places.
most of them good.

oh, about the banjo thing, that's more south and east of here. we tend to do guitars.
 

hedgerow pete

Need to contact Admin...
Jan 10, 2010
88
0
smethwick , west midlands
as a country boy living in the site can I point out that if you realy put your back and brain into it, it has been well looked into by me its quite easy to survive the city life, Firstly iam based in brum so thats were i will talk about, how about getting an allottment from the council grow your own food and somewhere to bathe and clean food and sleep, or how about a small canoe keep to the far bank durring the day so you are left alone and tie up somewhere quite to leave it , squatt in an old house abandond site etc, use the old fire place as a wood fire for heating and cooking, want real quite try the canals, i have another thread going about the ideas of hunting rabbits and goose you could evan put duck on there if you want all clean and fresh for you and we have not evan started with the idea of pallets as fire wood or construction materials, I personaly would go for the under cover underground shelter ideas as they are the lest conspicuous and proberly base my self in an industrial area as there is less people at night looking for and around you
 

Oblio13

Settler
Sep 24, 2008
703
2
67
New Hampshire
oblio13.blogspot.com
as a country boy living in the site can I point out that if you realy put your back and brain into it, it has been well looked into by me its quite easy to survive the city life, Firstly iam based in brum so thats were i will talk about, how about getting an allottment from the council grow your own food and somewhere to bathe and clean food and sleep, or how about a small canoe keep to the far bank durring the day so you are left alone and tie up somewhere quite to leave it , squatt in an old house abandond site etc, use the old fire place as a wood fire for heating and cooking, want real quite try the canals, i have another thread going about the ideas of hunting rabbits and goose you could evan put duck on there if you want all clean and fresh for you and we have not evan started with the idea of pallets as fire wood or construction materials, I personaly would go for the under cover underground shelter ideas as they are the lest conspicuous and proberly base my self in an industrial area as there is less people at night looking for and around you

On the lower right corner of your keyboard there's a button with a dot on it. ;)
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
Come off it there is a lot of mythology about disability, I am technically a 'vulnerable adult' and I have physical impairments to boot, but do I get F A from the local authority?

No way, no bus pass, no parking privileges, no housing preferences, no middle class do gooder to do my shopping or clean my house, or make sure I have a shower in the morning :)

I have been living on the same 'sink' estate in a flat marked for demolition for well over ten years, and there is no way I can get any preferential treatment because practically everybody else can claim some disadvantage too, be that as a single parent, refugee, OAP, disabled or whatever, in other words we are all in the same boat.

The reason I am such a rugged individualist is because at the end of the day the only person who is going to look after you is yourself.
 

helixpteron

Native
Mar 16, 2008
1,469
0
UK
Come off it there is a lot of mythology about disability, I am technically a 'vulnerable adult' and I have physical impairments to boot, but do I get F A from the local authority?

No way, no bus pass, no parking privileges, no housing preferences, no middle class do gooder to do my shopping or clean my house, or make sure I have a shower in the morning :)

I have been living on the same 'sink' estate in a flat marked for demolition for well over ten years, and there is no way I can get any preferential treatment because practically everybody else can claim some disadvantage too, be that as a single parent, refugee, OAP, disabled or whatever, in other words we are all in the same boat.

The reason I am such a rugged individualist is because at the end of the day the only person who is going to look after you is yourself.

Do you not receive a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass, Blue Badge Parking Permit, prioritized/specialized housing and Social Service Home Help because you have not applied, because you do not fulfill the criteria or for other reasons?
 

hedgerow pete

Need to contact Admin...
Jan 10, 2010
88
0
smethwick , west midlands
yes i have three and where i live there are several dozen sat wasting , what is stopping people where i live is the fact that they have to do some hard work, several people have come and looked at them but refused them as they were not dug over
 

hedgerow pete

Need to contact Admin...
Jan 10, 2010
88
0
smethwick , west midlands
oh forgot to say ground size they are all 25 metres by 12 metres i have a green house/poly shed two other sheds and a bee shed( only one in birmingham) i have two ducks and five chickens reduced down from the 25 i used to have i also keep rabbits and ferrets please try the words "hedgerow pete" on you tube as i also keep bees and make over 60 videos a year to help others. so please less of the sarcasim
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
Do you not receive a Disabled Persons Freedom Pass, Blue Badge Parking Permit, prioritized/specialized housing and Social Service Home Help because you have not applied, because you do not fulfill the criteria or for other reasons?

I don't live in the peoples republic of London for one thing, but no according to my local authority I don't fulfill the criteria for a bus pass because I have an IQ above 70 and hold a driving licence These are the official reasons given when I applied, I could appeal but I would need a damn good lawyer as it has to do with Government guidance regarding the white paper "valuing people" being widely disregarded by local authorities. I have even stood up in the Houses of Parliament and told the relevant minister as much in a committee session when he failed to believe it happens. I don't recieve a parking permit because I can walk too far, and I am not prepared to cheat on that one because I have seen the system abused so much.

When it comes to housing, and employment and a few other things I do have some pretty genuine grievances though, I spent most of my adult life looking after my mum who did qualify for a parking permit, but bus passes did not exist in her lifetime

When the care of someone as severely disabled as my mum was left to me, because I was available, notwithstanding my own problems I have to be extremely cynical about Social Services.
 

tytek

Forager
Dec 25, 2009
235
0
Leeds
Sometimes it doesn't pay to be honest.
It really winds me up when people abuse the system and the people who really need the help get ignored.
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,780
1,517
51
Wiltshire
i have a bus pass

(the fact that public transport scares me silly dont matter.)

I got it on the strength of a doctors letter.

If you have a disabling condition you can have one. End of story.

(I have trouble with social nonservices too. My social worker is probably the most difficult person to contact on the planet.)
 
May 1, 2010
3
0
Paris, ON
Interesting. I currently live in a small town in Southern Ontario, Canada, which has plenty of forest and rivers. However, I lived in Vancouver for a few years during university and I can say that it would almost be a pleasure to be homeless in Vancouver, if you didn't have a mental disorder or drug addiction, which many of the Vancouver homeless do have. There were a lot of street kids panhandling while I lived there. I think I would panhandle for enough money to buy some fishing line, slingshot, knife, and fire steel. Long term, I would try to fish and trap. There are plenty of fish, squirrel, and pigeon in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, etc. I think the issue with most of the homeless not being able to provide for themselves, lies in the fact that they have mental/addiction issues that don't allow them to think clearly, or that living well is not a top priority. This is of course very simplistic logic.
 

J4C3

Forager
Apr 11, 2010
143
0
Derbyshire
Id find the nearest soup kitchens and handouts find their times and set up,between these times i would look for any job that may get me accom or food or hopefully both,also forage in bins outside food places to get by raid the bags that get left out for charity.

Id also beg,work do what ever to get some small amount of money,food and clothing first priority.If worse came to worse id steal from a large supermarket but only if it was real dire.

I dont drink or smoke so id have a clear head and not other habits hitting my food money,id like to think id get by long enough to get a break but i dont think you can tell how its going to go until your in it
 

sandsnakes

Life Member
May 22, 2006
983
13
68
West London
Interesting stuff.

While out for a stroll a few months back I came across a guy in this situation. He was clean neat and tidy, well groomed with good kit. The guy was an alcoholic who could not hold down a job, so he roamed from town to town. He used cannals as his main pathway, slept on industrial estates. Did and odd job here and there, over bag of fish and chips we had a chat about his way of life and existance.

His main comment was 'you dont have to be filthy or stink, you dont have to steal. if you look along pathways people throw or drop clothes that can be washed and worn, all you need is a cold tap'.

They guy had is problems but with his tent, rucksack and sleeping bag, all which he had found, he was living above 'bare survival'. It can be done but requires a clear mind. A clear mind would seem to be the key and the ability to plan and think beyond the immediate.



This chap had a small tent, sleeping bag, rucksack (lurid pink colour), couple of dark blue shirts, couple of dark t-shirts, couple of fleeces, boots, plimsoles, wooly hat, gortex jacket, water proof trousers and two pairs of jeans (I did not enquire about underwear!). A small amount of camp cooking gear, mug plate etc. All of this had been found in bins, picked up or given to him. He said 'the most valuable thing is a book to read as a time/mind/hunger filler'.

As a matter of interest I picked up some faily disgusting clothes that had been dumped and someone had kicked around. Threw them in the washing machine and he was right, ok not a fasion statement but a very servicable warm padded jacket and a pair of trousers (now with charitiy shop). So a personal plan and set of goals would seem to be a key factor.

Look for a guy wandering up and down the grand union cannal aged about 45.

Sandsnakes
 
Last edited:

J4C3

Forager
Apr 11, 2010
143
0
Derbyshire
Sad that someone has the IQ and swift mind to cope in such times but not the ability to use that to change the situation,addiction is an awful thing.

I always think grace of god kind of thing,as anyone situation can hit rock bottom given the right situation,redundant and the wifes had an affair to boot and your homeless an jobless etc
society is fragile and with the current thinking community is all but dead so help is often not there
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,780
1,517
51
Wiltshire
Im sure you can live well if you know how.

Some of the happiest people i have met are the volentary homeless.

(Im told such animals dont exist but they do.)
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,976
13
In the woods if possible.
Fascinating thread, only just seen it. Some real common sense coming out of it. Thank you all and keep it up!

I don't want to do anything like this 'for real' but I can add a couple of experiences from about the turn of the century.

When my wife got a computing contract with a mobile telephone company in Amsterdam at the height of the mobile boom there was no lodging to be had anywhere. So we bought a caravan, and eighteen months later sold it -- very much better off. The winter was typical, minus ten degrees C daytime. It was unpleasant, and it was tough enough to keep her warm even in the confines of a reasonably well-insulated box, but we did sort of get used to washing under the awning with ice on the floor. I can imagine how much more unpleasant it would have been without a box to live in, but I really don't want to do that either. Fuel, food and drink would never have been a serious problem. I was astonished to see the change in the place since I'd worked there ten or fifteen years earlier, it had really gone downhill, but that meant foraging would have been a lot easier and more rewarding.

At about the same time I got a three month contract in the heart of London to build one of the new holiday websites for a well-known publisher (still going strong). Again accommodation was in very short supply, but as the work was on a tight schedule I didn't really have time to look. So I took a tent. I camped for three months in the middle of London and so far as I know nobody there, not even my employer, ever knew I was doing it. I found a lovely (for London) spot between an embankment behind some houses and a road. Apart from the almost constant traffic noise I was only disturbed by owls and foxes, except once when some garden maintenance contractor with a tipper truck started to reverse towards my spot in the middle of the night for a bit of fly tipping. Boy did he get a shock! :rofl: Oh, but the mosquitoes! They were my biggest problem, and I learned a few new ways of keeping the little blighters at bay! Foraging would have been a little more difficult where I was, but again far from impossible.

One of the things that impresses me about some of the things I've seen in this thread is the lack of imagination depicted in some of the stories. It grieves me to read about supermarket staff deliberately destroying food with bleach, I had no idea that they would stoop to things like that. It ought to be a criminal offence.
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE