This week’s Guest, Vera Kubenz gives an update on her Politics of Parking Project and outlines how you can get involved.
Since my conversation with Alice and Lucy, I have been able to start the first stage of collecting data from other disabled people about their experiences with Blue Badge encounters.
My survey is now live until 30th June. In less than two months, I have had over 230 responses from people telling me about their encounters. I was aiming for about 200 in total so to have reached this already is amazing, but I will continue collecting data as it shows how this research clearly has resonated with so many people.
I have also shared the survey with many Disabled People’s Organisations and many have asked me to share the results when they are out. The solidarity has really motivated me and given me hope that my research can contribute to real change and help campaigners and activists in their work. I can’t give any details of the data that’s coming out of the survey yet, as it is still ongoing, but there are definitely both expected and unexpected patterns emerging. I am hoping to publish an interim report on the first stage of the data in autumn this year on my website.
I am so excited to be doing this research even though it’s not always easy, especially when I have encountered abuse in Blue badge bays myself. I had an encounter a couple of weeks ago, where a driver shouted misogynistic abuse at me and threatened to punch me. These kinds of situations make it hard to then go home and read more about the same topic. However, I know for myself and many others that knowing that this isn’t an isolated issue, but one that happens to all of us can really help to feel that we are not alone.
One of the key things that have guided my research is a quote from disabled feminist writer Lois Keith, who says that often the first thing disabled people do when we meet is swap stories about ‘encounters’. My survey is mostly tick boxes but there is an option to tell me a story about an encounter, and so far over 120 have done this. I think it really highlights how emotive and important stories are to understanding these experiences, and I am looking to use this further when I analyse the data by using narrative methods.
Thank you again to lABLEd podcast for having me on, and I look forward to hopefully being back when I have finished my research so I can tell you all about the results.
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