25 replies to this topic

[Spinner]

I admit it, whenever I see a building with a staircase at the entry, I visualize how I would design a ramp to get in. At this point it is second nature and it happens with houses, businesses, whatever! Whenever I notice any kind of barrier that would keep my husband and me moving through this world as a team, my mind immediately begins thinking of how to solve the problem. Do you view the world and accessibility similarly?

[wheelie182]

haha, yes, I do find myself doing that when I'm sat in traffic or something.

Most places around here would be very easy to do, but Im not sure how it works when the ramp would extend onto the pavement or something, I guess its get complicated then with permissions and what not.

Edited by wheelie182, 04 January 2012 - 12:48 PM.

[ebeth]

When I became a paraplegic, I definitely started seeing the world in a different way. My parents also are much more aware of accessibility issues in our community because of my disability.

[Chococat]

Yes i most definitely do as well!!! i am also obsessed with accessible holiday destinations so whenever any family/friend return from holiday one of my first questions will be about accessibility of the place, hotel, attractions etc. i get really frustrated when they can't remember if there was a walk in shower....but i guess an AB holidaymaker doesn't even give that a second thought.

Slightly off track, but does anyone else find organising a holiday to be a total chore, what with having to check out disabled friendliness of stuff? Sometimes i lose the will...

[allis53ca]

absolutely do

[greybeard]

I see rumps everywhere I go.

[rue2you]

Yes. I am a problem solver kind of person so I want to solve all these accessibility issues!

[wheeliebear75]

All the time! My B/F has even asked the managers in restaurants & stores to have their maintenance people please let out some of the pressure in their bathroom door hinges because they currently require too much force to push/pull open for someone in a wheelchair & then he shows them a picture of US, we've found it really helps to put a face/person with this request (It maybe a good idea of family/friends to carry a picture posed with that "special w/c someone"? Several of my closest friends do.).

I'm sure during the early part of the 1900's white people in the U.S. probably didn't even notice just how many signs there were designating whether or not it was to be used for whites or colored people. Today you would never see a sign (except maybe at a KKK rally ) saying "Whites ONLY". However look around & you will see businesses that say "AB ONLY", it's just rather than coming out & SAYING IT...their sign is a set of stairs that tells us that WE & our $ isn't as welcome as is someone who CAN walk up those stairs.

[goose]

The ones that catch my attention are the ones that are way too steep. You can tell someone just built it to say "we have a ramp"....they should be made to try to use the thing! It makes you wonder...just how stupid some people are!

[isobar]

Being that accessibility rates higher now of course i do , for example why dont all restaurants have adjustable tables @ the time i was feeding my face.

[Rolilancou]

The ones that catch my attention are the ones that are way too steep. You can tell someone just built it to say "we have a ramp"....they should be made to try to use the thing! It makes you wonder...just how stupid some people are!

This bothers me alot, we live in Mexico, my fiance is from the US and granted, mexican businesses are kind of getting an idea of accesibility but seriously. those steep ramps that they built in right next to the stair everywhere we go, it's practically impossible to roll on those even with help. US although is better still need alot of improvement, we can't go to a restaurant without me going there first and check if there is enough room for him to roll and if there is an available table where we can fit, the movies, I get dizzy from having the screen so close to my face and he can't have his head facing up for too long or else he'll have a severe headache so that's why we never go out anywhere. It's just a pain.

Vacations? Him and I are too lazy to throughly look into little details about how the places we might want to go have or don't have accesibility areas, rooms, rest.. etc. We just vacation in our back yard

[Andromeda]

What I find most irritating is that in some of the "historic districts" around where we live, those buildings were grandfathered in when the ADA rules went into effect, meaning that because they would have to alter their otherwise historic structure, they didn't have to comply. There are a lot of little shops in a nearby town that actually lose a lot of business because there are NO ramps at all, and no way for a wheelchair user to get into the place (or someone with a walker or on crutches). We also ran into that difficulty in looking for a place to have our wedding. You wouldn't believe the lovely little chapels and places that we could not use because of accessibility issues. I wonder when someone will get a clue and realize they are missing out on some sales, etc., and that the money they spend to become ADA compliant they would make back in a matter of months.

Whew! Thank you for letting me vent!

[ZEN12many]

Yes, I notice accessibility issues all the time. I especially compare my town with others; mine has a ways to go. It is easy enough to drive somewhere in my town but, in the older parts of town, the sidewalks don't have built in ramps at intersections but instead have a 4" curb.

[Chococat - yes planning an accessible holiday is not fun - once I find a place, I go back several times]

[greybeard - and summer is coming! things are looking up]

[skinnylatte]

All the time! I never used to think about it, but being with someone in a wheelchair really trains you to watch the ground! The other day, I was pushing a friend's baby in a stroller - and I realized what a pro I was at rolling along on the sidewalk, up and down curb cutouts. I guess this training will pay off one day!

[Trekmom]

I see huge problems in big cities I travel for work a lot which is why I think we haven't moved in together sooner, Right now I'm in the DC area, you would think the nations capital right? So wrong! Even the main transportation systems are terrible. The metro which is what I am using to get around this week the elevators are out! I'm just thinking how is he going to get to come out with me and enjoy it, total frustration when it could solved so easy and its not! I'm seeing solutions more and more though so that for me is a plus!

[Homeskillet]

We haven't been out much but to doctors appointments and grocery stores. I'm sure when we brave the great outdoors we'll notice a lot more.

[LuckyLady]

Sometimes, I don't notice steps and then I feel like a jerk. The other night we went to get ice cream. As we drove up, my boyfriend said to me, “Where is the entrance?” I had no idea what he meant. I just asked him if he thought he could get out on his side of the car. To my credit, from the driver’s side I could not see that there was one step up to the doorway there – I thought the sidewalk was at the same level as the door and I could see a ramp where he could get up to the sidewalk on that side. Also, I was really focused on getting him out of the car in a safe place and finding a parking spot. Anyway, not realizing what he was really saying, I grabbed his chair like usual, handed it to him and he got out. I went to park, and he disappeared! I finally saw that he’d had to go all the way around the entire lot to find a ramp. Then, everyone eating their ice cream had to stand and lift their chairs out of the way for us to go by them on the sidewalk. We made a grand entrance but I felt kind of stupid!

[mylovesinachair]

Hey Spinner! Yeah now that I have a bf in a chair, I see things totally differently! I get upset when I see someone park in handicap without a placard or plates! I notice when there are no ramps... We do not live together but in my last two apartments, I have rented a room that is upstairs which I now hate! I have been dating my bf since January and he has yet to see my bedroom! Then when I recently moved to my new place, it was a total oversight, but taking the sidewalk to my front door, there is no RAMP! He pointed that one out to me when he first came over. Although there are many more obstacles for couples like us, we as a team, like you said, figure out ways around it together. <3

[Ratticis]

Most places around town if they do have any kind of ramp it's poor;y constructed and nowhere near ADA regs and usually has some dork parked over half of it. I've pretty much stopped worrying about caring if someones precious paint gets scratched if the're parked illegally. The worst culpruts are the cab companys

[skinnylatte]

Even when my husband is not with me, I always find myself noticing accessibility or non-accessibility of where ever I am! Just gets into your brain, and becomes a permanent thing you notice - like the weather.

[new_world]

I see ramps everywhere or the lack of ramps. I hate that most houses aren't friendly. My boyfriend and I always loved spending time at home or at close friends houses but most house just suck. We tried to go shoping once but there were so many problems that I just cried and we went home. We have no want to try again.

[jennas1118]

Yes, especially when it's somewhere that he wants to go but knows he can't get there because of stairs or no ramp. It has hindered going over to our friends' houses but on the brighter side, before this happened, we never entertained and now we have people over. My husband gets very frustrated with handicap spots too when someone parks too close and we can't the ramp out of the van or someone parks behind a handicap parking spot. I never really gave much thought to wheelchairs and handicap spots or ramps but now I think about it everywhere we go. You're not alone in your thinking.

[McTavish]

Since I have been in this chair my grown up children are very conscious of wheelchair accessibility where ever they go. I think it is something that you don.t think about until it comes to your own door, I certainly didn,t.

[bethy23]

Since my boyfriend and I got together, I really notice the unaccessibility all around. We went on our first vacation this summer and I was dissappointed with the things we couldn't do together. Sometimes, it is hard....I'm very much an explorer and there are things I love to do that is not accessible for him. However! There are so many new things that I have done since I've been with him anyway. Yes, I am very much aware now of the accessibility issues. Always resigning in my head.

[Scrappy]

I admit it, whenever I see a building with a staircase at the entry, I visualize how I would design a ramp to get in. At this point it is second nature and it happens with houses, businesses, whatever! Whenever I notice any kind of barrier that would keep my husband and me moving through this world as a team, my mind immediately begins thinking of how to solve the problem. Do you view the world and accessibility similarly?

I like that

Most my friends are big guys and they haul me around haha his pull my chair up the steps backwards or up curbs

[suzyq80]

I hate it when I don't see ramps where ever we go, lol. Although we've got the stairs pretty much covered. Going down is easy, it's the going up that's hard. I hate it that my apartment is on the 2nd floor