Define "Accessible"

July 12, 2015

From the “Maybe They Didn’t Think It Through” Department:

Some things you might encounter when you’re temporarily or permanently disabled:

Doors.

Entry Doors that say they open automatically when you push the button, but with no button apparent.

You finally track down the button, hidden behind a large concrete planter which contains a tall plant. In order to push said button you either have to be able to balance on one leg and a crutch while you use the other crutch to push the button; or wend your way around the planter, push the button, and hobble back to the door before it closes. But keep out of the way, because the door opens out.

I was hoping to get a video of this process to post on YouTube, but didn’t.

Bathroom doors. Heavy bathroom doors, that don't open automatically, and open out. Try doing that on crutches!

Bathroom Stalls. Why is the toilet paper so far away from the toilet in the Handicapped stall?

Once you’ve reached the hand-washing stage, you realize that the paper towels are across the room, near the door; so in order to get there, you have to put your wet hands on the rubber crutch pads, and hope you can hold on well enough to get to the towels without incident.

  

And guess what? This is at the DOCTOR’S OFFICE!

Electric Carts (or the lack thereof)

Enter a store, hoping to score a cart, but the carts are all stored at the OTHER entrance. Huh. I guess it’s a crap shoot: If you go in the wrong entrance, you’re out of luck. If you’re lucky, the employees at the store may get one for you.

At some stores the employees may give you vacant looks and not offer to go get a cart, or even tell you where they are.

The carts are really too small to hold the crutches, but by the third outing you may be able to figure out how to hold them and still maneuver. But backing up and taking corners are tricky propositions.

Have fun!