if you are not wheelchair bound, and need to step out of your wheelchair, please do it.
even if youre in public, dont worry about what people will think or say, if you need to get out of your wheelchair, do it.
you dont owe them an explanation, you dont deserve whatever stares or comments youll attract, and you are still disabled, you still need the wheelchair even if you dont need it constantly.
dont let what people might say or do stop you from getting out of your wheelchair.
I get weird looks when I’m out on a walk and have to get up to fix my smart drive motor, when I cross my legs, when I pull my own chair out of the trunk and put it together. But none of those things mean I’m not disabled and don’t need my chair. Use your mobility aids!
(Added commentary: Not only does this put wheelchair users in conflict with mothers, if they forget to fold the change table up this too small bathroom is completely non-accessible)
(I’m the person who submitted the picture of the toilets being practically touching the stall walls; this is actually the same building)
I was on my way to class this morning. When I got to the elevator, there was something new.
[Image description: a beige wall with a set of old elevator call buttons set in a scratched steel plate on the left of the image. On the right, there is a pristine black rectangle with three smaller, overlapping white rectangles printed on it. The rectangle has a small plastic piece sticking out of the side, creating a place to swipe a card. This is attached to a shiny new steel tube containing the electrical wiring. End image description]
It’s a badge reader. I found that I was not able to call the car to go to the second floor, where my class is. I was in class two days ago and this wasn’t there. The door has always had a sign saying “For disabled and authorized personnel only” so I guess they decided to take action on that. Which is bad because:
1, we received no notification saying this wad going to be installed, meaning that currently, no disabled students have pass cards to use the elevator.
2, I’m assuming pass cards will be issued by the mobility section of the Disability Services, meaning you’d need a doctor’s note. Which sucks for people who can’t afford to go to the doctor, and also disabled visitors.
3, making disabled students carry around a (probably very visible) badge in order to get even the most basic of accommodations is bullshit and alienating.
4, I rely on the elevator and frankly, almost no one ever uses it, because it’s ancient and makes very scary noises (like metal scraping metal). Meaning non-disabled students taking the elevator (Like the how people always use the accessible stall in bathrooms) a non-issue, because no one uses the elevator unless you have no other choice. And even if it was an issue, you can’t just stop providing accommodations for disabled people, and see point #3 in regards to issuing badges.
I did manage to get to class by calling the car to go down to the basement, getting in, and pressing the button for the second floor, as for some reason it just wouldn’t allow the car to be called for going up from the first floor without a pass (this will probably chance when they work out the bugs, preventing me from going to class, thus putting a further roadblock in the way of my life in the future.
Even if they had good intentions… It’s still bullshit. Don’t take measures to prevent abuse of accessibility services without consulting actual disabled people. Or just don’t limit accessibility services.
This was at my college’s library. They apparently did this so that people wouldn’t sneak to the third floor after it was closed. But I was on the second floor and I can’t exactly drive my scooter down the stairs… I had to find a person who was cleaning to let me use it.
Also, note that it says “For help, please ask at the information desk.” But the information desk is on the first floor, where I needed to go.
Already too-narrow aisle at Staples made completely impossible to get through in a wheelchair by a column taking up half the aisle, and a ladder blocking what wasn’t already inaccessible.
Got our christmas tree from a local farm a block away from our house. These people built the entire structures and parking lots themselves. Why not move the handicap spot?????? They have the power to put it essentially wherever. They have other spots but the parking lots are usually full and those go first.
The only accessible parking space for the convenience store I used to work at. Blue lines show where the space is supposed to be. The other spaces are on the other side of the door and they weren’t half that bad. I’ll also mention that while I worked there I had to tell a LOT of people not to park their cars halfway in that space to use the air pump.
Please sign this petition to help ensure equal access to resources- especially in a school! This is a friend of my friend and it would mean a lot if we can get signatures up
this is a great article about the issue of people assaulting wheelchair users in public
I have to admit I’ve considered doing this. I used to have long perfect nails but I keep them short these days because I’m constantly having them ripped half off by people pushing me without any warning even. Please people ASK first and accept a no. Especially now I have a service dog, he can be injured too. He is trained to move with the chair, but if someone suddenly pushes it and I go faster than expected he can be hit by the chair since he is hitched to both the chair and me. You wouldn’t want someone to grab you from behind and move you- don’t do it to us! If I need help I will ask and gladly accept it if I need it. Most of the time I’ve got it under control though.
[ID: Reaction image of an older woman applauding /END ID]
This women’s bathroom that has a seating area, but somehow can’t fit an accessible toilet. Also, the only ones in the building are on the literal top floor.
open the accessible checkout lane? nah, just put the clearance shelf and some doritos there, it’s fine, people can figure out how to get through the aisle that barely fits a shopping cart and use the stationary card reader that’s angled up at waist-height to a standing person
This is the only sidewalk leading to the only elevator entrance to my local mall. The only way for a wheelchair user to get to the elevator from the outside would be for them to wheel through the the middle of the goddamn street
The ‘accessible stall’ in one of my school’s toilets
They made an effort, bless, but this is nowhere near big enough for a wheelchair to fit even through the door. I struggled to stand in there with just my cane!
(Not pictured is the sign, which does have a Braille translation).
My school normally has very accessible stalls, I don’t know what went wrong with this one
ALT
