Disabled access to anywhere!

[Tinkerbell]

I've been reading the disabled access to nature reserves with some interest, but would also like to mention just how difficult it is to access pavements in towns and villages with a wheelchair. Some paths are too narrow, some have their lowered areas blocked by cars (grit teeth), some surfaces leave much to be desired. Often you have to venture out into the road to push the wheelchair, whilst vehicles wait behind you for a chance to overtake - possibly cursing at the same time!

I suggest that anyone responsible for town planning, footpaths etc., should sit in a wheelchair and be pushed around themselves for a week, putting their faith in someone else, to see just how hair-raising this experience can be.

Tink

[wildone]

Then I would suggest that having had a week of being pushed EVERYWHERE they then have a week of pushing another person in a wheelchair.

wildone

PS. I suppose it must be very similar for mothers pushing buggies especially if it is a double. Also extremely difficult with a buggy and a toddler.

[digi]

The problem is Tink, that it does not affect them so in this selfish world they are not bothered, the same as the motorists that block pavements and park in disabled bays.

Don't get me going ;-)

[Oy]

When I was a Civil Engineer designing roads I was sent on a 1 day "Access Awareness" course where they made up try to get about in a wheelchair, opening doors, going up kers etc. They also made us wander about with special glasses on designed to simulate various conditions such as total blindness, tunnel vision, and others. It certainly made me take notice and made disabled access high on my agenda when designing!

[nightshade]

My mother used to write a message on a self adhesive label detailing the offence,then stuck it on the windscreen,an absolute b****r to shift

[eeyore]

My sister used to be in a wheelchair so I am well aware of the issues but before we damn evry town planner /or for that matter nature reserve manager , as an insensitive buffoon we should consider the real limiting factor - money. - I know that there are some grants available but not enough to pay for everything that needs doing , and many organisations are experiencing a budget squeeze.

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

I've been reading the disabled access to nature reserves with some interest, but would also like to mention just how difficult it is to access pavements in towns and villages with a wheelchair. Some paths are too narrow, some have their lowered areas blocked by cars (grit teeth), some surfaces leave much to be desired. Often you have to venture out into the road to push the wheelchair, whilst vehicles wait behind you for a chance to overtake - possibly cursing at the same time!

I suggest that anyone responsible for town planning, footpaths etc., should sit in a wheelchair and be pushed around themselves for a week, putting their faith in someone else, to see just how hair-raising this experience can be.

Tink

There was a case last year of a lady who successfully sued her council under the Access to Goods and Services section of the Disability Discrimination Act because they put down cobbles in her street, which meant she had no access to the Highstreet shops!

There are some very nice 'love notes' you can get for the windscreen of people who park on pavements. Or even better still, my best friend sent me some washable window markers from Crayola......I think you can guess the rest.

[chunkychambers]

Originally Posted by eeyore

My sister used to be in a wheelchair so I am well aware of the issues but before we damn evry town planner /or for that matter nature reserve manager , as an insensitive buffoon we should consider the real limiting factor - money. - I know that there are some grants available but not enough to pay for everything that needs doing , and many organisations are experiencing a budget squeeze.

I do have sympathy, my mum has to use a wheelchair, however there is another side to the coin.
200 acres of countryside was recently opened up down here by The Gaia Trust, it has some terrific walks, but just before opening the disabled lobby put tremendous pressure on the trust to change the access gates and tracks.
This they did, but it left the trust absolutely skint!! They had to abandon plans for hides, scrapes, and various land management schemes.

I walk this land regularly and to date haven't seen one disabled person, so why the pressure, and why did the trust change their plans and waste their budget?

Sometimes these pressure groups use their influence just for the sake of it, and in this case the alterations they forced are to the detrement of the land!!

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by digi

The problem is Tink, that it does not affect them so in this selfish world they are not bothered,

I think that's unfair. The real issue is that we'd have to demolish huge areas of many of our towns to re-build them with wide enough pavements. That's not going to happen.

Originally Posted by digi

the same as the motorists that block pavements and park in disabled bays.

They get my goat too

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by chunkychambers

I do have sympathy, my mum has to use a wheelchair, however there is another side to the coin.
200 acres of countryside was recently opened up down here by The Gaia Trust, it has some terrific walks, but just before opening the disabled lobby put tremendous pressure on the trust to change the access gates and tracks.
This they did, but it left the trust absolutely skint!! They had to abandon plans for hides, scrapes, and various land management schemes.

I walk this land regularly and to date haven't seen one disabled person, so why the pressure, and why did the trust change their plans and waste their budget?

It's a vicious circle - people with wheelchairs assume that an attraction is not accessible (something my American friends just can't get their heads round) so they don't visit, so nobody makes the adjustments because they think the park isn't popular enough with wheelchair users to justify the cost! Even now I find it very difficult to get accessability info for lots of attractions.

There is lots of room for compromise, for example I can't get all the way through the Cheddar Caves, but I can go half way and pay less if I want to, which seems perfectly fair to me

There was no good reason for the Trusts' budget to be adversely affected because this is exactly the kind of thing the DDA covers and they can get grants for the necessary adjustments (the distribution of leaflets explaining the type of assistance available was a total C**k-up which is why lots of business owners and charities don't know what they can claim assitance for).

Sometimes these pressure groups use their influence just for the sake of it, and in this case the alterations they forced are to the detrement of the land!!

I agree with you about how some pressure groups operate and what you're trying to say (it's part of the reason I've never been a 'disability groups' person) but let me put it this way....

I'm a wheelchair user, and although I don't always use the bathroom when I'm out, I still want it to be there! It's about allowing people the choice to do things.

I swear, learning to ride a horse is the best thing a physically challenged person could ever do (and not just for the health benefits) - a horse will boldly go where wheelchairs fear to tread! *LOL*

[eeyore]

there sadly arent enough grants to go round - you can certainly apply for one but whether or not you get it is a bit of a lottery.

As regards site use by disabled folk- in a lot of cases it is a confidence issue (no to mention a transport issue). The Trust I work for puts a lot of energy and resources into running events targetting the disabled community and encouraging them to use the parks - which are largely disabled freindly. But I suppose the Gaia Trust isnt going to have that option if the budget has been exhausted

[Gaina]

I think I have the answer - we need to convice this 'Twit Girls' in the Paris Hilton mode that Armani wheelchairs are the new must have accessory. Then see how quickly everything becomes accessible!!

[chunkychambers]

Hello Gaina,
Good points well made.
It's the age old problem of getting the balance right

[digi]

Originally Posted by paulthomas

I think that's unfair. The real issue is that we'd have to demolish huge areas of many of our towns to re-build them with wide enough pavements.

Wide enough pavements for cars to park on and wheelchairs to get past you mean Paul

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by digi

Wide enough pavements for cars to park on and wheelchairs to get past you mean Paul

If all the cars are on the pavement then it'll be easier and safer for the wheelchair to use the road

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by wildone

Then I would suggest that having had a week of being pushed EVERYWHERE they then have a week of pushing another person in a wheelchair.

wildone

PS. I suppose it must be very similar for mothers pushing buggies especially if it is a double. Also extremely difficult with a buggy and a toddler.

Hard for grandmothers too believe me.I take my gransons out 4 times a week in a double buggy some paths are too narrow have to walk in road also trying to get in public loos are a nightmare and some doorways are also too narrow I can get in them but not without a struggle