Accessibility Fail In the Big Apple

[spazgirl]

My first time posting on Accessibility_Fail, thanks to roserodent for helping me!

So, I was in Manhattan last weekend and we were looking at restaurants trying to decide where to go for dinner. One restaurant had a HUGE step up to the front door and no other way for a wheelchair user of getting in that particular door unless a person suddenly learned to levitate (Wingardium Leviosa!). Next to the front door there was a doorbell, and next to the doorbell was a sign with the handicapped symbol on it and "Please Ring for Assistance". I suppose whoever was stupid enough to put that there thinks all disabled people automatically have monkey arms as some sort of a compensation??? I was sorely regretting not having my camera with me...

*facepalm* And I won't even go into my feelings about having to "ring for assistance" while everyone else can just waltz right through the door without a second thought...

Comments

[amadi]

I'm curious what would've happened if you had rung the bell. I know a lot of legacy buildings have removable ramps that they'll bring out to enable access over front steps, but I'm always left wondering if such establishments are truly accessible once you're inside.

[spazgirl]

The point, though, was that no wheelchair user who can't do steps could've rung the bell, because the bell was up the step next to the door. I can do steps, however, and I was considering ringing the bell...but I was with family and we were pretty busy. If I ever come across that restaurant again, I'll have to do a little experiment...

[ironed_orchid]

Perhaps they are operating on the assumption that no person in a wheelchair ever leaves the house alone?

[amadi]

Ah yes, the presumption that all wheelchair users are continually attended by a TAB. That's a pantsload of fail.

[pne]

Attended by a what?

[red_eft]

Temporarily Able Bodied [person]. (Notes that even if one if able bodied now, it may not always be the case).

[amadi]

TAB = temporarily able-bodied, shorthand for a person who is.

(Ahh, beaten to it.)

[roserodent]

Sadly what usually happens when you press such bells is they offer to carry you up the step with the assistance of some untrained and inexperienced persons who will shake you about a bit. Or they offer to wrap you something up to take home.