accessibility_fail | Recent Entries

If you're doing a teleconference on disability-related issues and don't mention in your announcement whether you'll accommodate relay callers or whether there will be real-time captioning available, you haven't reached out to the entire disability community.

Really, it's not that hard to get. And yet I see people omitting this vital bit of information far too often. In one case, I e-mailed an organization about it, they mentioned privately to me that they would have captioning available, and then they still omitted any sort of accessibility notice from the announcement for their next conference call.

I can at least understand the ignorance for general-audience things, but when you're trying to reach out specifically to people with disabilities?

pauamma

Public library with 2 1-person-at-a-time bathrooms, one for men, one for women, both(*) with a sink and both wheelchair-accessible (or intended to - I'm not an expert or even an enlightened amateur). I think that it would be possible to fit 2 AB-only bathrooms (1 for men and 1 for women) and 1 (unisex) wheelchair-accessible bathroom within the same footprint as the layout I described, and I'm curious: which layout would likely lead to less contention?

(*) Technically making an assumption there, since I checked only one, but I'm not a Fair Witness.

roserodent

Now that my daughter is getting too big to change on a baby changing unit I am searching for more facilities where I can change her on a full-sized changing bench. I found a database of facilities at last (hurrah!) but not only found there are only two facilities in my whole city, one is inside a private leisure centre changing room where you have to have paid for a swim to get in. I am sure they would probably let us in if we spent time queuing to ask them. The main facility is located inside a government building. To get into this building you have to queue up to have your bag searched, a body search, metal detector screening, wheelchairs swabbed, basically the full airport deal. If I didn't need to change a wet child before we did all that, I sure will afterwards!! Hoist users better have about and hour's notice before wanting to use the toilet or change.

urocyon

Over the weekend, I found out that our local Sainsbury's supermarket location does, indeed, have a disabled toilet. I have been going in there regularly for better than five years.

A completely unmarked door, with a "RADAR Key Scheme" lock: "RADAR would like all providers of accessible toilets to keep their toilets unlocked if at all possible." So that they're, erm, accessible?

Closeup of lock:

How did I find out that this was a disabled toilet at all? I saw a woman in a wheelchair going in there, after leaning over precariously and uncomfortably (complete with grimace) to try to get the door unlocked.

In effect, they may as well not have an "accessible" toilet at all. An unmarked door, so you have to ask if there is a toilet you can use--if you can ask. And beg a key off them to get into it, if you don't carry one around yourself. As most people needing the facilities don't, I would imagine. Additionally, I am a foreigner (American) in the UK, and had to look up what the "RADAR Key Scheme" is; the label did not scream "disabled toilet" to me. I had assumed it was a supply closet or something, which they locked up to keep customers out of the toilet paper and hand soap refills!

That day, I really would have liked to have had access to their "accessible" toilet. It can be really hard to get around their horribly cramped ladies' room, depending heavily on a walking stick with one seized-up hip (and really dodgy balance) as I was experiencing that day. And that one stays crowded, to the point that I saw the line stretching outside the door and just left yet again, in spite of my sudden urgent diabetic need for the facilities. I'm autistic with CAPD, and have enough trouble going up to the service desk and asking for a key that this wasn't really an option, even once I knew the facilities existed at all. (Not to mention the potential for "Why would you need it? You're not in a wheelchair!" type responses, which nobody needs.)

Current Mood: irritated

staranise

By the time I shuffled into the domestic terminal at Toronto's Pearson airport, I was pretty bushed and my knee was transitioning from "aching pain" to "stabbing pain", so when I tossed all my stuff on the security screening counter, the security person said, "Can you walk without your cane?" and I said, "Can I keep it, please?"

They assented, so I went through the metal detector with the cane. Of course, it went off. The woman with the handheld metal detector therefore pulled me aside for a personal screening and pat-down. "Arms out to the side, please," she said. I put my cane as far out to the side as I could, and held my free arm horizontal. She started to scan me, then gestured to my cane arm. "Arms out to the side."

I waggle the cane. "But I--"

"Arms out to the side, miss. This is a security procedure."

So I have to stand there with my arms straight out, both feet flat on the floor, without a lick of help from my cane, as she pats me down looking for nerfarious items.

For five minutes. Like, apparently the last two patdowns of my shins and biceps weren't good enough. Maybe THIS time she'll find something!

Quite honestly, it'd have hurt less if I'd just limped through the metal detector.

flora

Short notice, but the U.S. government is rewriting the ADA and Section 508 regulations for Information and Communications Technology. These are the laws that describe how American companies and government websites need to be accessible. I thought some folks in this community might be interested in commenting on the draft legislation.

The US Access Board (the agency writing this) is especially looking for ideas on making government websites accessible to people with cognitive disabilities. They also want input on what should and should not be reasonable exceptions to the law.

The ADA revision is very short, but far-reaching. A new section now covers walk-up kiosk interfaces, not just ATMs. For example, if you've ever ordered food in a restaurant or cafeteria using a touch-screen, the new ADA law would apply there.

The first public comment period ends today (Monday) June 21 at midnight Eastern time.

Press release:
http://www.access-board.gov/news/ict-hearing-may.htm

Draft Regulations for comment:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=ATBCB-2010-0001

Current Mood: determined
Current Location: Washington DC

roserodent

Forgive me that while holding clothing, pushing my chair and wrangling my toddler I failed to take a picture. I was forced to try on clothing yesterday in a department store. I went into the fitting area and found to my jubilation that they had a disabled (handicapped) changing stall. Sadly, it is the one at the very, very bottom. They have placed chairs all along the corridor to allow people's friends to sit down outside the changing stalls waiting to give an opinion on the outfit. So you can only use the disabled changing stall if you are able to levitate to the end. I was trying on bras else I would have got changed out on the shop floor. I have little shame, but I do have some!

Current Location: John Lewis

sarah

I'm here in Silver Spring, Maryland with

reginagiraffe and

synecdochic, having dinner at a Chipotle. Syne popped into the ladies, only to find the handicapped stall occupied by a very thin woman, crouching over the toilet, vomiting with the stall door open.

Syne asked if she was okay -- if she needed help of any sort. "I'm fine," the woman said.

Well, that's debatable. And you shouldn't be occupying that stall, among other things.

lisy_babe

I'm supposed to reach the toilet paper how?, originally uploaded by Lisy Babe.

The photo is of a toilet that looks fairly accessible at first glance: By which I mean there are several colour-contrasted handrails visible. Then you notice the toilet roll dispenser several feet higher. Where the toilet roll holder should be is a hand dryer. I did wonder if I was supposed to blow dry my ladybits.

I had to stand up to reach the toilet paper (and that was a struggle, but then when standing I'm still only 4'10") and, of course, a lot of wheelchair users can't stand up.

Current Music: watching NCIS

roserodent

I think this lift could very easily win the title for the most ridiculous installation ever. At the bottom of the lift there is plenty of space to enter and exit the lift. At the top of the shaft, however you get this:

Picture of lift opening onto a domestic doorway

Picture of lift opening onto a domestic doorway

The lift opens at the top onto a standard width internal domestic doorway, and a long corridor. The lift is in high demand both up and down because it's the only disabled access to a massive showbar that holds about 1,500 people. To go down, you queue at the lift entrance like the lovely couple in the picture. However, when the lift arrives you find it has a wheelchair, scooter or buggy already inside. Because two wheelchairs cannot pass each other at the top of the shaft, you must now reverse back up the entire corridor and ramp to allow the wheelchair inside to exit the lift. At this point, the light on the lift goes out again because you have not got in the lift fast enough. The next person waiting downstairs presses the button to call the lift, which duly disappears back downstairs again to pick them up.

By the time you have successfully stationed yourself back at the lift doors to press the button again, it has gone back downstairs and picked up another wheelchair. Repeat the above, you reverse, they come out, lift goes back down, gets another wheelchair, you get back, you missed the lift, you press the button, along comes another wheelchair! I spent about 20 minutes trying to get into this lift, with my husband waiting at the bottom puzzled as to why it kept coming back down empty. My powerchair doesn't like backwards very much at the best of times, let alone backwards down a corridor and up a hill over and over an over again.

Is there some kind of award we can send them? Butlins Skegness, may I present you with a Fail Award. However, there are also many positives, it was a great holiday and we have rebooked, and when I have the energy saved up I will post the wins.

This venue also contains a toilet with nappy bin, sanitary bin, paper towel bin and continence supplies bin. What you cannot do is actually get in!

synecdochic

Useful guide to accessible B*B and small inn travel: There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers

roserodent

Hopefully should now be working - mobile Photobucket does not rock.

Disabled parking for um... answers on a postcard please!

Text description: marked disabled parking bay with wheelchiar symbol but two bollards totally obstruct bay so you could at most park a motorbike.

Current Location: Skegness

roserodent

Not sure if I am allowed to name names of the offending parties, but a national chain of hearing aid providers here in the UK has a special club you can join to get hearing aid batteries for half price. How do you order your batteries? Why, over the phone, of course. Buckets of fail.

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...

roserodent

I visited a cafeteria and store at a venue along Hadrian's Wall. Let us for the moment overlook that they had a gravel path leading to their disabled toilet facility, which then had a step on the door and look at this win for service dogs with a yen for an adrenaline rush.

This large slide is the only edifice for miles around:

Picture of 7 foot slide

And if we zoom in to have a closer look at the sign:

Sign on slide - No dogs except guide dogs

We see that the slide sadly only accepts canines if they are qualified guide dogs. So if you have a guide dog who has always longed for a go on a seven foot slide, set compass for Hexham.

Current Location: Hexham

roserodent

I am sure we have all seen this one in its many guises, but I thought it was a particularly spectacular example given that nobody of historically recorded human height could have reached this pull cord. It's about 10 feet up.

Picture of emergency pull cord tied up to ceiling height

Picture of emergency pull cord tied up to ceiling height

Current Mood: amused

autymn

I work as a Physical Disabilities Specialist at a rather well known university which for my and my employers protection will remain namiless. Myself, I am blind and have neurological disabilities that result in fun things happening with the use of elevators (weeeeeee!) I also work with a service dog. Someone in university administration thought it brilliant to place our department on the eighth floor on the periphery of campus! This either means multiple trips up and down seven flights of stairs for me a day - something that is very taxing on my body/CNS or multiple rides on the elevator that causes its own set of issues. Oh, and of the three elevators, we're lucky if two are working.

And need i even mention the problem being on the eighth floor raises for the students I serve who use wheelchairs, crutches, or other mobility devices?!

Supposedly "they" have been working to get our department moved for "some time." Whatever that means.

Current Mood: frustrated

roserodent

Need I say more? Argh! The hospital has a special design of pedal bin that you cannot open by hand at all. It's to help with infection control so you don't have to touch the bins. So instead you have to lean out of your chair and push the bar where others have put their feet and push it with your hand. You cannot wash your hands afterwards because the paper towel goes in the pedal bin.

Who thinks of these things? Does anyone think?

Current Location: Scotland

roserodent

This lovely notice on the door of a disabled toilet states that it is to be shared between disabled toilet and baby changing. Now, marks for remembering to think of a disabled toilet at all, and yes it's very common to have to share with nappy changing, BUT this particular event is a special event for parents of young children. It's an unusually disporportionate number of people in need of nappy changing facilities, therefore facilities should be separated.

Anyway, I couldn't get my wheelchair inside the toilet. It's a 40cm sports model, so goodness knows what size of wheelchair they had in mind when they made it, I am guessing they manufactured it the size they can carry on a truck and worked backwards to make it level access and fit some ridiculously placed bars.

So my apologies if you were among the people who had to watch me go to the bathroom yesterday because I couldn't shut the door, but ...

Sign on toilet reads Priority for baby changing and disabled users

Sign on toilet reads Priority for baby changing and disabled users

yarram

So, I recently spent a week in the UK. I spent a couple days staying at the City Inn hotel in Manchester. The staff were very nice and gave me an "accessible" room. There was plenty of room for a wheelchair, the bathroom had lots of grab bars and all the counters were lowered, and the floors were all nice and level. Unfortunately, none of these things are useful for my particular disability.

You see, I'm deaf.

There was no visual-alert fire alarm in the room.

So, City Inn of Manchester, you get good marks for effort... but you still fail.