Accessibility

I'd like to ask you a favour the next time you go out - count the number of steps you have to go up or down. Notice if ramps or elevators are available. Are the elevators working? Do the ramps have hand rails?

Now notice doors. Are they heavy or difficult to open? Are they automatic? Is there a button to press that will open the doors?

Let's move on to interior spaces. Will a wheelchair fit through any aisles? A good estimate is if 2 people can comfortably walk side by side. Are tables crowded together? Can items be reached from a seated position?

Do you notice any signs with Braille? Do the concerts you go to have a sign language interpreter?

Are the sidewalks you use in good condition, or are they uneven or blocked? Are curbs steep, or crumbling?

These are just a few things that people with disabilities have to consider when they go out, and it is nowhere near a comprehensive list. I've been in shops where my wheelchair wouldn't fit through all of the aisles, and I've gotten my chair wedged in one of those aisles. I've nearly been thrown from my wheelchair because of steep curbs and uneven pavement. I've not visited shops because I couldn't go up a few steps to get to the entrance. Some places boast that they have an additional entrance that is accessible, which is usually behind the building near the dumpsters.

I realise that it costs money to add a ramp. But surely businesses would earn more money if people with disabilities could go there and spend their money. If you don't see many people with disabilities around, it isn't because they don't want to go out. Sometimes it's just because they can't access that particular place.