The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #102971   Message #2093200
Posted By: Jack Campin
03-Jul-07 - 12:52 PM
Thread Name: BS: Handicap Accessibility
Subject: RE: BS: Handicap Accessibility
Some designers seem to have a great time making their accessibility features for one kind of disability into inconveniences or deathtraps for others. A lot of wheelchair ramps are positioned just right to trip a blind person over and send them down a stairwell or under the wheels of a truck.

I was getting on a bus with a blind friend a few weeks ago, and the driver fired the wheelchair ramp straight out from under the doorway and nearly smashed her ankles with it. She has no problem at all with steps (blind people don't, unless they have some other disability as well). The driver said it was standing orders to operate the ramp whenever a disabled person is at the stop. Fortunately most of the company's drivers have the sense to realize how stupid the standing orders are.