"Accessible?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I didn't know that the person was handicapped, my first thought would be whether it was accessible via public transport.

Right, but when you answered "yes, we are on the Red Line, two blocks from the Silver Spring station," the person would probably follow up with "I mean ADA accessible", and you would answer accordingly.

I have actually found that there is so much confusion about what constitutes accessible under the ADA that I am better to ask about specific elements: do you have an elevator, do you have ASL interpreters or captioning available, etc.

Even if someone asked me, "Is it ADA-accessible?" I do not know the legal ins and outs of what exactly ADA mandates, so I would not know.

You're probably not the right person to ask then!

Oh don't be ridiculous. NP here. It's quite possible to not know the nitty gritty rules yet also be accommodating & willing to find out the info the person needs. For instance, if I worked in a store and someone called asking how wide our door was. I do not need to know the ADA rule in order to be a helpful person and go measure the door for her.

But surely, if you can accommodate someone by measuring the door, aisles, toilet and distance to the handicap spot, you could also accommodate them by doing one of the following:

1) Asking your supervisor if you're ADA compliant

or

2) Saying "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know whether we're ADA compliant, if you tell me the accessibility features you need I can tell you whether we have them."

Demanding that other people change their language seems like an odd solution to not knowing whether your work location is ADA compliant.

This is what I just said.

I don't care what language people use. Every special need is going to be different, so just be specific about what you need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not understanding why people need to be cryptic and unnecessarily difficult.

"I am X (blind, in a wheelchair, etc.) and need accommodations Y. Does your building have that?"

What is so difficult about that?

Because people without disabilities, unless they have specific experiences, often aren't able to see barriers. Here's a good example of well meaning people who simply don't see a barrier.

http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2016/04/obvious.html

If a space has been made ADA compliant, then you can be assured that it's been looked at from the perspective of someone who knows what to look for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I didn't know that the person was handicapped, my first thought would be whether it was accessible via public transport.

Right, but when you answered "yes, we are on the Red Line, two blocks from the Silver Spring station," the person would probably follow up with "I mean ADA accessible", and you would answer accordingly.

I have actually found that there is so much confusion about what constitutes accessible under the ADA that I am better to ask about specific elements: do you have an elevator, do you have ASL interpreters or captioning available, etc.

Even if someone asked me, "Is it ADA-accessible?" I do not know the legal ins and outs of what exactly ADA mandates, so I would not know.

You're probably not the right person to ask then!

Oh don't be ridiculous. NP here. It's quite possible to not know the nitty gritty rules yet also be accommodating & willing to find out the info the person needs. For instance, if I worked in a store and someone called asking how wide our door was. I do not need to know the ADA rule in order to be a helpful person and go measure the door for her.

But surely, if you can accommodate someone by measuring the door, aisles, toilet and distance to the handicap spot, you could also accommodate them by doing one of the following:

1) Asking your supervisor if you're ADA compliant

or

2) Saying "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know whether we're ADA compliant, if you tell me the accessibility features you need I can tell you whether we have them."

Demanding that other people change their language seems like an odd solution to not knowing whether your work location is ADA compliant.

This is what I just said.

I don't care what language people use. Every special need is going to be different, so just be specific about what you need.

Then why are you replying to a thread agreeing with people who are tearing down people with disabilities for using the wrong word to ask for help?

[Anonymous]

I don't think people are tearing down people with disabilities. I think OP, who knows someone who knows someone who uses a wheelchair is trying to be a busybody.

-Someone who has a disability, who actually does accessibility planning for a living.

[Anonymous]

I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

"Accessible" is a legal term. Would you give other legal advice, even if you weren't sure because you want to be helpful? I hope not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

"Accessible" is a legal term. Would you give other legal advice, even if you weren't sure because you want to be helpful? I hope not.

Ok, so I see my feelings are misplaced. I will just blithely reply, " I am sorry, but I do not know!" from now on!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

"Accessible" is a legal term. Would you give other legal advice, even if you weren't sure because you want to be helpful? I hope not.

Ok, so I see my feelings are misplaced. I will just blithely reply, " I am sorry, but I do not know!" from now on!

You do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

"Accessible" is a legal term. Would you give other legal advice, even if you weren't sure because you want to be helpful? I hope not.

Ok, so I see my feelings are misplaced. I will just blithely reply, " I am sorry, but I do not know!" from now on!

You do that.

[Anonymous]

Why the eye roll? Seems like we are damned if we do (attempt to give guidance) and damned if we don't (say, sorry, I do not know). I am talking about individual people here who may just run across this occasionally, not a business or a restaurant or something.

Seriously, what else would you be telling me to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

PP, you seem like a thoughtful person, but how would tipping a child's stroller up a step be similar to a quadriplegic managing a power chair that weighs a couple of hundred pounds on his own? This is really ludicrous thinking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why the eye roll? Seems like we are damned if we do (attempt to give guidance) and damned if we don't (say, sorry, I do not know). I am talking about individual people here who may just run across this occasionally, not a business or a restaurant or something.

Seriously, what else would you be telling me to do?

Don't say it blithely. If you are an individual, say planning a birthday party at the venue, you should offer to contact the venue and ask.

If you are a venue, you should damn well know if you are compliant, to what extent, and what elements are not compliant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am well-meaning, but I do not know what makes a bldg. accessible. For example, someone just posted that even one step means it is not wheelchair accessible. I did not know that. I tip my daughter's stroller up and down multiple steps so, on the spur of the moment, if someone asked me, "Is that place accessible?" I want to seem eager and willing to help so I would probably say, "Yes! Absolutely! You can go there!" I feel riuder when I say, "I do not know. You might have to call and ask," because then it makes me feel like here I am thoughtlessly not keeping this issue in mind and/or making them now go through an added step (no pun intended) that an able-bodied person would have to do. (Although, quite frankly, just why *should*'I be keeping this in the forefront of my mind at all times? I do not always expect people to keep child-related concerns at the forefront of their minds if they do not have kids, so I do not pepper them with questions such as, "Does it have a changing table in the bathrooms? How about in the men's? Do they give out coloring pages to the children while we are waiting for the food so my kids do not go beserk and bother everyone? Do they have a children's menu?" No, I feel the onus is on me to ensure that this location meets our needs. . . .

PP, you seem like a thoughtful person, but how would tipping a child's stroller up a step be similar to a quadriplegic managing a power chair that weighs a couple of hundred pounds on his own? This is really ludicrous thinking.

New poster here. May I also add that -- as you so self-righteously say, since "the onus is on me to ensure this location meets our needs," imagine that the child in the stroller is now 14 or 15. The stroller is now a wheelchair. The child however remains in diapers.

Since the onus is on you to ensure the location meets your needs, imagine calling around the country before your family goes to the beach or the movies or to grandmas to make sure there's oh, I don't know, a changing table big enough for your child, or a bathroom you and he can go into together without some freak in North Carolina calling the police, or a restaurant his wheelchair can fit into at all.

I mean, the onus is on you!

[Anonymous]

One thing that I think gets missed in this discussion is that not everyone looking for an accessible venue knows the needs of the people they are representing. I recently looked for a venue for a speaker who was coming to town. I knew that the speaker might attract listeners with physical disabilities, so it was important to me that the venue be accessible, but since we were selling tickets to the public I couldn't tell you whether I would have a large adult man in a power chair, who would need wide doorways and zero steps, or a tiny teeneage girl with a walker that can handle low curbs, and narrow doorways but needs a short walk from the accessible.parking spot, and a family bathroom where Dad can help her. Looking for an ADA compliant space let me know that most access issues would be addressed and let me communicate that to potential audience members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think people are tearing down people with disabilities. I think OP, who knows someone who knows someone who uses a wheelchair is trying to be a busybody.

-Someone who has a disability, who actually does accessibility planning for a living.

I disagree, I think all these able body posters have no clue what it's like to be disabled and are being really rude.
-someone who has a permanent, congenital, physical disability and sometimes is in a chair