Quote:
Originally Posted by meeera
A lot. Even kerb ramps to get into major regional shopping centres - it's a toss-up as to whether the ramp will be remotely near code. Crappy ramps I can handle with my mobility scooter, but not with my powerchair. And at least half the shops inside are not navigable by scooter at all. The lift to the movies can fit a wheelchair (just); but not a scooter.
Then there are the "security" barriers at supermarket checkouts, which are also cripple-barriers. The one accessible checkout may or may not have anyone actually staffing it: that's a 50-50. Or may have a bunch of new sale displays piled around it so that it's no longer accessible. The Woolies self-checkout is accessible (well, half of it is); the Coles one is not.
Bunnings has no wheelie access from the foothpath. None. You have to wheel through the carpark and hope no giant Dalkeith Tractors mow you down.
Plenty of restaurants and neighbourhood shops have "just one step" (or two, or three). And if you can get in, the toilet may be up or down a flight of steps, or down a tiny winding corridor. If there is an "accessible" toilet, it is likely to be also being used as a storage room for miscellanous items.
The post office agency that carded parcels are sent to is inaccessible. The nearest post office boxes are at the top of an angled flight of stairs with the top "accessible" step barely wide enough for a wheelchair, and with an ineffective safety barrier only around the second stair from the top. None of this makes any sense.
And so on, and so forth.
I've laid complaints about around two-thirds of the above, including a formal HREOC complaint about post office access. No-one cares. (Beyond the occasional pitying "sucks to be you" look, which is unhelpful.) Yes, it's the law that all of the above should be accessible. The problem is in the way that the law is enforced (or not).
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Wow, thanks Meeera,
I guess we have it pretty good here in Paradise! A few years ago we had a disabled lawyer who made it a personal crusade to make the whole Island accessible. He didn’t succeed entirely (there are still a few challenges), but things are now very much better.
At the time I was a bit disgruntled at the expense, both in terms of taxes and increased cost of goods to pay for the ramps and elevators, but now I’m grateful.