The Ultimate Accessible Travel Handbook
Still Traveling — Learning to Live Fully in the Body I Have
A guest blog by Bernadine Pellicier – Massachusetts, USA
Accessibility Is More Than Getting Through the Door
Can a person using a wheelchair, scooter, walker, crutches, or cane actually use an “accessible” entrance independently?
Accessibility is not simply the presence of a ramp, accessibility symbol, or automatic-door sign. The real question is whether the traveler can actually use it—without having to wait for someone else to help.
There are many accessibility features that need to be considered from the perspective of real-world usability: reachable automatic-door buttons, heavy manual doors, restroom entrances, pathways, signage and more. And what happens when a supposedly accessible feature is broken, difficult to reach, or simply unusable?
My personal experience is similar to that of many others who want to feel independent when entering and using buildings that claim to be accessible. Sometimes certain areas work very well while others present unexpected barriers.
For example, I currently receive physical rehabilitation in a modern-looking medical building. Yet the interior lobby entrance presents a challenge. The automatic-door button is positioned far enough from the registration and waiting-room doors that, once I press it with my cane, I have to move rather quickly to reach the doors before they begin to close.
If I don’t have my cane or another item that will reach the button easily, I sometimes find myself waving through the glass to get someone’s attention and ask for help.
The lobby restroom presents another problem.
An access code is required to enter. I can enter the code without difficulty, but opening the door is another matter. The door is extremely heavy. Despite having gained access to the restroom, I still cannot independently get through the door and must ask someone for assistance.
Interestingly, the physical-therapy department itself is very accessible. When I mentioned the difference to my therapist, he explained that the facility is actually a combination of an older building and a newer section where the PT department is located. He suggested that I use the restroom in the newer section whenever necessary.
That solves one problem. The lobby entrance, however, remains difficult.
Situations like these remind me that accessibility is not only an issue when we travel long distances. It affects local transportation, medical appointments, restaurants, attractions, hotels and other places we use in everyday life.
In The Ultimate Accessible Travel Handbook, I wrote about what I call the gap between policy and reality. Public spaces and transportation systems often describe themselves as accessible, but the lived experience can sometimes tell a different story.
A ramp may exist but be blocked. An elevator may be available but out of service. Assistance may be advertised but unavailable when someone actually needs it.
One sentence from the book summarizes the issue for me:
“Accessible on paper is not the same as accessible in reality.”
Accessibility should be considered from the viewpoint of the person who actually needs to use it.
Can I reach the entrance?
Can I open the door?
Can I use the restroom?
Can I move through the space safely?
And, whenever reasonably possible, can I do these things independently?
True accessibility is about more than simply getting through the door. It is about allowing people to enter, participate and move through the world with greater independence, dignity and confidence.
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