I never really understood how important accessibility was until I had to use a wheelchair for a little while due to an injury. I tried parking where I normally parked to get to class and quickly discovered that I lacked the upper body strength to make it there due to the poor condition of the sidewalks, the lack of ramps, and the dirt desire path shortcuts needed. I think about that a lot.
There's a lot of reasons to think of disability not as a physical or medical thing, but a social phenomenon.
:10000-com:
we can't be equal if there are barriers to public access, we are all lesser if our infrastructure prevents participation
I'd call this america.jpg but there's too many trees
I like to walk around my neighborhood with my neighbor, and it's become clear to me how pathetic our sidewalks are. they are so narrow! we can't even walk side by side without constantly colliding. We end up walking in the street/gutter a lot.
Two dudes hanging out in the streets two meters apart cuz the
y not gaypedestrian infrastructure sucksbrushing elbows isn't a big deal. colliding constantly in the shoulders while trying to have a conversation sucks. this isn't homophobia, though congrats on whatever breakthrough you're having i guess.
modern design guidelines for urban infrastructure of sidewalks is minimum 5' to accommodate two people walking side by side and general ADA compliance. i'm talking about nearly every post war neighborhood built in the US more than 10 minutes ago, like the ones in my city, which only have 3'-4' wide sidewalks.... even along massive, busy arteries with hospitals on a 20' foot setback, etc. it's not real infrastructure. it's token bullshit.
the only people who fit on this are solo walkers with dogs on a leash, walking ahead of them. even little old couples puttering along have to walk staggered.
There is no sidewalk where I live, just a desire path through the wild grass next to the road.
At least they cut the grass I guess:shrug-outta-hecks:
The desire path next to my local roads cuts through knee high grass growing on a steep 10ft drop into a ditch around 3 feet from the road's edge
"if you want to walk somewhere, please die" --my city
