Are “bumpy” chair ramps substantially better than smooth?

[jjakucyk]

An early attempt at tactile pavement from the mid 1990s was to press a mesh screen into the wet concrete to create the textured surface. That was pretty quickly abandoned because of inconsistency and a complete lack of contrast for the visually impaired (not fully blind), though it would certainly improve traction. Google Maps

The nearby commuter railroad station now has the familiar yellow tactile pavement panels. Google Maps Back in the 1980s when that station was remodeled they did exposed aggregate concrete on the platforms, with just a contrasting color on the two-foot strip next to the tracks. That only provided a visual clue and no tactile feedback. It also deteriorated quickly, whether because of the inherent weakness of exposed aggregate concrete, a bad mix, heavy winter salting, Chicago’s climate, or some combination thereof.

[Machine_Elf]

@LSLGuy

it’s about being a surface that feels unmistakably distinct under wheels, feet, or a cane that warns someone in a chair or with bad eyesight, bad hearing, or simply not paying attention that they are about to enter a road containing cars, trucks, busses, etc.

This. If you’re a baseball fan, this is analogous to the warning track.

[Yllaria]

@suranyi

I’ve heard reports that people in wheelchairs and others with mobility issues hate those things precisely because they offer less traction. They find them slippery

How slippery the truncated dome** pads are depends on the material they’re made of. They’re most commonly made of enamel painted metal or plastic. I’ve also seen bricks or pavers, though, and they would not be slippery.

** That’s what the “bumps” are called in our area. But California sometimes has their own names for things, so I can’t claim that it’s the name countrywide.