# Compilation video shows the utter absurdity of what "accessibility" means to some. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839 "2011-10-16T20:15:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/41 "2011-10-23T10:39:14Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I think that is exactly what more people should/need to do, in regards to accessibility issues with businesses, etc. I commend you for doing so in the face of the seeming disinterest corporate heads seem to show. You aren’t the only one doing it and the more that do, the more serious these issues will be taken. =] I am getting crotchety in my old age … everything hurts pretty much all the time and I find I am getting less and less willing to just ‘deal with it’ when I can not access something that I should be able to. Thankfully more people are getting to be not willing to deal with it, unlike previously where people who were gimps were expected to sit back and shut up, and stay home and not be uppity. I _know_ that I am going to end up in assisted living, it is in my best interest to see that it improves to where I would actually want to be there when I have to be there. You have to start early … ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/42 "2011-10-23T18:01:38Z")
Very good video. Yeah, a few might have been out of context perhaps - though if we can’t see the context then we can’t see that the context isn’t even worse either. Anyone who thinks the video was exaggerating overmuch obviously has never had to try to use a wheelchair to access many places, or had friends who do. Wheelchair-accessible toilets on floors other than the ground floor are less than ideal because of how frequently lifts break down. Sometimes the lift itself is too narrow to be wheelchair-accessible too. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/43 "2011-10-23T19:49:15Z")
I got my degree in architecture in 1978. In 2003 I was in a wheelchair for about six weeks following knee surgery, and ever since I have firmly believed every architecture and interior design student should be forced to be in a wheelchair for a minimum of three weeks before getting their degrees. It is an eye-opening experience. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/44 "2011-10-23T19:59:36Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I got my degree in architecture in 1978. In 2003 I was in a wheelchair for about six weeks following knee surgery, and ever since I have firmly believed every architecture and interior design student should be forced to be in a wheelchair for a minimum of three weeks before getting their degrees. It is an eye-opening experience. “like” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/45 "2011-10-23T20:56:44Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I got my degree in architecture in 1978. In 2003 I was in a wheelchair for about six weeks following knee surgery, and ever since I have firmly believed every architecture and interior design student should be forced to be in a wheelchair for a minimum of three weeks before getting their degrees. It is an eye-opening experience. Also like. I don’t go to some stores and restaurants, because the “handicapped” stalls are not well laid out. The TP roll is one of those giant things, for instance, and it’s installed UNDER the handrail, where I have to lean way over in order to get the paper out. Yeah, this saves on TP, but it’s a health problem for everyone. Or the handrails are placed where I can’t grab them to get down or up. I actually don’t need the handicapped stall for the room, but because it has grab rails…I can use a regular stall if it has grab rails. Not all handicaps are the same. I don’t need an electric cart, I’m able to walk around, and if I can sit down for a few minutes every hour or so, I can walk for several hours. But I can’t manage more than one step at a time, and I might not be able to manage even one step on some days, so I NEED those ramps and curb cuts. And some days are worse than others. Some things seem like a good idea, until you have to use them. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/46 "2011-10-23T22:11:27Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I got my degree in architecture in 1978. In 2003 I was in a wheelchair for about six weeks following knee surgery, and ever since I have firmly believed every architecture and interior design student should be forced to be in a wheelchair for a minimum of three weeks before getting their degrees. It is an eye-opening experience. You’re my hero. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/47 "2011-10-23T23:33:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Along those lines one of my favorites is a sign that, in the Welsh translation, was an out of office reply. > [BBC News - E-mail error ends up on road sign](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7702913.stm) That is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/48 "2011-10-24T14:13:41Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I got my degree in architecture in 1978. In 2003 I was in a wheelchair for about six weeks following knee surgery, and ever since I have firmly believed every architecture and interior design student should be forced to be in a wheelchair for a minimum of three weeks before getting their degrees. It is an eye-opening experience. My late wife had to use a scooter for her last few years, and I used to say the same thing about people who designed public transit systems. I once called the Chicago Transit Authority to get directions on getting from one place to another, specifying that I needed wheelchair-accessible directions. They had us changing trains at a station that required you to move from one platform to another, except that when we got there the only way to do so involved going down a full flight of stairs, then back up another flight, with no elevator available. I remember asking one of the station workers if I was supposed to carry her up and down the stairs, or just throw her across the tracks from one platform to the next. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839/49 "2011-10-25T13:17:29Z")
> [@LurkMeister](#): > > My late wife had to use a scooter for her last few years, and I used to say the same thing about people who designed public transit systems. I once called the Chicago Transit Authority to get directions on getting from one place to another, specifying that I needed wheelchair-accessible directions. They had us changing trains at a station that required you to move from one platform to another, except that when we got there the only way to do so involved going down a full flight of stairs, then back up another flight, with no elevator available. I remember asking one of the station workers if I was supposed to carry her up and down the stairs, or just throw her across the tracks from one platform to the next. The New York subway system isn’t any better, accessibility-wise. I was there with my daughter about 18 months ago, during a time when I was having pretty significant knee pain. I _could_ do stairs, but they were pretty unpleasant and if I did too many, I’d pay the price for days… The Times Square area, you can literally walk many blocks underground trying to get from one point to another, and I never saw any elevators. I saw _signs_ for them (as in “go this way to find an elevator”) but possibly the elevator in question was in Harlem or Staten Island, I gave up and used the stairs first. I haven’t noticed anything as egregious as the OP’s video, lately - am on crutches and can’t walk very far, which is very eye-opening. So far the worst has been hard-to-open, self-closing doors at several public places that should know better (like the ORTHOPEDIST’S office, where they’ve been known to have people on crutches / wheelchairs from time to time). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compilation-video-shows-the-utter-absurdity-of-what-accessibility-means-to-some/599839.md?page=2)