Nay on my new city and its conspiracy against disabled people

[Welcome Back Apathy]

I know, I know, I can't *prove* that there's a conspiracy against disabled people. But I have enough data points to suggest it quite strongly. Before I continue, this is what you need to know: I'm disabled. Not in a wheelchair, just a few spinal disabilities. (Just. You know, just...two or three.)

 

Here is some evidence to support my conspiracy theory:

 

1) Since we moved across the country, we couldn't look at apartments and had to do it online. My husband asked the realtors to make sure our apartment was on the first floor. They said it was, had us sign a document without getting to see the apartment--we said we would sign only if they GUARANTEED us a first floor apartment, and they did, so we signed--and then told us it was on the third floor, no elevator, and we couldn't change it despite my handicap documentation.

 

2) Driving is strongly discouraged around here. Not just in my city, but in the surrounding suburbs as well.

a. The streets are horrible--we get lost even with the GPS because they are so badly designed. There are some opposing traffic lights that are green at the same time. There are six way "stops" with only one stop sign.

b. There are no parking spaces, only street parking that is impossible to get and rare. Since there are no parking spaces, they can legally flout the handicap space laws--after all, 2% of 0 is 0. If you are handicapped and want to drive, you have to park a mile away and walk the rest of the way. Yeah. Walk. About that...

 

3) Since you can't drive, public transportation must be awesome, right? It's pretty good. But here are a few fascinating points about it...

a. Only half the trains have any handicap accessible parts of the train. And only about a quarter of an "accessible" train is actually accessible--all the other parts of the train have stairs.

b. Today, I was on one of the accessible trains, and they randomly decided they were going to run express, so if you wanted to get off at one of the stops they were skipping, they kicked you off the train and you had to wait for the next one. While I can climb a few stairs, I couldn't help but notice that the next one was not accessible. So if you WERE in a wheelchair and got kicked off the "express" train, you would have to wait an hour for something you had already paid for.

c. Many of the stations are not accessible. They don't have so much as an escalator, and definitely don't have an elevator. They say it's still legal by providing shuttles once per hour from the accessible stations. So you just have to go past your stop, then take a ride back to your stop an hour later.

d. One of the inaccessible stops is the only stop in the city for the commuter rail, so if you want to commute to work but you're disabled, you're completely out of luck.

e. Many of the stations that technically are accessible are still evil. I have a transfer, for instance, to get to work. I have to take three elevators to make my transfer. Each elevator is completely across the station from each other. It takes twenty-five minutes to make my transfer.

f. Same station: if you take the elevator, you can only go to the center platform. All the benches and seating exists on the OTHER platform. If you're disabled but not in a wheelchair, you don't get to sit.

g. If you don't "look" disabled, you are unlikely to get a seat. I even have trouble getting one of the reserved seats for disabled people when I'm walking with my cane.

 

4) Stairs. Stairs EVERYWHERE. No elevators. Even one-story buildings have stairs leading up to the front steps--no ramp or anything. I don't know how they can get away with it, since it breaks the ADA laws.

 

5) This isn't specifically a rag on the city, but there is a desk job I want to apply for around here. The entire job is behind the desk. There is never any reason to get up or do any heavy lifting. But you have to prove you can lift over 70 lbs. I mean, I weigh 95...come on, even if I WEREN'T disabled...

 

I can't think of anything else right off--these are just things from today alone. Well, except #1, but I DID have to climb up to the third floor today. After someone sat on me on the bus, making my AS flare up and making my leg stop functioning.

 

Yeah. So...NAY. NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.

[Sweetdang]

Nay indeed!

 

You must be feeling really agitated/annoyed now. I think the house one is really unfair! Lying realtors - They'll have terrible business if this continues, and THEN what'll happen? Bwahahaha.

 

But honestly, most of the things - scrap that, all of the things you mentioned here are not fair at all! I understand that it's difficult for every single building to have a ramp, or something like that, but what you described sounded like they reaaaaaally need to get their thinking straight! For the train bit, go on Express on random decision? Thats a. Completely unfair b. Not professional c. Just what stunt are they trying to pull?!

 

You must be frustrated the lack of care for your city's people... the disabled need facilities just like we do, and they need it even more! To be fair, I don't think that they HATTTE the disabled, or have a conspiracy against them. :P However, I do completely agree that the city is not wheelchair friendly and the measures taken to help those who need it are... measly.

 

Surely you can't be the only one complaining? Form a group, start a movement, write a letter in to complain, share your plight, and make sure your government becomes pro-wheelchair! :D

[snowwhite]

That is absolutely terrible! How do they expect you to get around? If I were you, I would definitely call the BBB and a local television news station about the evil real estate company, and maybe look into filing a complaint with the US Dept of Justice ADA department re: local transportation? That makes me furious, I can't imagine how you must feel! :grrr: