Disclaimer: The writer of this blog identifies as a quadriplegic operating a manual wheelchair. The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer based on his experience. They are not meant to omit the experiences of other people with disabilities.
Written by Chris Mason-Hale, BSW
I have always loved a good mystery. I used to read Sherlock Holmes and Poe all the time. As a kid, I wanted to be a detective—looking for clues within heaps of papers scattered across the floor. I was always questioning, “What does it all mean? Where does it all lead?”
As a wheelchair user, I get to do the same thing, but it is a far more frustrating experience than the mystery books made it out to be. I am talking about travel, of course. But, like any good mystery, my detective work starts with a few questions.
Friend: “Hey Chris, do you want to go to (a place I’ve never been)?”
I ask the never-simple question: “Is it accessible?”
Followed by an answer masquerading as a question: “The website says it’s accessible…?”
That is when I know- Ah, the game is afoot!
Unless a person is familiar with my needs as a quadriplegic wheelchair user, I cannot expect them to know what I am looking for specifically. Now, I am sure everyone does some research when they are going somewhere new. For example, if someone is invited to a restaurant in the city, they might look up the nearest parking garage or whether the menu suits their tastes. In this example, the leap for a wheelchair user is assuming they can get in at all (and many times, they cannot). So, I start my research. In this blog, I will discuss some of the frustrations I run into trying to understand the many interpretations of “accessibility” and the lengths I go to find out if a venue is accessible for me.
The Main Website
The first place I check is a location’s main website. The site often includes basic information, like an accessible entrance and where to find elevators. That is usually it, if you are lucky. Without enough information, I cannot make the call about whether I can navigate a space with just this information. This brings me to one of the biggest issues: a lack of images.
Text descriptions provide some information. But without measurements of door frames or a description of the steepness of a ramp, it is tough to visualize. For example, a venue often claims to have accessible bathrooms. But when I get to the stall labeled “accessible,” I may not be able to reach the door to close it behind me. Or it might be too narrow. Or I can get my casters (the smaller front wheels of the wheelchair) inside the stall, but not my larger rear wheels. There seems to be a significant focus on accommodating people with disabilities to get into a location, but not much on being able to move in that space once we are in it. With better images of the space, people with disabilities and their friends can make better decisions on where to spend their time.
The Collage
Since I do not often find the information I need, I rely on a collection of images and videos from the internet, like a collage. For example, a venue can claim to have an accessible entrance on its site, but no photos are provided. The site says the accessible entrance is on 24th Street. I go to Google Earth, enter the address, and toggle the street view.
Some of the things I am looking for are: Is there a ramp, and if so, how steep? Does it have an automatic door? Is the door push or pull? As someone with limited hand dexterity, I find it difficult to pull a heavy door, especially on an incline or, even more so, with a staircase at my back. What proceeds is 30 minutes or more of me trying to find an angle from the street, customer images, or user videos that show the entrance mentioned so I can decide if it is accessible for me, and that is just time spent on the entrance. I will also use this method for the interiors of venues if available. The collection of these images usually helps me to understand if the venue is accessible for me but rarely cures the anxiety I feel going to a new place.
The Anxiety
Anyone familiar with anxiety knows how convincing it can be. It can, and has, kept me from going places with my friends. Simply because I needed more information about the venue. The effort required to research a venue with scarce accessibility details also acts as a deterrent. I do not always feel like performing the detective work needed to feel comfortable traveling. The result is going to the same places over and over. Now, I love being a regular at any place I frequent, but it also limits my options to meet new people or interact with new friends.
The Concert
However, there are times when I am delightfully surprised by a venue’s accessibility options. Still, it requires the same level of detective work and a leap of faith that should not be necessary for people with disabilities if more information were provided.
Last year, I hesitated to buy concert tickets for one of my favorite bands. My worries included: parking, distance from the parking garage to the arena, accessible entrances, bathrooms, accessible seating, view from my seat, and more. That list grew larger as I could not find answers to all my questions. And so did the anxiety I felt looking for them. Nevertheless, I had to see this band and started the process anyway.
Buying Tickets and Seating
Let’s start from the top. Buying tickets was terrific! I called the arena’s ADA specialist number and requested tickets. They gave me the location on the seating chart but could not describe the view from my seat. Here, a picture would have quickly answered my question. After a quick Google search, I found a site called “aviewfrommyseat.com,” which provides user photos taken from inside various venues.
I could find views around my section, but not my exact seat. I was worried I would have to consider the angles from the surrounding seats to guess what it looked like from my place on the seating chart. Luckily, I found my section in someone else’s photos. To my surprise, the seats were elevated and right next to the stage.
Parking
Parking was next. The venue’s site provided a link to SpotHero, an online service where you can reserve parking in advance. Through this service, I could book parking in a garage directly attached to the venue. All I had to do was take an elevator, and the entrance was attached to an enclosed marketplace.
Navigating the Space
I arrived with my sister, and we immediately got in line. My main concern at this point was getting to the seats and identifying where the bathrooms were. After passing through security, someone flagged us down and asked for our seat numbers. From here, we were escorted directly to our section. I saw the bathrooms next to our seating section on the way there. The staff handed us off to the attendant for my section and they operated the lift that took me to our seats. The seating was like a large deck with ample room to park my chair, cushioned folding chairs for companions, and a great view. The attendant would check on everyone seated within my section throughout the concert.
Here, we have a venue with incredible accessibility and service- which makes it even more frustrating when it is not showcased. As the concert ended, I looked up other shows coming that year because when I can feel comfortable in a space, I will come back. It is that simple.
The Barriers and Recommendations
For some venues, limited space can make some accessibility modifications difficult. It is made even more complicated when, in this context, accessibility is associated with a hefty price tag. Still, construction crews are not always necessary to create a welcoming space for people with disabilities. Many locations already have accessible entrances, but terrible space management once inside. A potential solution is rearranging the space for wider aisles, clear floor paths, etc. This method will likely cost time and sweat, but not money. But it should not be done without the guidance of people with disabilities. This input is invaluable to a business as they make these changes to ensure they are meeting the needs of the disability community.
On the other hand, maybe a business has already rearranged and renovated its space. Now, the issue is how to communicate that accessibility to the public effectively. The remedy is creating a space where businesses can speak with the disability community. The community can share their concerns and questions. In response, the business can create resources like FAQs, pictures, videos, and audio that communicate accessibility effectively. The same materials can be used to train staff to deliver reassuring responses to accessibility questions in future interactions.
