Wheelchairs In Siberia: Disabled Activists Fight For Better Access

[TomSea]

Wheelchairs In Siberia: Disabled Activists Fight For Better Access

See video at link.

Navigating a Russian city in a wheelchair is incredibly difficult -- and the challenge is even greater in the middle of winter. One disability activist in the Siberian city of Tomsk says government projects intended to improve accessibility have largely failed to deliver on their promises.

Read more at: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-disability-access/30366925.html   

Short video released today, it is interesting to see what they must go through. Not posted at their youtube channel yet which is:
https://www.youtube.com/user/rferlonline/videos

[roamer_1]

Having been wheelchair bound for several years, and gimped up on a cane for several more, I can certainly understand the frustration... Even here, it is exceedingly difficult to maneuver.

That said, I am not advising retrofitting, which I think causes undue expense, but it costs little in new construction or in repair situations to install wheelchair access in curbs, navigable hallways, and accessible bathrooms... Even something like a wheelchair accessible teller in a bank is such a relief, that most folks don't really understand.

If it is relatively without cost, and simply a design feature, why not?

[bigheadfred]

Having been wheelchair bound for several years, and gimped up on a cane for several more, I can certainly understand the frustration... Even here, it is exceedingly difficult to maneuver.

That said, I am not advising retrofitting, which I think causes undue expense, but it costs little in new construction or in repair situations to install wheelchair access in curbs, navigable hallways, and accessible bathrooms... Even something like a wheelchair accessible teller in a bank is such a relief, that most folks don't really understand.

If it is relatively without cost, and simply a design feature, why not?

I guess I've never thought about it but down at the credit union we use, the last teller is at desk height. Wheelchair accessible.

I went down to get a money order the other day and used that spot. She gave it to me and told me I had to sign the bottom and it cost $3. I said $3? The grocery store next door does them for seventy-five cents. She said the store didn't do them anymore. So I told her they must figger they had a monopoly on money orders now and could charge anything they wanted. Went to leave and she said she needed the bottom half of that money order. The part I signed (for the money). I said it will cost you $3.

[roamer_1]

I guess I've never thought about it but down at the credit union we use, the last teller is at desk height. Wheelchair accessible.

Yeah it's a thing. Even yet, on a bad day, I cannot stand in line for very long... I don't use my smurf parking card at all anymore, because so long as I am moving, I can get by... But standing still for any length of time can stove me up big time... So I will still use that handicap teller from time to time. And when I do, it is a Godsend. Way more so when I was stuck in that dang chair.

I said it will cost you $3.