Cracks, slopes, and curbs, oh my: Addressing sidewalk accessibility
A walk around the neighborhood poses various obstacles for this columnist
I just got back from a walk with my service dog, Wendy. It’s a beautiful fall day in my neighborhood. The mums are starting to burst with brilliant colors, and some of the trees that are a little stressed are developing orange leaves.
I had a different topic in mind for today’s column, but after encountering some dangerous sidewalks in my neighborhood, I feel compelled to write about the importance of accessible infrastructure.
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) causes me to have poor coordination, muscle strength, and balance. These symptoms mean I need to use a wheelchair, making the quality of sidewalks critical.
My small city is currently replacing its sidewalks with lovely new ones. In my experience, however, the majority of city sidewalks need work.
I encountered the following issues on today’s walk.
Cracked and disintegrating sidewalks
Damaged sidewalks can bump a wheelchair user around and possibly even out of their chair. When I was using a manual wheelchair, I couldn’t navigate broken-up concrete, which caused me to get stuck. Although the power wheelchair I now use will go over these bumps, doing so makes the chair off balance. I feel I’m going to tip. And if my wheelchair tips, I’m in trouble.
In two separate incidents, I broke a shoulder when my chair tipped. One time I overturned left and landed on my left shoulder, and the second time I spilled right, landing on my right shoulder. Never mind that if I’m alone, I can’t get back up without human help. As amazing as Wendy is, she isn’t strong enough to pull me or my wheelchair to an upright position.
Sidewalks that slope steeply
Traversing a sloped sidewalk might not sound that dangerous. But you do get danger when you put a four-wheel device controlled by someone with poor balance on a slope, where the right side of the device is higher than the left, or vice versa. Such slops put riders at risk of overturning their chairs.
Wheelchair manuals typically ask users not to ride on a slope of this sort. You can see why.
No curb cuts
For those who don’t know, a curb cut is that small ramp at many up-to-date crosswalks, which allows anything with wheels to easily transition between the street and the sidewalk. Most wheelchairs cannot travel over a curb. Some athletic and coordinated manual wheelchair users can bump themselves over, but that’s not me!
When the sidewalks are too dangerous, I travel with the traffic on the road, as far to the right as I can get. Wendy stays as close to the curb as possible or, if doable, walks on the sidewalk. Riding my wheelchair on the road isn’t safe, but sometimes it’s a safer option than using a damaged sidewalk. However, I’d never take to the road on a busy street.
When there are no curb cuts, I typically cross neighborhood streets using driveways. I don’t feel that I’ll get hit by a car, but I’m extra careful because I’m not in a crosswalk.
The Americans with Disabilities Act specifically mandates curb cuts at pedestrian crossings. New infrastructure in the U.S. should be accessible to wheelchair and other mobility aid users.
While I enjoy my neighborhood’s new sidewalks and curb cuts, I’ve encountered two problems when using them. One is that people put their trash cans or yard waste on them, blocking Wendy and me from passing. When that happens, I must turn around and figure out another route.
The second is that people allow their shrubs to grow far into the geometric plane of the sidewalk, causing us to have to go single file (with Wendy in front of me, walking backward) so we don’t get scratched.
I enjoy my walks with Wendy and want to enjoy the beauty of my neighborhood without worrying about my wheelchair tipping over or getting hit by a car. Hopefully, every sidewalk everywhere — not just in my city — will one day be safe and accessible for everyone, including wheelchair users.
Note: Friedreich’s Ataxia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Friedreich’s Ataxia News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Friedreich’s ataxia.
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Comments
Kathryn Hansen
It's hard to explain how communities don't have to abide by the guidelines. They hide behind their"private " label, and feel like they can ignore how dangerous the heavy doors , uneven surfaces are. It's a struggle.