Kim,
It seems like these people are allowed to decide what accessible means
without any
kind of guidance. Or else someone is being paid to look the other way.
When I
was still working, the handicapped parking spots were sometimes the
farthest parking
spots from the building, and the last to receive snow removal. I took a
bad fall getting
out of my car once as a result. The building I live in has one
wheelchair ramp. It is
located at a non-automatic door, there is no button that opens the
door. It has a bar
in the door that you push to open the heavy door. If there was a fire,
and the door
was closed, I'd be out of luck. There is no ramp at the main entrance to
the building,
and I guess the ADA doesn't require a ramp. Makes no sense to me.
Kevin
kimr1...@bellsouth.net wrote:
Ok not the same issue but here one of my gripes
I am in a wheel chair on a business trip in LA, the hotel puts me on
the 16^th floor in a ‘wheel char accessible room” ok now tell me how
am I to get to the ground floor if something were to happen? Can’t use
the elevator, hum am I supposed to fly? Went to complain to manager
and he looked at me like I just grew a third eye!! Then had the nerve
to tell me “Oh if something were to happen, we would send someone to
come get you” I just laughed at him… and demanded to be put on the
ground floor, room was difficult to get around in but felt safer. To
date hotel has yet to make any kind of change in “wheel chair
accessible rooms” I wrote a letter to the corporate office but never
heard back from them.
Kim
-------------- Original message from Kevin Wolfthal
<wolft...@optonline.net>: --------------
>
> Akua,
>
> Yes, there are other people with disabilities in my building.
They are
> afraid
> to fight for their rights, and I don't have the energy to organize
> them. I have
> gotten small things done (curb cut) by emailing a state Senator who
> contacted the Fair
> Housing Association for my state.
> As the population ages, I think the ADA laws need to be
re-examined or we
> are going to be stepped on even more.
> Have you contacted local TV stations? Sometimes they have
advocates that
> help people.
>
> Best wishes,
> Kevin
>
>
>
>
>
> Akua wrote:
> > Kevin, I remember your tales of struggle with your condo.
> >
> > I was in exile at the time, waiting for my home to be rehabbed.
> > Now I'm home-- private house-- and everytime I want to invoke
the ADA,
> > I'm told it doesn't apply--- from the ramps that don't meet
> > ADA specs to being able to be dropped off in front
> > of my house where there is one concrete break in the grassy
> > median.
> >
> > My house is on a corner.., neither my neighbors across the street
> > nor next door to me park in front of my house.
> >
> > It's the illogic that gets me... there is plenty of room.
okay. so why
> > can't I reserve the space in front of my house, which i
starved and
> > suffered
> > to retain and continue to pay taxes on for the handicapped....
in this
> > case me?
> >
> > There are signs warning of Children at play and Deaf children,
why is
> > my request resisted?
> >
> > Are there other handicapped folks in your condo? Can you get them
> > to ask?
> >
> > I wrote well crafted letter after letter to the newspapers
about lack
> > of paratransit.
> > My drummer wrote a rant about not being able to get a bus to
see me
> > ( he can walk and could, but it would be extremely arduous)
and they
> > published it! Sometime, I guess they need to hear more than
one voice,
> > no matter how clear and lucid that one voice is.
> >
> > Thanks for sharing.
> > Akua
> >
> >
> >> Akua,
> >>
> >> The laws regarding handicapped parking don't go far enough
imo, and
> >> there should be state inspections of buidings like mine, (a
high-rise
> >> condo complex),
> >> to make sure they are meeting code. There is exactly ONE
handicapped
> >> parking
> >> space on my street for approx. 200 condominiums. I have
learned that
> >> there should
> >> be at least THREE spaces, still not that many. I have been
forced to
> >> park a block
> >> away, and as a result have not been able to access my car for
a very
> >> long time. I used
> >> to be able to walk to my car with a cane, now it's too far,
and I can
> >> only get to
> >> it with a power wheelchair, which I can't get in my car.
> >>
> >> It sounds like you live in a private home? It seems the ADA
laws do
> >> little for private
> >> residences than public buidings, but there shouldn't be people
> >> blocking your access.
> >> That's just wrong.
> >>
> >> Kevin
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Akua wrote:
> >>> Ah Kevin: curb cuts
> >>>
> >>> After a year and half of lettert writing and countless
calls, the
> >>> city manager and a cop are meeting with me to review my
request for
> >>> a handicapped parking sign in front of my house.
> >>>
> >>> I have a curb cut right in front of my house, but some
idiots park
> >>> there, blocking it. Despite the fact that it is in front of my
> >>> house and my ramp. I was initially refused the sign because
> >>> I was told there are LOTS of places to park in my
single-family home
> >>> neighborhood.
> >>>
> >>> I said that's my point! There are lots of other places for able
> >>> bodied people to PARK( like their own
> >>> homes and driveways) and I need access to my house. I was
told that
> >>> handicapped parking signs are
> >>> not for homes....argggghhh.... but they're coming to meet
with me to
> >>> understand what it is I am saying.
> >>>
> >>> Akua
> >>>
> >>>> Akua,
> >>>>
> >>>> I am sorry that you are going through these difficulties.
> >>>>
> >>>> I had to get my state involved to get a wheelchair curb cut
> >>>> put in front of my condo complex. The building resents me
> >>>> because it cost money, even though they were breaking the law.
> >>>>
> >>>> Kevin
> >
> >
>
