The Everyday Obstacles I Encounter as a Wheelchair User

Sidewalks that are cracked and uneven. Narrow or sloping sidewalks. Brick sidewalks. Potholes. Trash bins left blocking the sidewalk on trash day.

Crosswalk buttons that are far from the crosswalk. Curb cuts that are not level with the street. Curb cuts and crosswalks blocked by parked vehicles. People parking on/across the sidewalk.  Navigating a crowd when people do not see you because you’re not at their eye level.

Doors that open into rooms that don’t leave enough room to close.

Everything out of reach in stores.  Racks so close together that you cannot make the turn between them.

Tables too close together in restaurants. High-top and booth seating. The counter/checkout height in pretty much every shop and medical office. Buffets. Get your own coffee/soda stations.

Push pads to open doors that are missing or not working. Getting in and out of elevators or accessible bathroom stalls. Needing to have someone go into a building to ask them to unlock the accessible entrance.

Having to plan every outing around where there might be an accessible bathroom. Routes to accessible bathrooms blocked by clutter. Accessible bathrooms used for storage. Accessible bathrooms that have the flush between the toilet and the wall. Paper towels or hand dryers on the opposite side of the room from the sink. Having to call every restaurant to ask if they have an accessible bathroom. Having to leave dinner early because the accessible bathroom is closed.

In winter, sidewalks that aren’t shoveled or are only shoveled one foot wide. Ramps that are not shoveled. Ice. Curb cutouts with crevices that fill with snow and ice.

Businesses that have steps from street level. Every house has stairs to get in so no visiting friends’ homes. Railings on ramps with gaps (on the corners where they’re needed the most). Ramps with steps at the end!?!

People using accessible parking spaces “just for a minute.” People blocking the hashed area next to accessible parking spaces.

Being unable to use the bathroom on a plane. The aisle chair to get to my seat on a plane.

Booking an accessible hotel room and arriving to find that it isn’t. The current trend for ridiculously high beds in hotels.