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accessibility logoaccessibility signagehandicapped signHayley CafarellaLara Hill

#279 – A is for Accessibility

June 24, 2012 4 Comments

As I reflect on the title of this post, a sense of peace washes over me. Accessibility means so many things - an ability to go where I want to go. It means that if I don't have to work so hard to do something, I have more energy to do other things. It means that my over-stressed joints aren't required to perform the equivalent of mini-miracles, just to do the things most people take for granted.

My short stays at the rehab hospital came complete with electric wheelchairs. It was long enough to learn how frustrating it can be trying to get into building that are not designed for wheelchairs to cross their lintels.

However, disability takes many forms, some of them not readily visible. One of the disconcerting things about the current handicapped symbol is that it educates the public to assume that if you are not in a wheelchair you are violating handicapped parking rules.

I have been berated for using my handicapped parking symbol because I was not in a wheelchair. These well-meaning people have made the assumption that I don't need the handicapped space and are defending the rights of wheelchair users. Or not. What they don't see is my new hip replacement or how I'm limping on my "marbleized" toes. In this article, Hayley Cafarella does a great job describing the things the public doesn't see.

I rarely use my handicapped parking sticker, as I would rather see someone who really needs the space use it. I police myself and use it only when necessary.

This is an article that suggests replacing the wheelchair symbol with the letter A. After all, it's what we all want to move towards - accessibility.

There is one problem with this as a symbol - it would only work in countries where the word "accessible" begins with the letter "A". Years ago, before A Rheumful of Tips was conceived, I tweeted a blog post where someone had suggested a replacement for the current symbol; it wasn't the letter "A". Regrettably, I have been unsuccessful in tracking down that post. Perhaps you might remember it.

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4 Replies to “#279 – A is for Accessibility”

  1. dorleem says:
    June 24, 2012 at 9:45 am

    Marianna, you raise such an important and valid point here; other people aside from those who are in wheel chairs may need to use those “accessible spots” and those spots are indeed reserved for all people who need assistance in access. (I’m so sorry for when you have had to defend your need for the use of such a spot.) I love your suggestion of changing the wheelchair symbol to an A but also understand the issue for countries in which accessibility does not begin with A. I will keep my eyes open in case I run into other options and make sure to let you know.

    Reply
    1. Marianna says:
      June 24, 2012 at 10:26 am

      I appreciate that, Dorlee.

      What is funny about that is that I even remember who retweeted it, but unfortunately, he didn’t have a record of the tweet, either. Strange, the things we put in our data banks. 🙂

      Reply
  2. business-sitter says:
    June 24, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    In an increasingly international society, symbols, icons, logos and name marks have to be immediately ‘accessible’ across cultural and language barriers. Add to that the plethora of international meanings associated with colours and emoticons. Consider also the political barriers: in France, the request to come to a halt in traffic is announced by a STOP sign; in Quebec it’s an ARRÊT sign!

    I wondered about showing a cane rather than a wheelchair, and whether this could be confused with a white blind stick. Then I found these symbols from a UK travel guide for accessible accomodation: http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/accommodation/accessible-accommodation.aspx

    Thank you for your daily tips which also keep our minds agile, Marianna!

    Reply
    1. Marianna says:
      June 28, 2012 at 9:36 am

      Kathrin,

      Thanks for reminding us how large and important an issue is, especially in our global society.

      The accommodation symbols out of the U.K. travel guide do help to let the disabled traveler know what to expect.

      Reply

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