By: Spoonydoc

Spoonydoc
Tue, 28 Apr 2015 00:22:38 +0000

Sarah
I first found it offensive, but now find it almost funny that you are sitting there telling me what I did or did not find harder, or how many disabled spaces were “accessible” to me at different stages of my OWN disability. It is fairly astounding that you have the cheek to tell me my own personal experience is wrong.

Your point about steps to private houses is moot. We are not talking about private dwellings, but disabled parking outside public shops etc.
Your point about cars etc being mobility aids? Nope. They are convenient to use, not necessary. It might take you all day to get there, but you could walk if you wanted to. A true mobility aid is necessary. You can *never* choose not to use it.
Your point about bigger shops being more inaccessible if distance was considered a barrier? Well, yes, absolutely. Larger shops ARE more inaccessible for some people, as it is the distance from car door back to car door which matters, self evidently.
Your point about distance not being a barrier because it is a matter of convenience is equally wrong. As I explained, for many it is a necessity. If I couldn’t park close enough and the shop was too big I had to go straight back home, thus making it a physical access barrier. Maybe this is what you struggle so much to understand and why you can’t comprehend how few parking spaces used to be available to me “pre wheelchairs”.

Distance acts as a physical access barrier for many disabled people just as much as a flight of steps for others. In other words the lack of a ramp will prevent access for some, but the lack of nearby parking will equally prevent access for others.