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Personal experiences in a wheelchair?

Y

Yikes

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,085
Location
Southern California
This isn't exactly a code question, but more of a subjective experience question. For those of you who are normally ambulatory, have you ever spent time in a wheelchair? If so, was there anything about that experience that enlightened your understanding of the code?

Some years ago, I had a few hours to kill while waiting for my elderly in-laws to return to their retirement home. The staff let me borrow a spare wheelchair to try for the afternoon, and as best I could I tried not to use any leg muscles at all. The wheelchair was a basic, upright model (not an inclined chair that would take more space).

Here's my impressions from that afternoon, which I acknowledge as completely subjective:

1. Turning circle, about 3 feet max was all I needed.

2. Forward approach to sinks: overrated. Side approach was more convenient.

3. Toilet clearances: I would rather have had a smaller space with two walls and grab bars close by, than an open side approach with very little to hang onto, to pull myself on and off the fixture.

4. Raised dots at curb ramps were really awkward to navigate.

5. The biggest surprise?: How much I needed and appreciated the strike side clearances at doors, especially on the pull side of a door with a closer. It is really hard to pull a door towards you without your chair being pulled towards the door instead. Being able to angle the wheelchair to the strike side helps tremendously with pulling the door open.
 
I was on the pushing end for awhile

Going through doors

Trying to find elevator

Trying to find handicapped entrance

Trying to find handicap seats
 
I have been on the pushing end. Mother in-law lived wit us for about six months. She was a stroke victim. Fortuantly I knew where we could go and where not.

Wife had a servere break in her foot in Feb that she is still recovering from. Used a wheel chair for 4 weeks and then a knee scooter after that. Those tranciated domes or scored curb cuts along with stamped concrete would about send her over the roof in pain.

Biggest problem was getting around the clothing displays while shopping.
 
I have a chair in a closet downstairs from my mother-in-laws surgery (back?), I look at it and wonder what a day in that would look like. Obviously I have not tried it.............
 
jar546 said:
I think that every accessibility code inspector/plan reviewer should be required to spend a day in one as part of certification.
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How about the architects and designers who submit the plans?

I propose a post-review sentencing;

"These plans do not meet the requirements for accessibility, I sentence you to 24 hrs. in a wheelchair" [stamp] DENIED "Next!"
 
jar546 said:
I think that every accessibility code inspector/plan reviewer should be required to spend a day in one as part of certification.
Click to expand...
Also, on consecutive days thereafter, wear a blindfold, wear someone else's prescription, wear ear muffs with ear plugs, have their arms tied to thier side, use a walker all day with one leg tied up, and wear a 300 pound fat suit.

Actually, they might find out what kind of BS some of those codes are.

Brent.
 
When I tried to cut off my ankle with a chainsaw, I found crutches in the winter were not a good idea. Those yellow ramps and their dots can be treacherous. Driving myself was impossible. Dee had to drive me everyplace. I had to explain to a customer how to reset their gas valve. I could get down on the floor, but getting up was a challange! Next time you get in the bathtub, try that with only one leg functioning. And you cannot get the left ankle wet! A simple bath took an hour to complete. I had to scoot down the stairs on my butt. I could not even pee standing up, but sat like a girl. Even using a walker took some time to figure out. I crawled around the house for a few weeks.

Then when I broke my ribs in a motorcycle accident, more of the same. I had to sleep in the recliner because I could not get out of bed.

Jar's suggestion was one I thought of several times during those 2 injuries. It is not just mobility. Put an ear plug in and tape the ear down. Take a pair of glasses and put some spray paint on them. Now go for a drive. Lift your wheel chair out of the car with one arm tied to your torso.

I started to look at disabled in a whole new light. Now I will hold the door open for those with a limp, or the use of one arm.
 
Rick18071 said:
Did anyone ever see how much turning space they need for a scooter?
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I am an alternate on one of the ICC/ADA liaison boards and can tell you that the numbers will be changing in the future because more studies have been done to update the codes based on current equipment in use, such as scooters. When it will come to fruition I don't know.
 
MASSDRIVER said:
Also, on consecutive days thereafter, wear a blindfold, wear someone else's prescription, wear ear muffs with ear plugs, have their arms tied to thier side, use a walker all day with one leg tied up, and wear a 300 pound fat suit. Actually, they might find out what kind of BS some of those codes are.

Brent.
Click to expand...
More than likely they would find out that the codes make complete sense and are not BS! I would bet that they would actually come up with some new code requirements and modify the existing ones to make them better. You'll never know until you spend some time trying to navigate as a handicapped person.
 
I spent a little time in a wheel chair many years ago. I broke my ankle in three places and also dislocated it. We had plans to go to California so eleven days after surgery I am sitting in a wheel chair at Sea World. As we got to the top of a small hill/bridge the wheel chair pusher decided to remove their jacket. I beat everybody to the bottom and demanded my crutches and have never sat in a wheel chair again. Went on to tour San Francisco, Alcatraz and other sites from crutches.
 
I have a friend who is completely blind, and another who can use his arms, but not his finger or anything below his chest.

They are both very creative, and I have heard them speak to educators and industrial designers. The common advice is: "keep it simple".

The friend in a wheelchair puts short ropes (with loops) on the pull side of door handles. He backs into his bathroom and can use all facilities without turning around.

The friend who is blind puts adhesive raised dots on things like the oven thermostat, so he always knows where 350 degrees is. One of his greatest frustrations is the complexity of smart phones: he just needs raised buttons on a "dumb" cel phone. The guy has a fantastic memory, He has an entire wood working shop and routinely uses power tools (saws, drills, etc.), measuring and controlling via use of jigs and precut measuring sticks.

The tactile warning dots in traffic areas are a real pain in the butt. In parking complexes, you've got to keep count of the number of times you crossed: did that last set of bumps mean I stepped into, or out of, traffic?
 
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