Rolling Through

Can I be totally honest with you?

Being a wheelchair user can be exhausting. 

Of course, moving around is harder and physical tasks take longer but that’s not what makes me tired.  The really exhausting part is constantly having to negotiate a world that excludes me so routinely.

When acquaintances suggest a get together at the pub, I need to know how accessible it is.  The pub’s website tells me nothing helpful.  Those who suggested the venue think it’s accessible.  They’re not sure but “we can worry about that later”. 

Well, if you’re not a wheelchair user, then, sure, you can worry about it later – because you’ll be able to get in regardless.  If you want to include me, you need to check the venue before we all show up there.  If not, you show up, walk in, not even noticing the step at the entrance, sit down and order a drink while you wait.  Maybe a couple of others arrive and do the same. 

When I arrive, the step at the entrance stops me from getting in.  I call you and you come to the entrance, drink in hand.  “It’s only a little step.  Can’t your power chair get over that?’  I demonstrate.  No, it can’t. 

Now you’re in a sticky situation.   You’ve invited me to socialise with you.  You assumed that the pub you like is accessible – but you didn’t make sure.  Now you’re inside, having begun your evening and I’m outside, unable to join in.  You could uproot the group, leave your drinks and go to an accessible pub down the road – but is there one?.  If you opt for that, it’s a fair bet you’ll be asking me to provide that information.  But your night has started.  Everyone’s inside.  You like this pub and I’m only one person.  You feel bad but you just want to enjoy your night.  You mumble an apology. I tell you I have things to do at home anyway and leave.

This story isn’t one incident that happened exactly this way.  It’s a combination of a few different occasions – but all the different parts of the story have happened to me.

The thing is, it wouldn’t be difficult for the story to change.  The number of accessible venues is growing – albeit at a snail’s pace.  New buildings have to be accessible and renovations to old buildings often need to include access provisions. Accessible venues can be hard to find, but they do exist. 

It would help if pubs, restaurants and cafes that are accessible promoted the fact. 

When I go to the website of a hospitality business, I want to know whether my wheelchair can get in (and whether there’s a toilet I can use).  If they have other accessibility features, I want to know about them too.  It saves disabled people a lot of time if we don’t have to call each venue individually to ask – but more than that, it actually makes us feel welcome.  Kinda radical, especially in the hospitality industry, right?   

I live near Newtown.  It’s a very LGBTIQA+ friendly area.  Lots of businesses have rainbow stickers on the doors, to create a safe and welcoming space for LGBTIQA+ folk.  That’s great!  How about extending the same big welcome to wheelchair users and others with disabilities?

What are your experiences of access barriers? Let me know in the comments.

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