Having run my own business and marketing consulting firm for decades, I knew when I started my accessibility firm, that there would be challenges. I expected, and have encountered, many of the expected challenges: raising capital, keeping up with technology, employee and human resource issues, time-management, the usual challenges for start-up businesses.

I knew that as a fledgling industry, I would have extra work to do educating potential clients about need. I knew I would have to overcome price objectives and the negativity surrounding ‘legislated compliance’. Businesses aren’t fond of spending money, especially when the government makes them, regardless of the purpose. They must first be educated about the huge return on investment that accessibility provides. The benefits accessibility has for all of their customers. Accessibility increases corporate perception, customer loyalty and sales, and unlike the mis-perceptions about cost that abound, do not have to cost a lot. And again, the return on investment is huge. I was just tweeting this evening with a gentleman about the many benefits of simply having a few chairs available for customers. Sit, stay, spend. For a multitude of reasons and for the benefit of many, particularly the bottom-line. There are numerous small things that can be done to remove barriers and increase accessibility, and they don’t have to cost very much. To paraphrase: If you build a ramp, they will come.

What I was not expecting was how many barriers to access would exist for my business and how affected it would be by inaccessibility.

I tried, for example, to join the local Chamber of Commerce, but couldn’t as I would have been completely unable to gain entry had I been using my wheelchair. Fortunately, I was able to use my cane to avoid a meeting in the parking lot where it was snowing quite hard at the time. But still, I cannot, as an accessibility firm, support a Chamber that is entirely inaccessible.

I have gone to an untold amount of business meetings where using my wheelchair would have been quite impossible in terms of accessibility. The latest came during a round of pre-event meetings for a local event I was to be speaking at. Despite my topic being about wheelchairs, I arrived with my walker to find the meetings being held on the second-floor of a Victorian-home converted to offices. Again, I am fortunate that I was able to return to my car and grab an alternate assistive device, my cane. I have to mention that the organizers were more than accommodating, offering to move the meeting to the main floor, etc. But that would have been way too much of an effort as everything was set up in the upstairs boardroom already, and I have already caused too much additional unwanted attention at this point.

Ironically, the event venue itself attempted to be accommodating providing a ramp for my sole-use, but this ramp proved completely inaccessible, even the cameraman had difficulty WALKING up the steep slope. Again, I resorted to using the cane I now keep attached to my wheelchair for such frequent occurances. I am fortunate that I have other options. I cannot image the added difficulties not having my additional assistive device options would pose for me and my business. Again, I note that both the organizers and the event tried to be accommodating and I am grateful for any accommodations, I just prefer accessibility and independence.

I encountered similar problems with every attempt to attend networking meetings. They were either entirely inaccessible (I myself have had difficulty finding accessible venues at which to host my own events), or I encountered what I call the ‘red-sea syndrome’ that occurs at most events, and makes networking in a wheelchair quite difficult. Many people are quite hesitant to approach someone sitting in a wheelchair, so I will usually be the one to approach others and introduce myself. I have found that approaching a small group of individuals and casually inserting myself into the group, and then conversation, quite impossible. Inevitably, someone will notice my chair approaching and a polite, ‘parting of the seas’ will occur as everyone re-adjusts to allow me to pass. This is nice of them. Unfortunately, at this point I find it quite difficult to casually insert myself into the conversation and will sheepishly, roll-on past, thanking them as I do. It may not be the chair, it could be me, but it’s easier on my self-esteem to blame the chair.

What does seem to work is finding another individual standing alone and approaching them with something along the lines of, “Hi, I’m Donna, I don’t like sitting alone at these events so thought I would come over and introduce myself”. Individual approaches seem to work better for networking, though can occasionally strike fear in the eyes of those being approached when they realized I have signaled them out. I don’t think this is a reaction to my disability in any way, but an innate, networking event reaction for most.

I have a feeling too, that many potential customers are hesitant to approach us for fear that they are not currently accessible. They are unaware of the many mobility options available to me. Plus, they are calling inquiring about accessibility, this positive fact outweighs the obvious fact that if they are looking to increase accessibility, they may not currently be so. But I am hesitant to ever play the D-card as an excuse for my business, and honestly, there are many other reasons that a potential customer might not call.

I am not sure why I was so surprised by that inaccessibility affected my business, inaccessibility affects my daily life, and I suppose, for us especially, success lies in literally being able to get our foot in the door.

www.rolllamile.com

Accessible Parking Permits (APP) are perhaps the only “perk” persons with disabilities get. But it’s not the perk most people assume it is. For many, being out in the world only occurs on “good days” and even on a “good day”, a walk across a parking lot is equal to one lap around a big-box store, which may be all the stamina they have. A lot of mobility and chronic pain is about stamina and energy conservation, so if energy can be saved by not having to walk across the lot, that energy can be expended elsewhere and more efficiently. There are also practical considerations such as the accommodation of vehicles that may require more space, or the need for a curb-ramp to accommodate an assistive device such as a wheelchair.

I recently had a conversation with someone who argued that there were too many disabled parking spaces and based this logic on the argument that whenever they saw them, there were always empty disabled spaces. In fact, empty spaces can indicate the opposite, that there are an adequate number of spaces as there should always be at least one available for use. Always-full spaces illustrate that the current number of spaces is not meeting the demand for those dedicated spaces and more are needed. Indeed, many people I know who have an APP only use them when doing so is necessary, leaving the spaces for those who might need them more. As well, with one in seven Canadians having a disability, and the majority of those disabilities being related to mobility and / or pain, there really can never be too many spaces.

So what is the required ratio of disabled spaces to other parking spaces? A general rule to follow would be 5% of spaces* be designated as disabled spaces. Obviously, when determining the number of allocated spaces, the nature of the building should be taken into consideration. Senior’s centres, healthcare facilities would benefit from having a higher number of disabled parking spaces. For many, getting out is limited to necessities such as groceries, banking, and occasional shopping and so having additional available spaces would benefit persons with disabilities.

I also have to point out the need for signs to indicate these dedicated spaces. Paint symbols on the ground do work very well, however, we live in Canada and that means the paint is covered with snow for a large portion of the year. As a result, many people inadvertently park in these spaces illegally. Signage in addition to paint indicators, either on a post or hanging on the wall, ensure that dedicated spaces are properly indicated at all times.

And while we’re on the topic of snow, these spaces should not be used to pile snow from plowing. I encountered this twice last winter, once at a nearby hospital where the snowplow had not piled the snow in the actual space, but between the disabled spaces and the hospital entrance. This required going through the parking lot and back through the lot entrance, squeezing between the curb and the entrance-gate arm. The second time was at a local coffee-chain and the snow had actually been piled in the space after plowing the rest of the parking lot.

The location of these spaces is also of importance, obviously nearest the entrance to the facility is preferred. In my town, this means that for at least two of the downtown banks, the spaces are located behind the building, halfway down a very steep slope due to the riverbank.

Also – to those who truly believe that it is okay to “just stop for a minute” in disabled spaces as long as you remain in the vehicle, please stop. You may mistakenly believe that you will simply move your vehicle if someone needs the space, this doesn’t really work in the real world. You see, I have come along and needed the space, and I see you sitting behind the wheel, but I can’t see your windshield and so I assume you are permitted use of the space. So I park elsewhere. And even if I am aware there is no APP displayed, if you’re already arrogant and entitled enough to park in a disabled space you are not entitled to, I’m not about to confront you.

I have also, on at least two separate occasions, at two separate large retail chain stores, witnessed staff improperly using these spaces, once for a someone to drop off lunch to a staff member, and once by someone waiting to pick a staff member up. Please – if you don’t need the space, first, be thankful – I’d really rather be able to walk across the parking lot, and second, leave them for those of us who do.

~ For more information on accessibility compliance and accommodation ~

www.rollamile.com

*not intended as legal advice, building codes and accessibility regulations vary by region

I basically got into the accessibility business out of necessity. First-hand experiences during a decade spent as caregiver to a spouse with a disability, followed by a decade as a person with a disability, often left me frustrated with inaccessibility and the numerous barriers ‘out there’. I also came to quickly realize that most of these barriers were simply a result of people not being aware. Awareness, understanding and adaptability go a long way towards accommodation and accessibility for all.

The turning point came during a two-week vacation to Vancouver to visit with my brother and his wife over Christmas 2006. The legislative process surrounding the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, related Bills and accessibility standard development, was underway, and my brother and I spent much of the visit discussing barriers to access and accessibility issues.

Waiting for a return flight home from Vancouver with my mother and son, the airline announced Pre-boarding (it is much easier to board and manouvre without too many others around). Immediately one of the flight-attendants walked over, grabbed the back of my wheelchair and began pushing me towards the gate. She didn’t say a word. She just walked over and began pushing me away from my elderly mother and minor son. Imagine for a moment, if you were standing waiting to board an airplane and someone came over and just began pushing you… that would probably never happen, and if it did, could be considered assault. You can’t just walk up to a person, lay your hands on them and begin pushing them. But the flight-attendant didn’t see me as a person, she simply saw the chair, as if I was simply cargo. I politely explained I would prefer to wheel myself and needed my companions with me and she went back to the gate to assist someone who both wanted and required it. It was the realization that she hadn’t done this out of malice, but simply a lack of awareness and understanding. Somehow, I had to make the world a little more aware.

I wrote the business concept for Roll a Mile on the flight home.

In keeping with this dedication to promoting an awareness of issues surrounding disability and accessibility compliance and training, I hope to blog about issues related to disabilities and all things accessible.

Accessibility – One Revolution at a Time