RIDE, DON'T WALK

It has often been said that you can’t truly know another person’s challenges until you “walk a mile in their shoes”. I would like to modify that a little. I recently had the opportunity to “roll a mile in someone’s chair.” This experience was part of the Ride, Don’t walk project at Washington State University. We were given the task of navigating two buildings on campus using a wheel chair and no outside help. This experience gave us an opportunity to gain a real understanding of the daily challenges faced by people with disabilities, as well as the limitations of current design standards when addressing accessibility issues. I sat in the wheelchair, immediately feeling helpless, finding it difficult to roll forward or turn, everything that I take for granted becomes challenging and seems almost impossible. Little things became like climbing a mountain, from the crumbling sidewalks, to steep ramps entering buildings with landings too small to accommodate a wheelchair as you try to open the door that is not equipped with an automated door opener. Rolling through buildings was even more difficult, with hallways and doorways that are far too narrow. Then came the most challenging task of the day, trying to go to the bathroom was akin to trying to park a semi-truck into a compact parking spot. Even things that seem effortless in everyday life become monumental tasks, like ordering a cup of coffee at countertops that you can’t begin to see over while planted in a wheelchair. Even grabbing a snack out of the back of the fridge leaves you feeling like your arms just aren’t long enough. Many of these issues could be resolved with simple design changes that would make each of these spaces functional for all. As I reflect about my experience I wonder what kinds of design changes could be made to better accommodate people with disabilities. Would it be that difficult to put automated doors throughout a building or widen the bathroom stall just a little bit? Would it take that much to put pull out shelves on cupboards and refrigerators or lower ordering counters so that everyone can see over them. Each of these improvements comes at a cost, but what is the cost of someone not being able to enjoy these spaces. As technology improves all of our lives we as designers must look for ways to incorporate new technologies to not only benefit those without disabilities but how can we best integrate new technologies to make those with disabilities lives easier. These seem like little things but they have a large impact, now I have a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by those with disabilities and will keep these things in mind throughout my design career.