Accessible Parking
© by Wheel Me On... 2000; 2007
Public accommodations are not limited to hotels, motels, or lodging facilities. They are in fact, public accommodations including any business or facility used by the public, such as restaurants, banks, service stations, etc. This web page addresses
several types of public accommodations, the good, the bad, and the indifferent.
Additional information may be found on the "Members Only" web pages, including letters from our members, and hints on how to overcome many of the problems.
Julia Hollenbeck
Note: Wheel Me On... does not warrant Google Sponsor ads will be in ADA compliance or support web page content.
Rest Areas
Some persons can drive for hours on end without stopping, but wise drivers stop between 150 to 200 miles for a rest. One of the nicest things the United States of America has are convenient Rest Areas along major highways and Interstates. Many of these facilities contain picnic areas, a place to walk your canine, snack vending areas, bathrooms, and other amenities. Typically, Rest Areas are well lit after dark, and in most cases are patrolled by State Police enforcement.
Rest Areas near state lines often contain Visitor Centers and an abundance of information a driver may desire while traveling through or visiting the state. (i.e. Tourist Information) While these facilities are open for all and any individuals, persons with disabilities must have access for parking as well as safe entry into the facility.
It is important for all drivers to stop and rest, and it is equally important for their passengers. One of the nicest examples of a Rest Area meeting or exceeding compliance with the ADA or Code of Federal Regulations from the Department of Justice is in Arkansas near the State Line of Tennesse on Interstate 40.
The Bad
It is bad enough to be on the highway traveling miles and miles before stopping for fuel and a brief pit stop... but, when after obtaining the fuel and having to move your vehicle completely around the small convenience store building in order to gain entrance into the facility to use a bathroom, only to find an ADA non-compliant curb ramp that may throw your wheels into the air like a rocket... Is that not bad enough?
Actually no... it can get worse! As was in the case with this accommodation that was not very accommodating at all. Once reaching the "accessible water stall", first one had to contend with a door containing some sort of baby changing thing hanging on the inside. A small wheelchair could possibly clear it - maybe. Then the amazing feat would be to attempt closing the door. Remember, without very long arms, this would be very close to impossible.
But wait... There is more! This is a "pull straight in" water stall. How does a person get in this bathroom, close the door, and then use the commode that has absolutely no clearance room around the stall?
Count the squares on the floor. This is a water stall with less than 4 1/2 feet of space between the door and the commode, and there is this thing hanging on the back of the door? Worse, only a person capable of "jump mounting" the commode with really good arm strength could manage this maneuver. How can any building inspector pass this as ADA compliant? Why has someone not bothered to file a complaint... and, if someone did complain, why has this accommodation not met the need for access?
Unfortunately, location information was lost. If these photos bring any sudden jars to your memory, please talk to the management or owner of this facility because apparently they do not understand ADA compliance, and this is really BAD!
How Persons Park
Education not only lacks with reading, writing, and arithmetic, but apparently also with parking a vehicle. Why do people with or without disabilities continue to ignore persons who depend on mobility devices to be in society and their need for ACCESSIBLE PARKING FOR VANS WITH LIFTS??? Please do your part and advocate by educating the public.
Just for Fun - Let's Park!
Even With Valet Parking At A Hospital!
As many times in over the past decade, electing to use valet parking, even though parking was not performed by attendants because of high tech electronics, on November 6, 2000 an appointment at a doctors office located inside the Jones Pavilion at Herman Hospital in Houston, Texas, led to once again to self-parking larger wheels to avoid having to travel a much longer distance for public parking.
The convenience for me to use and pay for valet parking was that it was located at the front entrance, instead of the rear of the hospital, where I would have had to travel a much longer distance and along a road to reach my physician's office.
Returning to the vehicle after the physician's appointment also led to discovering the striped ramp area was blocked from entering the van because a valet attendant had parked a passenger car next to to the van illegally.
After waiting for over a half-hour in the street, arguing with the valet staff, being told they could not find the keys to the passenger car; learning there was a security office inside of the hospital appeared to be a blessing.
A companion went inside the hospital to obtain assistance from the security department, but his help ended up with a Houston Police Officer coming out of the building yelling.
By this time, the digital camera had been whipped out and photos of the scene were being taken.
The incident brought forward two other individuals:
One that was supposed to have been from the Security Office and the other the Manager of the Valet Parking Staff.
After several more minutes, the one that came out with the Police Officer made the decision to have the passenger car towed away from the side of the van with the lift.
When asked why a vehicle was parked illegally, no one was able to answer, but the Houston Police Officer began yelling, "Look lady, we're giving you back your money and we're having the car towed off! What more do you want?" SNAP
 |
What was not realized at the time, was an incident taking place inside of the hospital corridor with the companion, may have violated his civil rights.
It would appear that when any private or public parking lot is supposed to adhere to the ADA Parking Regulations, they should also be willing to immediately ticket and remove any vehicle that is illegally parked, without incident, questioning, or making a person using a wheelchair sit in the hot sun while they try to decide what to do.
The passenger car was towed out of the parking lot and then back into the parking lot as we left the scene and drove away.
End Result: On November 10, 2000 the Manager of Patient Relations contacted me to advise parking would no longer be allowed in the "handicap" or van accessible areas in the valet parking area, unless patrons agreed to leave their automobile keys, with the exception of high-tech vehicles that contained electronic controls for specialized driving.
I was extremely pleased to hear of these new rules for the benefit of persons with disabilities and proves to me that in most cases, the management of facilities are usually willing to remove barriers or obstacles to make necessary corrections. We must pursue the challenge of living independently, if we want to move ahead.
Is THIS Accessible?
Bank United
Northwest Military Drive
San Antonio, TX
Arrival in San Antonio in October, 2000 went quite well until deciding to look for a bank. As it worked out, the bank desired had two branches near to the new residence and the decision was made to drive to the closest location. It was raining that day, momentarily forgetting banks closed at 3 PM during the first four days of the week, and absent-absentmindedly looked for an accessible parking space close to the front door. An accessible space was located, but then realized that it was not accessible for a van with a lift when attempting to descend. The search for an accessible space led to driving around to the side of the bank.
Locating an accessible parking space around the corner of the building from the main entrance, the vehicle was parked and the lift descended to the pavement, then the wheelchair was maneauvered to approach to ramp. Proceeding up the ramp and wheeling around the corner to the right of the building, expecting to find a continued sidewalk area that would lead to the front door, ended up at steps and an ATM machine that could not be used. With the rain pelting an umbrella and soaking legs, the wheels turned to the opposite end of the walkway, but that ended with a drop off of about ten inches into the street.
At this point, irritatation began: The wheels turned to go back down the ramp and along the street to the main entrance of the bank.
After scaling the second ramp and trying to open the door to the bank, discovery that the bank was actually closed at the main enterance and opened at the drive-up Teller windows. After surveying the "accessible" parking and realizing how an individual using a wheelchair who wanted to enter the bank, would have to literally wheel through the parking area and street to gain entrance, patience began to desinergrate. By this time, the rain was heavier and thunder could be heard overhead; when would the lightening come? Wheeling around again and heading back through the road to the parking area near the side ramp, wheels went back up the ramp and then followed the sidewalk over to the Teller's window.
This is not the end of the story: The Teller's window was NOT accessible to a person using a wheelchair! The only way a person using a wheelchair could do business with this particular bank was via the drive through area. Needless to say, exasperation grew when wheeling around, following the walkway back to (Why did they even have a walkway to the outside Teller window?) the van. Returning to the safe interior of the van, larger wheels drove up to the drive-through Teller. While hanging out the window, the manager was asked tp come forward. Of course the manager stated the building was APPROVED as being ADA compliant and could not understand why there was a problem.
The first point was there was NO WAY a person using a wheelchair with a van with a lift could gain entry into this facility without having to wheel through the road and parking lot. The second point was a person using a wheelchair (without using a vehicle such as a van) could not access the "Drive-up" windows because there was no access unless driving a vehicle! Would you say that this is ADA compliant?
End Result: After patiently waiting for over two weeks for the management to return a call, on November 9th, 2000 the accounts were closed and moved to another bank.
