the Americans with Disabilities Act

[Ranjit Gadgil]

Worth reading and pondering over.

Coming up on 68 years of independence and as we aspire to becoming a world power and having world class cities, have we created an inclusive society?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/07/24/why-the-americans-with-disabilities-act-mattered/

Why I wrote the Americans with Disabilities Act

The bill, a model for bipartisanship, addressed hideous discrimination faced by people with disabilities.

He says . . .

The ADA was a response to an appalling problem: widespread, systemic, inhumane discrimination against people with disabilities. 

Most public transportation systems made few, if any, accommodations for persons with disabilities, resulting in a transportation infrastructure that was almost totally unusable by people with mobility or visual impairments – a situation that was mirrored in inaccessible private transportation services including taxis, ferries and private buses. Government buildings, public monuments and parks had generally been designed and built without taking into account the possibility that people with disabilities might want or need to use them. Flat or ramped entrances into stores and businesses were the exception rather than the rule. Curb cuts or ramps on sidewalks were extremely rare, often forcing people who used wheelchairs to make their way on streets, where they faced the peril of being hit by motor vehicles.

and concludes . . .

In a variety of ways, the ADA has lived up to the hopeful expectations that accompanied its passage. Among various areas of particular impact are the following:

Buildings, facilities and thoroughfares: Flat or ramped entrances into buildings have become the rule rather than the exception, and curb cuts and ramps on sidewalks are now commonplace. As a result of ADA mandates, designated disability parking spaces have become a standard feature of parking lots and garages. Due to all these improvements, today it’s common to encounter people using electric and manual wheelchairs, crutches, white canes, service animals or prosthetic devices on sidewalks and in parking lots, at malls and shopping centers, in airports and train stations, in stadiums and theaters, in parks and playgrounds, and at most other public places.

Mass transportation: The ADA imposed detailed requirements for operators of bus, rail and other public transportation systems, plus intercity and commuter rail systems. Implementation has been far from perfect, but transportation accessibility has progressed considerably.

[Ranjit Gadgil]

Some comments posted on the article . . .

I'm a healthy guy who had major foot surgery about eight years ago. I couldn't weight bear for almost two months. I decided to use it as a learning experience. I rented a wheelchair and on a couple occasions rode almost a mile (each way) to the Metro, went downtown and visited museums.
It was a major eye-opener. Ramps on sidewalks made it possible to be human and self sufficient. Elements on the Metro made it possible to travel. ADA features and docents in the museums made it possible to learn, grow and have wonderful experiences in general. In two short days I went from an ADA skeptic to a full-on believer. I recommend anyone willing, try it. It'll blow your mind.

[Anil Risbud]

Ranjit,

Excellent! Indeed, the American approach is worth emulating by our policymakers. I recall there was a proposal for a comprehensive bill for the disabled. What happened to that?

Sharing the thoughts that came to mind, on another (perhaps more fundamental) mind-set change that is needed at multiple levels, w.r.t. ensuring travel safety for all - riders, drivers, occupants of vehicles and also equally, for pedestrians.

Consider the following, well-known examples:-

=====================================

- reportedly, the recent Khandala landslide was the result of the failure to renew the contract for maintenance of the protective meshes fixed over the rocks. (experts are debating, whether the meshes are an adequate protection, or a retaining wall is needed!!) The casualty figure could have been far higher, had an entire bus plunged into the adjoining ravine as a result of the massive landslide.

- there is absolutely no enforcement of any speed limit whatsoever on our highways. On the expressway, powerful cars and SUVs are routinely seen to be zooming at speeds of 150kmph and above, zig-zaging their way thru' slower-moving (i.e. at 60-120kmph !) traffic.

- In Pune the unmarked, odd-shaped speed breakers of all kings and heights, have led to umpteen accidents and injuries (and I am sure, several deaths)

- an extreme example, is that of a *couple of thousand* people dying silently on and around Mumbai's railway tracks alone, every year!! While reports on high profile murders occupy multiple newspaper columns for days, this fact has remained a mere statistic recurring year after year.... This is a part of the issue of railway safety in general, thus the issue is not limited to road safety only.

- There is so much discussion on levels of fines for over-speeding and drunk driving, but we ignore the right of pedestrians' access to footpaths, that too without encroachments.

The excuses given for the above state of affairs, range from "impracticality", "poverty", "population", "lack of resources" and so on.

Thoughts?

best regards,

Anil Risbud

On Sat, Jul 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Ranjit Gadgil <ranjit...@gmail.com> wrote:

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