ADA -Hogwash (fwd)
NYC
SUBJECT: ADA -Hogwash
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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ADA -Hogwash
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-by Raymond B. Normandeau
So ... we recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of the
American with Disabilities Act.
If everyone thinks that the passage of a law means everything is
hunky-dory, I say HOGWASH.
Upon leaving my building I have to feel for the top step of the exit
stairs while holding the hand-rail. It should be an ADA requirement
that all top and bottom steps have some bright yellow paint. To be
honest, I have never brought this to the attention of my landlord.
Maybe they would be willing to do something about this. On the other
hand maybe not. I have asked that as an ADA reasonable accommodation
that my building exterior lights be kept in working order. When I came
home a few nights ago, a lite was out again.
If I want to visit another building in my development I have problems
reading the building addresses. Prior to building entrance renovations
I had suggested that addresses be printed with white lettering on a
black background. This works very well on the subway platforms. When
renovations were complete I found black lettering on an unpainted steel
surface. Not enough contrast for me. But at least I have the
opportunity to waste time walking right up to building to read the
address above the entrance. A few years ago at a Ravenswood co-op I was
looking for a building address in the rain. The addresses were not
above the entrances but rather on a wall a few feet away from the
entrance. The only way I could read that address was to get off the
sidewalk and onto the lawn to read the address as I felt my shoes
sinking into the wet ground.
I take the subway at 21 Street/Queensbridge. The sign indicating which
platform the next train will leave from is unreadable to me. If it were
at face level, I probably would be able to read it altho I think that
the coloration is a dark red on black which is a VERY POOR choice for
the visually impaired. When I complained to the Transit Authority about
this, they told me that the station opened in 1989 before the ADA and
that they do not have to do anything about it.
Went to Dallas BBQ July 27 at 132 W 43 Street. When I got the check a
15% service charge was itemized and INCLUDED in the total due. Below
that it said that a 15% tip was suggested. When I questioned this I was
told that this was printed on the menu. The type was much smaller and
lighter then food listings and impossible for me to read. I was
escorted to the front of the restaurant where a sign on the wall was
pointed out to me which I was unable to read. If it had been at eye
level and white lettering on black background I would definitely have
been able to read it.
This beats the cafeteria at the Astor Place K-Mart. My wife was reading
the wall mounted menu to me. Server asked what I wanted. I said "I
can't read the menu" and explained that my wife had to read it to me.
Server said "Order or move away". I went elsewhere to eat. SHAME ON
K-MART!
I went to a Sprint store to pay my SPCS service bill two weeks before
the due date. They would not accept my check without a Drivers License.
Today a free-time AOL sign-up package was left at my door. It must be
used with a graphical browser. Big problem, -I can not use a graphical
browser as much graphical text is too difficult for me to read. I surf
the WWW with Lynx, a text only browser that produces 1/4 inch bright
text on my black screen. Should I ever be unable to read that, Lynx
works with voice synthesizers!
Almost all WWW sites work perfectly for me with Lynx. One notable
exception is Bradlees. Instead of having their weekly sale items
browsable in text only mode like CompUSA does, Bradlees uses graphics
only. This is impossible for me to read. In early 1999 I notified
Bradlees and pointed them to www.compusa.com/ to give them ideas. March
24, 1999 webm...@bradlees.com said "we have not yet had an
opportunity to modify our web site for better access and readability."
As of July 29, 2000, I still can't read what Bradlees has on sale.
Another, and possibly ironical, exception is the part of the NYC
Department Of Health site that lets you search for restaurant
inspection reports. It won't work with Lynx.
With all these annoyances, if you think everything is perfect with the
ten year existence of the ADA; I say "HOGWASH!"
- - 3 0 - -
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