sure there’s a ramp, but is it steep? is there a curb at the top? is the ground uneven? do i need a key for the elevator? are the aisles and doorways wide enough? do i have room to turn? is there furniture and clutter in my way? is the carpet difficult to wheel on? can i open the doors myself?

accessibility to wheelchairs is more than just a ramp.

It's properly snow season again, so here's a

friendly psa

from your neighborhood wheelchair user.

If your sidewalk is not completely shoveled, it isn't usable.

If you can leave footprints in the snow, the snow is too deep. A wheelchair can't get through

If its a narrow pathway people can 'squeeze through', a wheelchair can't get through

If your sidewalk is pristine but the curb cuts are full of snow, a wheelchair cannot get through.

If wheelchairs can't use the sidewalk, our only option is to use the road, and we don't like that any more than you do.

Sincerely, a wheelchair user in the north who would prefer not to be trapped in my apartment for months on end

Wheelchair users:

Hey, the main entrance to your business is up some stairs, is there a wheelchair accessible entrance with a ramp or something available?

non-disabled business owners:

No, we don't get any customers in wheelchairs so there's no point

Wheelchair users:

...do...do you think there might be a reason for that?

Non-disabled business owners:

Because disabled people don't need [whatever product or service we provide], obviously.

Disabled bathroom psa:

When I and other wheelchair users are talking about how abled people should not be using disabled toilets I can almost garente that they are not talking about your standard slightly larger stall in a bathroom with only two stalls. Im talking about separate bathrooms designed entirely for disabled people. Handicap bathrooms are different from handicap stalls. They are a separate room with its own toilet sink and mirror all positioned with the equipment designed for those with mobility issues and mobility aids such as walkers, gait trainers, wheelchairs, and crutches. A handicap stall is a stall ment to be wide enough to alow a wheelchair to fit (most don't though especially if you are fat or in a power chair.) With one or two grab bars placed. I don't care about people using the handicap stall if others are taken, they need the extra room (bags don't count, I mean things like strollers, todlers, fat, and autistic people not your shopping) those who need the grab bars like people with mobility issues, back problems, and invisible disabilities. I also don't care if you use it because all the others are in use. I care when people use it to make stupid videos on their phone, hang out, smoke, or just cause they like it when there are a dozen other stalls available. I swear most of you never think of anything besides making sure that you are never the one in the wrong.🙄

If I'm not talking about you, IM NOT TALKING ABOUT YOU.

I am talking about those who use those bathrooms as a fashion changing stall. The ones who smoke and film tik toks talking about the crazy disabled person knocking on the door. I am talking about the people who, after telling then I am going to pee myself decide that acting like I don't exist or that they can't here me will make me go away and guess what? Make me pee all over myself.

If non-wheelchair users are curious, the public transport experience when in one is basically if you were told you can't go on the bus because someone else is sat down. You're like "ok but I can see another space?" They say, no, only one seat is actually suitable to sit on. They then let on a bunch of people take those seats except they're different because they have like, suitcases or something, idk.

AKA if they set buses up properly you could fit 2 wheelchair users easily, except no, only one wheelchair sized spot is actually for wheelchair users. So instead you run late to work whilst watching people on board sit in the space that would fit you just fine but is Not For You.

I hate that thing people do where they make the entrance to a building accessible, but you can’t actually get to it to use the accessibility features.

Like when a building has a ramp (great!) but the only way to get to the ramp is to go up 5 steps (not great!)

Barbara Gordon would hate d comics for her how they butchered her. As someone who had to adopt to limited mobilty. She was Oracle for a reason, and had long outgrown Batgirl. Barbara Gordon was a grown woman, a politician, librarian, and teacher.

Being a wheelchair user did not ruin her life, it did not stop her from living. She became the tech powerhouse behind the Batfamily. She went on to do so many meaningful things arf losing her ability to walk. Holding the bats together by working comms, and technology.

Her wheelchairs are often drawn horrible. Chairs that would be unusable to someone we with her injury. A high back chair won't work. That just leaves your arms covered in bruises, trust me it's not fun. Most of the designs are honestly funny.

I have a lot to say, as a wheelchair user, a comic lover, and all around fed up human being. But in short: Thanks for letting us know what you think of wheelchair users DC. Anf showing how little research you do

Seriously, your goddamm work truck does not belong in the accessible parking spot (unless you have a pass for it) which this guy definitely doesn't!

Some asshole in my apartment has started using the spot, but only when the office is closed. By the time they're open, he's gone, so I can't have him towed. This kind of shit seriously pisses me off.

And the apartment management just shrugged and said "sorry it was a long weekend we've been closed".... like....ok?? I told her it sends a message that her disabled tenants are worth less to her.

If you are not disabled and use accessible parking FOR ANY REASON I hope you have the worst luck. I hope all your socks are soggy and your bread is moldy before you can finish it and your shoelaces never stay tied. And that maybe for once, you learn some empathy for the people around you.

So this is just me screeching into the void, as one does, but like.

I am sick of being stared at. I shouldn't have HAD to get used to it, or to find ways to cope at being gawked at like a zoo exhibit.

I also shouldn't have to be used to getting asked invasive questions by random strangers. Kids I can get, they're just curious and don't know better, but grown ass adults have asked me if my junk works like that's their business and I hate it!

The fact that I get talked to like a young child, or people talk to whoever is with me drives me up a wall! Why is it okay to assume I can't speak and answer for myself, or assume the person with me id there as a hired carer or for pity reasons? My boyfriend got hit on in front of me once, and when I said we were together, the bitch deadass went "I know sweetie, I'm talking about when he's not working."

Or that places will advertise that they're "accessible" meanwhile they have a one inch door lip and they mean they don't play loud music or spray scents. Both are great!! But until everyone is able to get in and do shit, it ain't accessible fuck you! My wheelchair can't get in, and even if I COULD the bathroom stall for me has all the cleaning supplies and the changing station in it! Am I just meant to piss on your floor?? UGH

Basically I want to throttle ableism and ableists and for some reason today I'm just extra pissed off. "Oh Hylo did something happen?" Nope! I'm just angry.

I'm reaching out to my fellow spoonies and chronically ill friends. I'm looking for a wheelchair, maybe one of y'all has one you don't need anymore because you got a new one or a motorized one. I just need a manual one, currently my shoulders are still good enough to self propel. I'm totally willing to pay for it but I don't have much because I'm unemployed because of my health issues. Please message me if you have one or know somewhere I can get one

here’s your reminder to not stare and point at people in wheelchairs??? cause apparently that’s needed

during school my house had a huge flight of outside wooden stairs to go out. I loved how wide they were since it was easier to bump down but when it rained/snowed I had to change clothes in the garage & take at least 2 pairs of pants/socks & towels to school to dry off my wheels. anyone else?

So my wheelchair has this little pocket under the seat. I love it, its great, however, having a bag I can't see isn't really great for my adhd.

I decided to clean it out today and this is what I found, in order from least to most weird:

Disposable masks

A pair of little scissors

A roll of tape

My original referral to my therapist I've been seeing for longer than I've had this wheelchair or that pocket

A random led light remote

A ps2 memory card that belongs my brother in law who I've never met in person and who lives on the other side of the world.

[ID: a photo of a pile of items listed above, sitting on a wheelchair seat. /end ID]

I feel frustrated sometimes when I talk about how I am in pain and my mobility is decreasing people's automatic go to is that yeah you need to get rid of that wheelchair!

Because honestly that is not my goal. My goal is to be able to get around my house, to be able to go outside, to be able to go to school and be in less pain generally. It difficult because everyone focuses on walking and at this point I honestly do not belive that it is worth it. I would prefer to live my life confined to my wheelchair then in constant agony just to meet this arbitrary Marler of success.

I hate how inaccessible the would is and sometimes that leads me to hating the fact I use a wheelchair but I prefer that to the alternative. Yes I could probably walk more, yes it could be that walking will not damage me further but unless someone manages to eliminate my pain to the same or greater degree in my wheelchair I have zero absolutely no wish to walk. And I am not willing to put myself through years of intense pain purely for the idea that I could walk more and maybe eventually decrease my pain. To me that is in absolutely no way worth it. I do not care if I lose muscle tone and decondition my legs and feet farther because I have no interest in using them untill I can stand without wanting to die. I am willing to have my legs or feet amputated just to help get rid of the pain even if there is a possibility that it will make everything worse. No medication works for me and physio has reached a plateau where they do not know how to help me. I do not want to walk. I want to be in less pain. I do not care if that is me giving up honestly I don't have any fucks left to give. It is not worth it I don't care. I am happy in my wheelchair I have tried to kill myself because of the pain before. I will not stop using the only thing at let's me live a life that I don't want to end. I would rather be dead then have to walk with this pain.

To the stranger who stopped his car, got out, crouched down like he was talking to a dog, and tried to push my chair even though I repeatedly told him “no”… you couldn’t have been creepier.

My wheelchair batteries are still losing charge really quickly. I hate it so much how vulnerable I am/ feel when something goes wrong with my chair.

It keeps having battery issues as well which makes me worried that there’s something else wrong that’s causing the battery issues.