I hope everyone is enjoying this lovely heat wave, and by enjoying it I mean enjoying a cold beverage in an air conditioned room. I spent the day in a thankfully air conditioned building putting some last touches on some scenery. While I was taking a "OH MY GOD IT IS HOT" break I couldn't help but notice how much the design of the building I was in sucked. It's not that the building is ugly or boring, it's that the building is sooooooooo not handicap friendly. I swear the architects just decided to put 3 to 4 stairs in random places for the lulz. To make matters worse, when the building had to be updated to fit ADA standards, they put in mini-elevators for some of the stairs instead of ramps.
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| Elevator from hell |
The really craptacular thing about these elevators is that you need a security guard or someone who works at the building to help you use it. In other words, this elevator is near a bathroom... if an elderly cripple with a weak bladder has to use the "cripple crapper" (and yes, I am totally using Urban Dictionary terms for the rest of my LIFE) they would have to go obtain a security guard, have the person turn on the elevator, operate the elevator, help you in and out, and THEN you can go pee. That is a lot of effort for 5 steps. Apart from the additional effort it takes, you have no independence. You have to go ask someone is you can go down 5 stairs. The cripple is completely helpless in that situation.
When I was in high school I was given the option to use the school's elevator. The moment I found it was security guard operated I opted to take the stairs. I'm going to have to lose a hell of a lot more of my mobility before I have to ask someone if I can go down 5 stairs.
Crippie's Tippie For Architects- If you have to upgrade a building... ramps are nice
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