Here's the (lack of) left big toe wrapped in band-aids- this is what the doctor did. I'm changing it every day or so, the right foot every couple days because that wound is on the bottom and has LOTS of wrapping. The stitches on the left stump (some call it a stub) were removed this Monday and the doctor said it was looking good. So recovery is on track but accessibility is still not.
Over the past two weeks or so, I've been to several places that you'd think would be accessible (they have the little wheelchair signs) but they're really not. Mostly it's stupid little things that need to be changed or moved a little so that someone in a chair can move around. Let's start the list:
+McDonald's (Tippecanoe Mall)+
The restroom access is less than ideal (a nice way to say it sucks). There's a potted fake tree in the alcove/entryway between the restrooms. The way the doors are configured that area would be better if the tree were smaller or not there so people could maneuver better. The door's automatic closer thing is set so tight that even walking people have a little trouble pushing it open. This is the place where I was struggling with the door for nearly five minutes and people were walking by and looking but they would just keep going. When these problems (and very simple fixes) were reported to the manager on duty she said she'd have to get approval from her supervisor before they could do anything-- that was a couple weeks ago and still no word...
+Menard's+
Their fancy new(er) restrooms have beautiful tiles with two floor drains that are unmarked. Once you start sliding and can't get any traction you realize the trap. One would think that a hardware+ store (with all kinds of tiles and such at their disposal) would be able to do something about slippery tiles in their own restrooms...
+Tippecanoe Public Library - Klondike Branch+
Klondike has excellent main doors with motion sensors and wide aisles between shelves, but the restroom is a bit of a problem. The door was heavy with a tight closer (this was fixed when I was there the other day}. But there's also the matter of this useless little trashcan right by the door in the tiny antechamber when you enter. There's no need for it to be there (there are NO paper towels only air dryers) because there's a lot of room under the sink. Otherwise Klondike is pretty wheelchair friendly...
+Payless (Greenbush)+
I don't know how many times I've gone to the bathroom at the Greenbush Payless over the years, but you'd think I would have noticed the big trashcan hiding behind the door. The trashcan blocks the door from opening more than half way. For most walking people this is not a big deal, just a minor annoyance of a half-open door. For someone in a wheelchair there is no way to get through unless, like me, you've got long enough arms so you can reach the can and move it out of the way from a weird angle. This has finally (after TWO reports to the staff) gotten the attention it deserves and they should soon have a shorter trashcan that fits under the towel dispensers, so this shouldn't be a problem much longer...
+Meijer+
The store itself is very wheelchair friendly. The customers at the pharmacy, on the other hand- they tend to leave empty carts after checking out. And they don't even try to park them stacked together. One goes this way, the other the opposite way with another at an odd angle... It's just another one of those "lack of common courtesy" things that you see everyday even if you're NOT in a chair...
There are more places to name and shame, but I'll save them for later because there are several other places I need to check out. I can say that even though I hate Wal-Mart (bleeps!) they do have some of the nicest most level floors around.
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