Many disability access barriers are easy to fix

[Robin Garr]

Many disability access barriers are easy to fix

Steak & Bourbon in Westport Village demonstrates easy access, with reserved parking spaces for disabled drivers located adjacent to the accessible main entrance.


“With today’s signing of the landmark Americans for Disabilities Act,” intoned President George H.W. Bush in March 1990, “every man, .woman, and child with a disability can now pass through once-closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom.” The ADA promised access for disabled people to public accommodations such as restaurants.

Now, 31 years after Bush’s glowing promise, how’s that working out for disabled diners in Louisville restaurants?

I’ve included brief observations about the restaurant’s accessibility in each dining-in review since March 2018. During that time I’ve gauged the state of restaurant access as pretty good, certainly not perfect; and I’ve discovered how much I don’t even notice from my able-bodied perspective.

Is that door too narrow for a standard wheelchair? Oops, didn’t notice that. Yes, the men’s room has grab bars over the toilet, but are they installed properly? I’m not sure. Is the ramp too steep? The door too heavy? And then there’s the separate set of issues that blind or deaf diners face.

Hoping to learn more, I talked about access with a dozen local disabled people who enjoy dining out, and a couple of restaurateurs who are eager to serve them.

Talks with disabled people made clear that President Bush’s hopeful forecast has borne some fruit: Certainly it’s easier to get into and around restaurants and other businesses – particularly new construction – than it was 30 years ago. Most new restaurants offer a level, easily negotiated front entrance. But problems persist with some older buildings.

In short, the world remains full of small barriers and a few large ones, rarely structural but most often easily corrected, or even the result of actions as careless as leaving a chair partly blocking a restroom door. ...

Read the complete article on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/disability-access

You'll also find this review in LEO Weekly online today.
http://www.leoweekly.com/category/food-drink/

[Robin Garr]

FYI, following the lead of our associates at LEO Weekly, for the time being I plan to do restaurant reviews every other week, alternated with some kind of report or essay on ... something about food, dining, and the restaurant business. The reviews will fall in weeks when LEO publishes a print edition. The alternative material will run in the weeks when LEO is online-only.

My point here is that I'm eager to have suggestions and even information for the essay weeks. I can probably make up all this stuff by myself, but I'd love to have help.

What a great topic, Robin. ADA was a game-changer, but there's more work to be done - not just restaurants, obviously, but all sorts of public venues. But I am always stunned when traveling outside the US how far behind so many countries are in providing access. We're ahead of the curve, I think.

But I am always stunned when traveling outside the US how far behind so many countries are in providing access. We're ahead of the curve, I think.

Maybe we are ahead of the curve in people's opinions were not handicapped. I'm personally confined to a wheelchair and get extremely frustrated in so many places I can't even begin to count them. Things that most people don't even think about become a major hurdle. Many of the obstacles are quite easy to overcome and not expensive but places still don't think it's necessary. Louisville Metro government is terrible in helping solve the problems. The building and codes department doesn't want to touch the issue. I raised the issue on several occasions, as long as the drawings show the accessibility features they are okay with it. They don't bother even checking to see if the features were even installed. I can give multiple examples of this.

As a matter fact the Human Relations commission is the government agency assigned to review these type of issues. They have a nice form that you fill out was a complaint but after you do that they send you a letter that you need to get notarized before they will even look at the issue!

On the other hand, some places will bend over backwards to correct a accessibility issue once they find out about it. Take Lonnie's insight Matthew for an example. There was no way to get into their building because of small raised steps at all the entrances. When I brought this to their attention they got with their landlord and very soon thereafter with a small concrete ramp installed at the doorway.

I could go on and on with the problems locally but I'm sure nobody wants to hear any more of my ranting.

I can't begin to imagine the challenges you face, and I don't blame you for any opportunity to air them here or elsewhere. I certainly didn't mean to imply that we are perfect. We're not. But in many countries where there is little regard for disability a person in a wheelchair can't cross a street because the idea of curb cuts don't even exist. I'm certain we all wish anyone could access any space in our community easily and unimpeded.

Some of the parking meters in front of restaurants and shops on Bardstown Road and Frankfort Avenue should be handicapped parking instead of meters. But that would cost the city money, so...

[Robin Garr]

Some of the parking meters in front of restaurants and shops on Bardstown Road and Frankfort Avenue should be handicapped parking instead of meters. But that would cost the city money, so...

I'm pretty sure Frankfort Avenue doesn't have parking meters.

I can't begin to imagine the challenges you face, and I don't blame you for any opportunity to air them here or elsewhere. I certainly didn't mean to imply that we are perfect. We're not. But in many countries where there is little regard for disability a person in a wheelchair can't cross a street because the idea of curb cuts don't even exist. I'm certain we all wish anyone could access any space in our community easily and unimpeded.

Please don't think my comments ring you because they weren't. Many other countries are much further advanced than the US is in regard to handicap accessibility. France is a great example, everything there is accessible, much more so than in the US. There the government has someone forcing power unlike in the US where we have the ADA but there is no mechanism for enforcing it of events through the Department of Justice. The DOJ will only go after large corporations and ignores smaller violations which are the ones that cause the most problems.

Some of the parking meters in front of restaurants and shops on Bardstown Road and Frankfort Avenue should be handicapped parking instead of meters. But that would cost the city money, so...

I'm pretty sure Frankfort Avenue doesn't have parking meters.

My bad... It's been so long since I've been down that way, before Covid, I had forgotten.

[Robin Garr]

My bad... It's been so long since I've been down that way, before Covid, I had forgotten.

No worries, Mike. You have a good point regardless.