October 2007 Archives

Every good road trip involves some sort of competition. Whether it’s license plate bingo or “punch buggy,” playing car games is essential. And apparently, getting a wheelchair in and out of a car as quickly as possible fits the bill.

This game never gets old. As soon as my friends in high school learned to drive, they started to strategize about the fastest way to get my wheelchair in and out of the trunk. To this day, Angie and Laura discuss who is responsible for breaking down different parts of my chair.

So I was not at all surprised when I noticed T and S eyeing my wheels as we headed toward our rental car during our recent trip to Door County.

“If we fold down the push handles now, it will improve our time,” said S.

T nodded, sizing up the situation.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll grab the chair as soon as she stands up, and while I’m pulling it back, you take off the cushion.”

This cutthroat process got so brutal that my Wisconsin “pit crew” came home with self-inflicted bruises and sore muscles. But they say it was worth it. Because they “got game.”

Laura, Angie, you hear that smack talk?

I’m so amused!

The girls and I road tripped to Door County Wisconsin last weekend to enjoy the fall colors, see cows, and eat cherry pie. Turns out that Door County is not only THE place to go for cherry bliss, but it’s also surprisingly accessible.

Accessible accommodations and activities are detailed on the Door County Web site and are easily searchable, which makes trip planning a cinch. And the access promised is delivered.

The Feathered Star Bed and Breakfast, for example, is barrier free, which means that the whole place is accessible. All six guest rooms are on the main floor and are well laid out. The wheel-in showers don’t leave an inch deep puddle on the bathroom floor when you turn the water on, although they aren’t totally leak free. The rooms that have bathtubs instead of showers have built in shower seats. And all of the rooms are big enough to wheel around easily without sacrificing the quaintness one would expect from a B&B. Dogs are allowed, and service dogs stay for free.

The innkeeper, an occupational therapist who has personal experience with disability, has made a real effort here, and it’s fantastic! So nice to see.

I only have one accessibility related suggestion—add full-length mirrors on the back of the bathroom doors.

I took a taxi to work this morning. A wonderful indulgence! During the ride, I had a chance to think about a number of the Chicago transportation tricks I've learned.

Here are my top ten for taxis, buses, and trains (in no particular order):

10. Ask an able-bodied person (preferably a female person) to hail a cab for you if they're passing you by. Some cabbies just don't like to get out of the car to help fold a wheelchair, and this can be especially true in bad weather. Like it or not, sometimes it's most expedient to lurk in the background and let a pretty able-bodied girl do the hailing.

9. Tip well… even if your cabbie is a little uncertain about dealing with a wheelchair. If you tip well consistently, you'll eventually earn a reputation in the neighborhood for being a good tipper. Cabbies remember that. And the next time they see you, they'll stop. Guaranteed.

8. Do whatever it takes to get out of the car immediately if a cab driver mishandles your wheelchair, doesn't respect your personal space, or says you look like Melissa Gilbert and he’s in love with you.

7. Hail a cab going north during morning rush hour and south during evening rush hour. I'm not sure why, but I always have better luck when I do that.

6. Plan to take the bus either a little earlier or a little later than rush hour commuters. That way there will most likely be space for a wheelchair on the bus.

5. If the bus is crowded, and a person in a wheelchair needs to get on, let them get on first. If the bus is empty, it’s easier for everyone else to board before the wheelchair passenger.

4. If you’re riding the bus with a friend in a wheelchair always let her/him get on the bus first to ensure that the wheelchair lift is working.

3. Call the RTA before taking the train to ensure that all of the elevators are working at the train stations where you’ll be. Riding escalators in a wheelchair is a last resort!

2. If you’re taking a route you’ve never taken before, take a cell phone with you. Occasionally, the accessible CTA stops aren’t as accessible as they should be. One time I was stranded on a median in the middle of the street with no curb cut. I was glad I had my phone with me.

1. Leave extra travel time. Most days a few taxis, buses and trains will pass you by. So be prepared. And be nice to the drivers who do stop.

Have tips of your own? Leave a comment and tell me about them.

As the girls and I piled out of our taxi and trouped across the street to Terragusto for dinner Sunday night, a van taxi pulled to a stop at the curb, and the driver hopped out and hailed me.

"Hey," he called, jogging after us. "I work for a new taxi company, and we have a ton of accessible van taxis."

Catching up, he pushed a card into my hand.

"You should check us out."

"Oh yeah?" I cocked my head. "How many taxis is a ton?"

"100. And we're getting more."

I'm impressed. Most mainstream cab companies have roughly four accessible taxis for the entire city. And the driver hopped out of the car to make a pitch! That alone makes it worth it to give the new kid on the block a shot.

Some might say it’s handy to have a knack for gambling in Las Vegas. But I say it’s even handier to be able to ride escalators in a wheelchair.

It’s nearly impossible these days to cross the street on the street-level along the strip. Instead, a network of bridges connects the hotels above street-level. I’m sure this system keeps revelers from haphazardly staggering into oncoming traffic and safely steers them right into the casinos. But finding elevator access to each bridge can be a bit of a maze, and the elevators are really hot and slow.

That’s where riding up escalators comes in! If you’re in a manual chair, simply grab on to the moving rail on each side, and let the escalator pull you into place. Make sure you have a good grip, and then hang on for the ride. Going down an escalator involves the same process, but you have to go down backwards.

I don’t have to put disclaimers on this entry, do I? Like don’t try this at home? Or always make sure a friend stands behind you? Because you are all responsible people, right? Maybe I’ll just fall back on a cliché and say, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.