Uber has a long history of sidestepping the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); but now it appears the Department of Justice (DOJ) has caught the ride-share giant in their own loophole. Continue reading
Airline Damaged Wheelchairs — It’s Now a Life or Death Situation
Ask any wheelchair-user about the problems with accessible travel, and most likely the issue of the airlines damaging or losing wheelchairs will come up. I’ve been covering accessible travel for over 25 years and writing about lost and damaged wheelchairs for at least that long. It’s a huge issue.
Unfortunately now the subject has taken on a deadly twist. A woman has lost her life because United Airlines nearly destroyed her customized power wheelchair.
Will You Ever be Able to Stay in Your Own Wheelchair on an Airplane? A US Access Board Report
airplane taking off
The US Access Board recently released the results of a study on the feasibility of installing wheelchair securement systems on passenger aircraft. This study was mandated by Congress, sponsored by the US Access Board, and conducted by the specially appointed Transportation Research Board (TRB). Continue reading
Rock On, Punkin!
In September 2018 Charles and I were in Shenandoah National Park reveling in the spectacular fall foliage. At that time we lived in the California Sierras and our fall colors were relatively non-existent compared to the Virginia show. We stayed at Skyland Lodge on August 21, and had just unpacked the car when the heavens opened and we were hit with a torrential downpour. I started to settle in for the night, when I realized that I left my phone charge in the car, so I bundled up and trekked back out to retrieve it. Continue reading
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Improvements Announced
Although Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park already has many accessible trails, campgrounds and picnic areas, more access improvements and upgrades are coming to the park. Here are some of the highlights of their Accessibility Transition Plan, which was released in July 2021. Some improvements will be immediate, while others are in the long term plan; but in the end they will add up to better access for wheelchair-users and slow walkers. Continue reading
New Yok City’s MTA Highlights Accessibility Improvements
Last month New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) highlighted their recent access improvements and reaffirmed their commitment to make public transportation more accessible to everyone. At a Coney Island celebration on the 31st anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo proclaimed, “My mission at the MTA is showing that accessibility and equity are one and the same.” Continue reading
Visiting a National Park in 2021? Take Food!
Visiting a national park in 2021 is a completely different experience. Some national parks require reservations or entry permits, while others may have limited services. And then there are the crowds. People are being turned away from Arches National Park at 8 AM because the entrance line backs up to the highway, and when we visited Glacier National Park last week there was no parking at Logan Pass at 8 AM. Usually getting to a national park early in the morning will give you the edge, but that’s not always the case in 2021. Continue reading
Wheelchair Accessible Medellin Tours
Martín Londoño is a man with a plan. As a wheelchair-user he long admired the electric handcycles made by Batec (a Spanish company), but they also came with a hefty price tag. So he set out to make a more affordable model that people in his native Columbia could buy. Continue reading
First Annual Spirit Lake Cardboard Boat Regatta
First-time events can go either way. Fortunately the inaugural cardboard boat regatta at Spirit Lake was a real winner this weekend. It was held at Fireside Park, which offers accessible parking and restrooms; and I was pleased to see several wheelchair-users there. Plus, since the park is fairly flat, it’s easy to roll over to the shore to get a better view of all the action. Continue reading
Navajo Nation Tribal Parks Closed Due to COVID-19
If a Southwestern US road trip is in your future, please take note that the Navajo Nation tribal parks are currently closed due to COVID-19. The Navajo Nation’s roads also remain closed to visitors and tourists until further notice. This includes the following parks and recreation areas. Continue reading