Barrier Free Travels

Barrier-free travel crossed over into the mainstream media again, when Ian and Tonya Fitzpatrick interviewed me on their Travel’n On radio show, which was broadcast yesterday on Voice of America. Click here to hear the show, which included my insights on the accessible travel market, travel tips, destination choices and a little bit about my work.

It’s nice to see more and more mainstream media outlets addressing this former "niche" market.

Those of you who know me, know that I’m a real stickler for "understanding access laws". Truth be told, I do drone on about it, but it is important. Why? Because unless you understand the access laws you probably won’t know what to expect as far as accessible travel is concerned.

Case and point is an internet article I just read by a person I’ll call Miss Informed. She apparently went on a trip and didn’t find the access she expected and now she is trashing the properties and providers for this and warning people about the "pitfalls" of accessible travel. That would be OK if she actually had some understanding of the law.

First off, she was surprised that the accessible room she reserved did not have a roll-in shower. If she understood the law she would know that properties with under 50 rooms aren’t required to have any accessible rooms with roll-in showers, and that a room can be termed "accessible" without having a roll-in shower. She should have specifically requested an accessible room with a roll-in shower if indeed she needed one.

Second, she complained about the bed height in the accessible rooms, and said that those tall pillow top beds certainly couldn’t be acceptable under the ADA. The truth is, bed height is not something regulated under the ADA. Now I’m not saying that there aren’t some tall beds out there, but you need to realize it’s not a feature that is regulated by the law. If bed height is an issue for you, you need to call and ask about it before you book your room. It should also be noted that some slow walkers prefer the higher (to a point) beds so they don’t have to bend as much to get in and out. Bottom line -- no matter what your preference, it’s best to ask before you book.

And finally, Miss Informed complained because the hotel didn’t have a wheelchair available to lend to her. She felt her room was too far from the reception area and considered it an access issue. Yes, it can be for slow walkers, which is why you need to ask about the location of the accessible room before you book. Hotels are not required to provide wheelchairs under the law. Occasionally you will find one that happens to have one on hand, but it’s not the norm and certainly shouldn’t be expected.

In the end, you need to understand the law and make sure you ask a lot of questions before you book your room. And for goodness sakes, don’t believe everything you read on the internet. There are many more Miss Informeds out there, and some of them make a habit of spreading misinformation about access.

Become an educated consumer!

I got a phone call today from Ifran Syed regarding a blog entry I wrote in December about the folks at Syracuse Resort -- you remember them; they were the company that was going to convert a former developmental center (AKA lock up) into a dedicated "resort for the disabled".

Mr. Syed said that they had reconsidered their options and they are now turning it into a luxury resort that will also have some accessible rooms. Much better choice, as nobody likes to be segregated, especially in an (ahem) former "developmental center".

Mr. Syed attributed the change of heart to a "PR error". He said that they always wanted to make their resort accessible but they just didn’t know how to promote that fact, and admittedly they went down the wrong road with the whole "resort for the disabled" idea.

In the end, they made the right choice. Kudos to Mr. Syed and his coworkers at Syracuse Resort, for choosing to develop a more inclusive property.

The US Forest Service is seeking public comments about a new accessible trail planned for the Sawtooth National Recreation area, located northwest of Ketchum, Idaho.

The project focuses on making the first mile of the primitive Murdock Creek Trail wheelchair-accessible. Planned access upgrades include two bridges over Murdock Creek, widening the existing trail to 36-inches, constructing 5 foot X 5 foot passing spaces every 1,000 feet and removing surface obstacles such as rocks.

The goal is to provide barrier-free access while at the same time preserving the wilderness character of the area. It will allow wheelers to travel into the back country and camp out under the stars.

Of course the US Forest Service wants to do it right, and to that end they are seeking public comments on this proposal. You can send them by e-mail to ecannady@fs.fed.us or by snail mail to 5 North Fork Canyon Rd., Ketchum, ID 83340, attn: Murdock Creek Project.

Why bother to submit comments? First and foremost to let the US Forest Service know that people out there support this project. And of course if you have some expertise in the design of barrier-free trails, your ideas may help with the completion of this project.

So whether you’re an avid outdoor enthusiast or someone who has just dreamed about being able to hike and camp in the back country, drop the folks at the US Forest Service a short note saying that you support their efforts to make wilderness areas accessible to everyone.

Remember, every comment counts. The deadline is February 21, so get busy

I’ve had a lot of response about my blog entry about getting accessible seating at the Super Bowl.

The good news is, accessible seating at the University of Phoenix Stadium is excellent. As one reader put it, "It’s almost like being in a box because the accessible seating is roped off. Because of the setup, my husband didn’t have to put up with people bumping into his wheelchair, like he does at other venues."

That’s great. Unfortunately as I reported earlier, getting accessible seats can be a challenge.

First off, I have to say that I’m not really a football fan, and in doing research for this blog I was simply astounded by the ticket prices for the Super Bowl. As I told a friend,  for $5000 I expect the guys to be running around naked down there!! But I digress. Obviously people are willing to pay four and five figure ticket prices for a seat at the big game, so more power to them. We all have our preferences.

Anyway, back to access. I’ve talked to a lot of folks who got accessible seats at Super Bowls past. Those who got their free tickets through sponsors had no problems -- they just asked for accessible seats and got them. After all, sponsors have a little pull.

As for the folks who purchased tickets from ticket brokers, well they initially were not given accessible seats, but were able to exchange them for accessible seating at the NFL booth at the stadium on game day. They also noted that the accessible section was largely occupied by able-bodied fans.

And then there were a few folks who were able to buy accessible seats directly from season ticket holders. And in the majority of cases, the seller didn’t require access, but had "inherited" the season tickets from a disabled relative. Still, many of these tickets were sold to wheelchair-users, so in the end it all worked out.

So there you have it -- it is possible to get accessible seating if you have the time, the patience, the connections and the bucks. So if you’re lucky enough to have tickets, enjoy the game. And stick around Phoenix for a few days, as there are plenty of accessible diversions to enjoy there, as well as in nearby Scottsdale. Plus, chances are, the weather in Phoenix is probably better than the weather at home.

Have fun on game day, no matter where you are..