I want to tell you a story that will make your skin crawl.
Imagine the scene, you are out with your family enjoying a fun day in the sun. You are at a wildlife centre and there is so much to see and you. Your kids are running around having loads of fun and they want to do everything and see everything. After looking at some animals, the Lynx was a great attraction what a majestic cat. With long long teeth that would scare off a vampire!
Suddenly things take a turn for the worst, a nightmare scene!
It’s ok says Dad, there is a disabled toilet you can go in there.
Mum is in a wheelchair you see and can’t use regular toilets. It’s so important that attractions and places of interest have disabled toilets.
Mum wheels herself half way up the ramp to the disabled toilet but it’s a bit too much. Dad comes to the rescue and helps her to the door…..then
The wheelchair does not actually fit in the toilet!
This is quite common, you would not believe how common.
Either the disabled toilet is too small to get the wheelchair in and shut the door, or as in this case even just get the wheelchair in. So many disabled toilets are in a small corridor and it’s almost impossible to navigate the wheelchair through the door.
All was not lost even though Mum was getting very desperate at this time.
Mum had her walking sticks in the bag and could walk the last few steps into the toilet. Then very carefully use the loo in the tiny cubicle. Thankfully there were hand rails so she could get up again. There was also a baby changing table for a small child. BUT, what if you had an older child who could not use the toilet. What if they needed changing and the disabled toilet was so small and un-equipped that your only option was to change them on the floor. Would you like to lie on a toilet floor?
Having a disabled toilet is a necessity, but isn’t it about time that disabled toilets were actually equipped and accessible for disabled people. Putting a sign on the door and a few bars around the loo is not enough. These cubicles need to be larger and cleaner, with good accessibility and a changing area for older children or adults.
For many years I walked passed disabled toilets wishing I could use them just to avoid the queue for the ladies.
Now, my biggest nightmare is having to use a disabled toilet.
Read other #accessibilitystories at The Inclusive Home – Accessibility Stories
this is info is very interesting
A few places I have visited and I have pushed my mum in her wheelchair to the toilet I have noticed how narrow some of the corridors leading up to it are rather narrow. One supermarket springs to mind.
That is so awful. I will admit that I have never really thought about wheelchair access until recently as I look after a boy at school who is sometimes in one and just navigating through normal doors and rooms is hard enough, so I can only imagine how awful that must have been for you.
I cant believe this isn't thought through more, but now you describe it I can see it in so many spaces I have seen disabled toilets in.
Oh Anne, that's not right at all – you shouldn't have to worry about things like this that should be better thought out by the people who design them x x
Oh no, that is not good. I am lucky that I am able bodies but even getting a pram / pushchair in baby changing rooms can be a nightmare too and that pales in comparison
Wheelchair access is so important! Unfortunately so many places miss it!
I can't believe wheelchairs don't fit in some disable toilets that is just appalling!
it is shocking in this day and age that we do not have fully accessible toilets.
It's absolutely crazy but sadly doesn't surprise me at all. People seem to think of disabled toilets and changing areas as a box to be ticked rather than something that's actually fit for purpose.
And not just a halloween horror unfortunately! An everyday horror for lots of us 🙁
Thank you so much for writing this and for linking up to #AccessibilityStories
I almost died of heart here… aaaaah!