Taylor Meyer- Physical Environment

Physical Environment: Accessible Date

            Since I do not know anyone that is disabled, I decided to take a friend on a date and just pretend I was catering to someone confined in a wheelchair. I drive a small two-door Honda Civic so when I picked up my date, I decided to take my dad’s Honda Element because the seats fold up making it more accessible to fit a wheelchair. I also used the concept of adaptability because I knew my tiny car would not fit a wheelchair. My date was just confined in one location, which was my neighborhood, but it was still eye opening realizing I could not do things I would usually do because of my friend being confined in a wheelchair.

Activity

When I picked up my date, we came back to my neighborhood, and I would usually go to the lake or take a hiking trail, but I could not do that with this particular date. So, I decided we should go to the park for our activity. We decided to go on the paved walking path, and sit under the gazebo to catch up on things since we have both been busy with school. The gazebo is also located next to a playground, so there were many kids playing while parents watched. We used to the concept of sociality during this time because we would engage in conversation with the parents while their kids played and had fun. I have found that pretty much anyone in my neighborhood is approachable and friendly, and maybe it is because it is in the middle of nowhere with not a lot around?

Date

After deciding to leave the gazebo, I noticed it sat in a valley, meaning getting back to the car would be an uphill battle. Luckily, I remembered that the paved trail broke off and went around the basketball court which is a much more easier route for someone in a wheelchair to take, and this is an example of legibility. When we finally made it back to the car, we decided to go right down the road to the country club’s restaurant, which is quite good. I noticed there was handicap parking and a small little ramp at the entrance of the restaurant making for easy accessibility. Once we got in and got to the dining area, we realized there were too many people, and crowding was a problem, so we decided to sit outside where there was only group of people eating. The tables were very spaced out, and the lack of people outside eliminated the crowding issue and gave us much more privacy. Eating outside ending up being a great decision because we were able to experience sensory stimulation from the beautiful scenery of the mountains, the golf course, the nice calm breeze and the smell of delicious food. I had the pizza with extra cheese and bacon, while she had a juicy looking burger.

Entertainment and Privacy

After we finished eating, we decided to go back to my house. My house is full of steps, so we were confined to my basement. Luckily, I have a finished basement, and we were able to still enjoy the comfort of my own home. We finished our date by watching football because she is cool like that before I eventually took her home. Overall, it was a great time and an eye opening experience looking at the world through the lens of a person confined to a wheelchair.