What a Day

 by Marguerite Lamothe

It was a warm and windy sunny day and Robert and I finally decided to take our online relationship a little further. He advised me that he may not be the person in whom I dreamt of him to be, but I could not understand what he was talking about. I was excited. We had planned for an array of different activities for the day. We were going to go see a movie, go to the park, and get something to eat. This was going to be the best day every for certain. It was 11 a.m. and the doorbell rang. After making some finishing touches and one last mirror check I jolted towards the door. My heart would not stop beating, as soon as I opened the door, a look of excitement came across Roberts face and a look of shock came across mine; he was in a wheelchair.  I wanted to close the door shut but decided to just tell him to hold as I got a cardigan to cover up. I thought to myself I hope this date still goes as planned. I got into his car and we took off.

I had never actually realized how un-wheelchair friendly the movie theatre parking lot was. The number of spaces was extremely limited to the point where we had to drive a great distance from the entrance. We got out the car and the only thing I could wonder was how he was going to get out; he needed my help or so I thought. As soon as I came up close to him he insisted that he was ok. We started to walk towards the theatre when I quickly looked for a ramp, the only thing close enough was a small space in the ground which he could easily roll on to get on the sidewalk. I never would have realized how difficult it was to do something as simple as go to the movies until today. We approached the counter and it was too high for Robert to reach. Once we got to the door me and another person had to hold open the doors for him to pass through. I could only imagine how hard it would have him been for him if someone was not there. As we walked in it seemed as though all eyes were on us.  I almost always go to the highest level at the theatre, but today we had to sit on the floor level. That was an uncomfortable and near blinding experience. I honestly just wanted to go and head out to park for some privacy. What could go wrong there.

I had never been to Kennesaw Mountain Park so that was the place to head to. How bad could that be I thought. We arrived and thank goodness there was plenty of space. We hoped out the car and began our journey of a walk. I was filled with questions and was nonstop. After awhile though I started to realize that his comfort level went from up high to down low. I couldn’t tell if it was the conversation or the rocky pavement so I quickly ended both. We then headed to get something to eat.

We were exhausted, hungry, ready to finally get this date going so we both decided to head out to this one resturant I used to always go to. It was pretty packed and little to no space for someone with a wheelchair. So what I decided was to grab us both a meal and head to the Kennesaw mountain park’s grill area.  All I can say is what a day.

Amanda and David’s Roll about Town

Accessibility Assignment

On a beautiful Sunday my husband, David, and I decide to go for a day date after running some errands.  We were both in the mood to check out a patio because the weather was so lovely and wanted to check out the view at a local restaurant, Six Feet Under in Midtown, Atlanta.  After lunch, we wanted to see a new movie and then wind down back at our apartment for some alone time. We utilized eight key concepts of the physical environment as outlined in our text (Hutchinson, p. 214) to evaluate our environments as a person with a mobility disability. 

Upon arriving at the restaurant, there are immediately some challenges facing us in order to score a spot on the coveted patio. Let’s see what happened…

Six Feet Under

Accessibility

There was a parking spot that was designated for a person with a disability. However, the ramp that lead up to the restaurant was blocked by the valet.  Since we were blocked from entering, we decided to follow the street to enter at the front of the restaurant.  When we got there, we faced another block.  This time it was motorcycles that decided to park along the sidewalk. Once we finally did enter, thanks to my husband opening the door, the seating area was cramped with little room to move around.  We asked if there were any tables available up on the patio and there were.  Score! We asked where the wheelchair accessible entrance was to which the hostess replied, there wasn’t one. Hmm. That’s disappointing.  I then asked how would someone with a mobility disability get to enjoy the view upstairs.  She said that she has seen the people in their party carry them up the stairs or she has even seen servers carry them up the stairs.  I pondered this thought, thanks but no thanks.  I’m too worried about coming back down after my husband has had a couple beers.  Needless to say, we were not impressed with the accessibility of the restaurant.

Activity

The activity of the restaurant was very busy with a lot of action going on.  Servers were constantly back and forth on the floor carrying lots of stuff that I’m afraid is going to fall at any moment. There was a wait to get a table that was wheelchair accessible.

Adaptability

The restaurant was a mix of high-tops, booths, and standard tables. All the tables in the middle were able to have chairs moved and reorganized to be wheelchair accessible.  It would have been nice to see some corner spots or areas that were a little more private with the same adaptability. 

Comfort

There was some discomfort associated with this dining experience.  The fact that we could not access the patio, which was the main reason we went there, was disappointing.  Then the fact that we had to sit in the middle with people constantly brushing by us was not that enjoyable either.

Privacy

Sitting at a middle table on display for everyone did not give us privacy.

Our next stop was the movies at the AMC at Phipps Plaza.

Accessibility

Overall, I felt the theater was pretty accessible.  There were automatic doors leading into the theater, elevators, and ramps.  Since we were late, it was kind of annoying having to ride the elevator down two floors before going up to our level.  Once we made it into our theater, there were only two spots for wheelchairs which I thought was disappointing.  What if there were three people with a mobility disability that wanted to see the same movie at the same time?

Control

There was a sense of control for those spaces that were designated for wheelchairs. 

Crowding

At the time we went there weren’t many people at the movies. Everyone was still outside.  However, as I stated above, if there had been more than two people that needed to access those designated spots it could have been troublesome. 

Sociality

The theater would facilitate sociality between two people if there wasn’t someone already in the designated wheelchair area.  If there were a group of more than two, it would inhibit the sociality because not everyone could sit in close proximity. 

Time to go home!

Accessibility

Unfortunately, after reviewing the key concepts, our apartment is not accessible.  There are steps leading up to our door with no ramp access.  Our living room is “sunken” meaning there are two steps leading down and our dining table is at high-top.  Not very wheelchair friendly. This experience was very eye opening and has allowed me to look at our environment in a completely new light.  Now I don’t just see what is in place to make an environment accessible, I now see what is not in place to make an environment accessible.

Amanda Dulock

Human Socialization

March 22, 2012

Coffee for One at Starbucks?

 The Assessment Overview:

If I were in a wheelchair and visiting some of my favorite places, how would my perspective change? For this week’s assignment, we had to choice a disability or impairment and visit a local establishment to evaluate it according to the eleven key concepts to the physical environment (Hutchinson, p. 214). I chose to visit one of my favorite places – Starbucks. Below are a slideshow and an evaluation of eight of the eleven physical environment characteristics. 

Free picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox Accessibility: The first thing I noticed is that there is only one handicap parking space. If I am in a wheelchair and arrive when someone else is utilizing that space, I really do not have anywhere else to park. The second thing I observed was that both entrances are manual doors. There is not an automatic button to push like with some doors. Therefore, if I am in a wheelchair, I must rely on someone else to open the doors for me. Furthermore, the side entrance does not have the concrete slope that makes it easier to get a wheelchair to the door. The only way to get in the side door in a wheelchair is to come to the front entrance (pictured) and wheel yourself to the side entrance and wait for someone else to open the door for you. The ease to view the baked goods on the top shelf, the napkin area and the merchandise are not as accessible as they could be. The bathroom door is also a manual door which means that if you are in a wheelchair, someone will have to open the door for you. Comfort: There is only one designated wheelchair accessible table in this location. However, there is a larger table that is wheelchair accessible (not pictured due to it being in use). The designated wheelchair table is right next to the counter and is also close to the trash can. It is not in a very comfortable area. When sitting there today, I almost felt exposed and conscious of where I was sitting. Crowding: Related to comfort, is the crowding issue. Because the only designated wheelchair table is closest to the counter, if this location gets really busy, it becomes very crowded. It is not very large inside so the more people that congregate around the front counter and the merchandising area, can create a crowding effect on someone sitting at this table. Privacy: Because of the location of the designated wheelchair table, there is not much privacy to be had. If you are able to sit at the larger table in the back of the location, it is a bit more private. Also, there is typically music that is played in the store. Sometimes it is background music – mellow and soft, but other times it is loud. When it is mellow and soft that enhances the privacy; however, when it is loud and you have to talk loudly to be heard; then there is not much of a sense of privacy. Control: This space really does not allow for much control to someone in a wheelchair. In my opinion the design of the space causes the person in the wheelchair to be dependent on someone else. Someone has to open the door, someone has to help if you are buying baked goods or merchandise, etc. Adaptability: I do not know how much it would cost Starbucks to install at least one wheelchair accessible door at the entrance and for the bathrooms. However, this would approve the accessibility and show adaptability on the part of this company. Something that could be done now is to rearrange the merchandise so that so much of it is not on shelving that is too high for a disabled person to reach without asking for assistance. Activity: One of the reasons why this Starbuck’s location is my favorite is because it is rarely very busy. There are moments when a crowd will come in, but for the most part it is not too bad. However, the table I normally sit at is in the back of the store. Today, I sat at the designated wheelchair accessible table. I noticed every customer that came in. It was hard to focus on what I was working on because of the activity around me. Sociability: If you are sitting at the designated wheelchair accessible table, it can be quite easy to social with those that come in. However, if you have a larger social group and you cannot get access to the large table in the back, there are only four other small tables and two section of plush seating. If you and your social group are not able to sit together, this makes being social difficult. Overall, I found this experiment to be really thought provoking. It is interesting how you notice things when you are asked to view things from a different perspective. I think that this location can definitely and should improve on its accessibility. ~Nicole Vincent Human Socialization March 20, 2012 Reference: Hutchison, Elizabeth D. (2011). Dimensions of human behavior: Person and environment (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage.