Handicapped Accessible? Being Disabled at a Shopping Mall

Before a car accident last year, I was in blissful ignorance about what it was like to get around in a mall as a disabled person. I thought most malls were handicapped accessible and disabled friendly. Wasn't there always handicapped accessible parking? Weren't there handicapped accessible toilets? I saw evidence of handicapped access around me so I thought that the problems with lack sensitivity towards the disabled were in the past.

Then I became a disabled person. Suddenly I saw problems in so many places dealing with handicapped accessability. If I wrote all of what I saw in this article, it would be quite long. Instead, I'd like to describe for you what it was like for me as a disabled person on an average trip to the mall.

The first major issue I faced when going on a shopping trip was finding a handicapped accessible parking space. I know what you're thinking, it seems like when you cannot find a parking spot, there at least a few handicapped accessible spots free. I don't blame you for feeling this way, I felt the same way too before I became a disabled person.

The irony of the situation was that as soon as I started using my disabled parking placard, all those lovely handicapped accessible parking spots seemed to magically be filled. It didn't matter what time of year it was, there was never enough handicapped accessible parking.

Before I became disabled, I naively thought businesses usually reserved the areas closest to the stores for handicapped accessible parking. Instead, the front parking spots were given often first come first served while the token handicapped accessible spots were off to the side. Sometimes, there were many front spots that could have been used for handicapped accessible parking. Instead they would be allocated for ten minute parking for those able bodied people who just had to get their carry out baby back ribs.

Before I graduated to my cane to get around, I needed to use my wheel chair. If a handicapped accessible parking spot was unavailable, my husband would have to park at the curbside long enough to unload my wheel chair, help me into it and then find a regular spot instead of a handicapped accessible parking spot.

During this time cars would start piling up in back of us. This would cause quite a bit of irritation with other drivers who were in a hurry. They were in a such a rush that some would whiz past in their cars; honking and yelling sometimes coming within millimeters of hitting us. I suppose they thought there schedule was much more important than common courtesy or, heck, even safety.

After finding a parking spot we would have to find a way to enter the mall without any problems. When I was able to finally use a four pronged cane to help me get around but could only walk a short distance, this brought up a whole different set of issues.

I originally thought all entrances to a mall had to have a handicapped accessible cut in their sidewalk to allow for wheel chair access. I needed to use that cut in the side walk because I was unable to go up steps. What I found was that the areas where the handicapped accessible wheel chair cuts where located were often off to the side instead of close to the entrance. This meant I had to walk those precious extra steps that were so difficult for me to walk.

I also used to think that public places being handicapped accessible had mostly to do with parking spots, public bathrooms, and steps. I learned that being handicapped accessible goes far beyond those narrow boundaries. Let me give you a few examples.

By the time I'd graduated to my cane, our used wheel chair broke, but I still needed to borrow a mall owned electric wheel chair because I wasn't strong enough to stand very long on my feet.

Unfortunately, most of the shopping complexes I went to had the wheel chairs at the customer service desk at the center of the mall.

The logical place would be close to an entrance because the people who need the wheel chairs can't walk, at least not very far. I assume the reason for this was that the mall owners want to make sure you saw more of the mall therefore spending more. I assure you, I would have most likely spent more if I wasn't afraid of falling or desperately needing to sit down in a crowded mall.

I would begin my hike toward the customer service desk with my frustrated and nervous husband walking beside me. He would constantly be terrified that I was going to fall and re-break a bone. This really made for a nice relaxed time for the both of us. As I walked toward the service desk, people in back of me would grow impatient with my slow pace and push around me. I suppose they just had to get to that two for one shoe sale, as long as the reason for pushing me out of the way was important. What really got on my nerves, though, was how inattentive people where to their children. Don't get me wrong. I adore kids, but not when they're threatening to run me down in their zeal to get to the nearby toy store.

Finally I'd arrived at the customer service kiosk and request an electric wheel chair so I could go wherever I wanted. That was assuming the store I went into was handicapped accessible. This meant having to consider if a the store I was in had isles large enough for a wheel chair to move through.

Sometimes it seemed that every inch of a store was full with merchandise. Not only was the store not handicapped accessible, but walking customers had a hard time getting around the store. Let's just say I helped the clerks "move" a lot of merchandise. This was because my wheel chair would get caught on clothing racks and I'd wind up making a mess.

If I was especially determined to have a good time, even if it killed me, I'd try on clothing. Some stores had handicapped accessible dressing rooms, but not all did. If I wanted to try on clothes in a place not so handicapped accessible it was difficult to get a wheel chair into the dressing rooms. I'd have to park the wheel chair next to the dressing room area and use my cane to help me walk the rest of the way. This was an inconvenience to other shoppers who had to climb over my wheel chair while I was in the dressing room. But hey, I figured I had just as much right to try on clothing as anyone else.

It's been a long time since I've been disabled. Luckily I don't need a wheel chair or a cane now. I don't even need handicapped accessible parking. My experience taught me about how difficult it is to be a disabled person who wants a day out just like anyone else. There are so many difficulties in getting around for a person who is wheel chair bound or mobility impaired.

The point of this article wasn't to make anyone feel sorry for the disabled or to pity them. The point of this article was to encourage people to think about improving handicapped accessibility in businesses and public places from the point of view of actual disabled people. It's about treating everyone, including the disabled, the way you would want to be treated.