Accessibility in Action
P-R-A-C-T-I-CAL things have to be practical, or whatever that song by Chappell Roan says! I recently saw a video on TikTok where hotel staff were helping @theinclusivetraveller use their lift to exit the building, which I found pretty interesting. What makes concepts and ideas like this great, and what could they mean for accessibility? Let’s dive deeper into how such groundbreaking designs could enhance the environments we live in and make them more inclusive (or not)!
@theinclusivetraveler Note you do have to wait for the front desk person to activate the ramp so you can’t come and go as you please. But it is good the hotel made sure there was an option! #accessibletravel #wheelchair #traveltiktok #hotel #ramp #accessibility #portugal🇵🇹 #lagos ♬ HOT TO GO! – Chappell Roan
Great Concept But Destined to Fail
Making areas accessible is a great way to make places feel more inclusive and welcoming. This clip shows the hotel’s commitment to ensuring @theinclusivetraveller and other disabled guests could get in and out of the building. Many hotels and venues often overlook installing lifts or making accessible features safe and functional, which can create less-than-ideal situations for disabled individuals who use these services.
Innovations like this highlight that many businesses genuinely want to accommodate disabled customers and are making efforts to cater to everyone. It’s reassuring to see such commitment to inclusivity.
Repairs and Running Costs
While the ramp did achieve what it was built for, electric mechanisms are likely to fail, so would defeat the purpose of having this fitted in the first place. These types of ideas often feel great on paper and look incredibly cool, but the reality is that they often come with a hefty price tag.
Installing accessibility can be expensive, especially where complex mechanisms are involved and constant maintenance is required. Ensuring these systems remain functional is very important, but it can quickly become more expensive to maintain, raising questions about the long-term practicality and sustainability of accessible solutions. Whereas a more straightforward and durable design, like standard ramps, might offer a more reliable and cost-effective approach to accessibility, requiring installation once.
Legal Considerations
Some environments must also cater to specific legal requirements. For example, grade-listed buildings and other historical or protected sites often require planning permission and must stick to health and safety regulations.
In such cases, it might be more practical to adapt existing spaces rather than construct new ramps, which can be both space-consuming and costly.
Accessibility Considerations: Verdict
While seeing these videos on the internet can make you feel like the expert, it’s important to consider what led them to install this innovative design. However, from seeing this lift in action, it does feel like a standard ramp with an automatic door would have been the more accessible and sustainable choice for this given scenario.
Additionally, the design requires somebody else to be around, making it inaccessible to those who can’t open the door independently. A truly accessible environment would be fully automated, incorporating features like keyfobs or buttons to enable guests to use them independently during their stay. This approach would be more accessibility-conscious and enable ease of use for everyone.
Midweek Message: Innovation Is Key
Despite the considerations and potential issues in the design, innovating in these ways is crucial for discovering accessible technology and solutions. We need to see more solutions like this implemented in more places around the country. Life continuously offers opportunities for improvement and for changing the world for the better with new accessibility ideas.
Similar designs and systems, such as the hidden lifts created by Sesame Access used in London hotels, have proven to be effective. These features helped many disabled people access places they previously couldn’t. Innovations like these could also assist those who struggle with stairs, as some locations have multiple steps to enter, potentially saving people energy and making spaces more inclusive.
So for this week’s Midweek Message: Embrace innovation and don’t be afraid to see things for yourself to truly understand their impact!
Share Your Sights!
If you come across any accessibility while out and about or on social media, please email me at: ‘info@buildmyaccessiblehome.co.uk’. This way we can raise awareness and ideas on how accessibility is applied worldwide and in the country. It can be something ridiculous like a very unsafe and steep ramp, or innovative solutions which can enhance our lives.
Help the Blog and Renovations!
The hard work is underway to turn my new home into the perfect accessible paradise. Please consider donating via Buy Me a Coffee to support the content being created on this blog. Your support will enable me to continue showing more bizarre and interesting accessibility innovations and technologies. If donating isn’t for you, simply sharing this post with friends, family, and colleagues would be just as valuable in supporting my efforts!
All donations will also go toward speeding up the adaptations being made to my property and covering the associated costs of this ongoing project. This will ensure that I can live in my new property comfortably and independently.
