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I Don’t Understand Some Wheelchair Users

October 3, 2011 Accessibility, Featured, Walkability 23 Comments

The other day I was at the bus shelter on the NE corner of 18th & Washington waiting on the #97 bus when I see a man heading eastbound in a wheelchair.  No big deal, I see other wheelchair users daily. But this man wasn’t using the wide sidewalk — he was in the roadway!

The next day I’m at the same bus shelter to catch the #97 again and the same man passes by in the road again — this time heading westbound.

ABOVE: Wheelchair user on Washington Ave roadway heading WB toward 18th

I watched as he went past diagonally-parked cars west of 18th. I was shocked to see him stay in the roadway rather than on the sidewalk.

Yes, there have been times where I’m forced to travel in the roadway due to lack of a sidewalk. On those rare occasions I’m on a low traffic side road, not a major road like Washington Ave. The Schlafly Tap Room is only four blocks directly west of my place but due to numerous places without curb cuts I have to go up to Washington Ave rather than Locust.  If I go to 21st I will end up on the road from St. Charles St to Locust (one short block).  When I remember, I use 20th to head south to Locust then west to 21st to avoid being in the road.  Either way I have to cross 21st in the middle of the block between Locust & Olive since the SW corner of Locust & 21st doesn’t have a curb cut.

I know I’m safer staying on the sidewalks — crossing roads only at crosswalks. Obviously not all wheelchair users feel the same. My assumption is some users face so many obstacles trying to use sidewalks they just give up and use the road.  Or maybe they used to walk in the road rather than on the sidewalk and do the same now that they use a wheelchair?

I should try to talk to this guy to find out.

- Steve Patterson

  • RyleyinSTL

    The Wife and I run for exercise and often avoid the sidewalks.  In south city many sidewalks are very uneven….in some places you can have 20cm differences  It’s the worst I have seen in any city I have lived in.  I blame a shrinking tax base and home/business owner disinterest in the 50/50 program (given that the average resident is over weight and adverse to walking…they just don’t care).  I have taken to reporting dangerous sections to the city in the hopes they will encourage home/business owners to fix the problems.

    This is likely why this man was in the street.  Rather than screw around he’s just taking the path of least resistance.

  • RyleyinSTL

    The Wife and I run for exercise and often avoid the sidewalks.  In south city many sidewalks are very uneven….in some places you can have 20cm differences  It’s the worst I have seen in any city I have lived in.  I blame a shrinking tax base and home/business owner disinterest in the 50/50 program (given that the average resident is over weight and adverse to walking…they just don’t care).  I have taken to reporting dangerous sections to the city in the hopes they will encourage home/business owners to fix the problems.

    This is likely why this man was in the street.  Rather than screw around he’s just taking the path of least resistance.

    • JZ71

      It boils down to enforcement.  For a minority of property owners, the only way things get taken care of is if they’re forced to do so, and the city seems to be pretty lax in forcing anyone to maintain the public sidewalk in a safe manner.  You can blame it on ignorance, obesity, poverty, politics-as-usual or outright obstinance, but the results speak for themselves.  And, unfortunately, some of the biggest offenders are publicly-owned properties – MoDOT, Parks, Schools and LRA properties, to name a few.

      Denver makes it very clear:  “City ordinances establish that abutting property owners are responsible for installation, repair, and maintenance of all sidewalks within the public right-of-way in the City of Denver. If requested, the City will inspect sidewalks and if they are found to be in need of maintenance, notify property owners of their responsibility to arrange for repairs.”  We need to develop the politcal will to expect the same here.

      • Blank

        Political will takes leadership.  Who will lead this costly initiative?

  • Anonymous

    It boils down to enforcement.  For a minority of property owners, the only way things get taken care of is if they’re forced to do so, and the city seems to be pretty lax in forcing anyone to maintain the public sidewalk in a safe manner.  You can blame it on ignorance, obesity, poverty, politics-as-usual or outright obstinance, but the results speak for themselves.  And, unfortunately, some of the biggest offenders are publicly-owned properties – MoDOT, Parks, Schools and LRA properties, to name a few.

    Denver makes it very clear:  “City ordinances establish that abutting property owners are responsible for installation, repair, and maintenance of all sidewalks within the public right-of-way in the City of Denver. If requested, the City will inspect sidewalks and if they are found to be in need of maintenance, notify property owners of their responsibility to arrange for repairs.”  We need to develop the politcal will to expect the same here.

  • Anonymous

    Frankly, joggers or wheelchairs in the traffic lanes, not at intersections, might just be another name for target. I get so frustrated with people knocking on cars and them speeding through pedestrian zones or not sharing the road, when I constantly see people blatantly disobeying the pedestrian rules (as the jogger above) or the wheelchair you mention, or countless bikes that blow through stopsigns.

    Surprised by the man in a wheelchair using the road as he wishes? Why? No one else seems to be following the laws.

  • abernajb

    Frankly, joggers or wheelchairs in the traffic lanes, not at intersections, might just be another name for target. I get so frustrated with people knocking on cars and them speeding through pedestrian zones or not sharing the road, when I constantly see people blatantly disobeying the pedestrian rules (as the jogger above) or the wheelchair you mention, or countless bikes that blow through stopsigns.

    Surprised by the man in a wheelchair using the road as he wishes? Why? No one else seems to be following the laws.

  • Moe

    I fail to understand that no blame is placed on the man and all blame is placed on the city and property owners.  People like this give wheelchairers, bikers, and joggers a bad reputation.  Darn it…sidewalks are there for a reason…use them. I’m tired of cyclist and pedestrians weaving in and out of traffic as if they are immortal. And when on the street, street rules apply.  That means following traffic laws and going with traffic. Stopping at stop signs! Going at or at least near the speed limit. If someone was to hit this person, who would be at fault?  I fear the driver, yet this guy is clearly disobeying the law.

    As for sidewalk conditions.  First off, not all city folks are obesse.  I take offense to that and we are not adverse to walking Ryley.  That is plain crap.

    The 50/50 program works.  Where can you get your sidewalk repaired at half the price?  But it takes the property owner to be willing to pay their share.  Many city folks (like me) walk their dogs and it’s a pain when you trip over the uneven surfaces that occur due to NATURAL causes such as tree roots, settling, etc.  As for Modot, parks, and such  I can not speak to but as for the LRA…if it has title of the property, it has been abandoned and neighbors would rather have the building secured than a sidewalk that no one will use (because no one should be living in an abandoned building) and there are only so much dollars to work with.  And what of the properties of absent landlords like McKee that just don’t care?

    And whle many of the sidewalks in the city are 50 plus years old and showing their age, at least we have some unlike many suburban neighborhoods

  • Moe

    I fail to understand that no blame is placed on the man and all blame is placed on the city and property owners.  People like this give wheelchairers, bikers, and joggers a bad reputation.  Darn it…sidewalks are there for a reason…use them. I’m tired of cyclist and pedestrians weaving in and out of traffic as if they are immortal. And when on the street, street rules apply.  That means following traffic laws and going with traffic. Stopping at stop signs! Going at or at least near the speed limit. If someone was to hit this person, who would be at fault?  I fear the driver, yet this guy is clearly disobeying the law.

    As for sidewalk conditions.  First off, not all city folks are obesse.  I take offense to that and we are not adverse to walking Ryley.  That is plain crap.

    The 50/50 program works.  Where can you get your sidewalk repaired at half the price?  But it takes the property owner to be willing to pay their share.  Many city folks (like me) walk their dogs and it’s a pain when you trip over the uneven surfaces that occur due to NATURAL causes such as tree roots, settling, etc.  As for Modot, parks, and such  I can not speak to but as for the LRA…if it has title of the property, it has been abandoned and neighbors would rather have the building secured than a sidewalk that no one will use (because no one should be living in an abandoned building) and there are only so much dollars to work with.  And what of the properties of absent landlords like McKee that just don’t care?

    And whle many of the sidewalks in the city are 50 plus years old and showing their age, at least we have some unlike many suburban neighborhoods

    • Guest

      Good points, Moe

    • RyleyinSTL

      Statistics point to a large amount of Missouri residents as overweight (heck, one quarter are actually labeled as obese!)….thus unlikely to be interested in walking anywhere….and therefor disinterest in good sidewalks.  All I’m saying is that is going to have a large effect on the desire to keep sidewalks usable in the city….and from what I can see around me here in South City it does.

      Fix the sidewalks and people will not have a need to walk/exercise in the street.  The city is willing to pay half the bill.

  • Blank

    Political will takes leadership.  Who will lead this costly initiative?

  • Guest

    Good points, Moe

  • RyleyinSTL

    Statistics point to a large amount of Missouri residents as overweight (heck, one quarter are actually labeled as obese!)….thus unlikely to be interested in walking anywhere….and therefor disinterest in good sidewalks.  All I’m saying is that is going to have a large effect on the desire to keep sidewalks usable in the city….and from what I can see around me here in South City it does.

    Fix the sidewalks and people will not have a need to walk/exercise in the street.  The city is willing to pay half the bill.

  • Theresia

    There’s nothing wrong with people using wheelchairs on the roadway. No big deal. Remember that roads are not just for cars but equally for bikes and any vehicle including a wheelchair. There needs to be less cars on the roads and more bikes and we need to see more stuff like this happen. It’s normal. 

  • Theresia

    There’s nothing wrong with people using wheelchairs on the roadway. No big deal. Remember that roads are not just for cars but equally for bikes and any vehicle including a wheelchair. There needs to be less cars on the roads and more bikes and we need to see more stuff like this happen. It’s normal. 

    • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

      Sorry but you are way off. I used to bike in the road and knew how to do so safely. Riding a wheelchair in the road is simply a great way to get killed and unnecessary when you’ve got a nice wide sidewalk to use. Bikes don’t belong on sidewalks, wheelchairs do!

      • Theresia

        I live in Europe. I’m not way off. It’s normal here. 

        • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

          Normal in Europe is way off in the US.

  • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

    Sorry but you are way off. I used to bike in the road and knew how to do so safely. Riding a wheelchair in the road is simply a great way to get killed and unnecessary when you’ve got a nice wide sidewalk to use. Bikes don’t belong on sidewalks, wheelchairs do!

  • Theresia

    I live in Europe. I’m not way off. It’s normal here. 

  • http://urbanreviewstl.com/ Steve Patterson

    Normal in Europe is way off in the US.

  • ladypict

    I have cerebral palsy and use a walker. I often have to walk in the roadway because the sidewalks are uneven and I cannot push the walker over tree roots. My way is often blocked by parked cars . I don’t walk to walk in the road, but I often have no choice as I go about my daily business.

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