On arrival at a regional airport to commence a holiday trip, I look for a parking that is wide enough to lower the wheelchair lift so that I get out of my handicap-equipped van (there is no handicap parking space that is “van accessible”, so I must find a space at the end of the row in order to put down the lift.

If there is no space, then I must find a person who is willing to park my van for me and drop me off). Once I was out of the van, I looked for a ramp to get into the terminal on my scooter. There was only one in the whole length of sidewalk. However, the rental cars awaiting customers are routinely park in front of the ramp blocking access. (This means I must alert someone inside the terminus and wait for the cars to be moved before I can get into the building.

Now that I have a cellular – as long as I have the appropriate phone number, I alert someone in the building. Otherwise, I must wait for an upright person to arrive and request him to go inside and get assistance for me). Once in the terminus building, I went to the airline check-in counter. In my battery-operated scooter, I am appropriately three and a half feet tall and the counter is on a level with my head. All my transactions with the person behind the counter took place at the level of my ears.

The person behind the counter must stretch over it in order to take my tickets, and I must crane my neck and shout in order to be heard. The small commuter plane arrived and there are steps leading into the cabin. Since I cannot walk, I must be carried on board; a process that requires a transfer from my scooter to a device that looks rather like a barstool on wheel. To transfer, I turned the scooter seat, manually lifting my legs and putting my feet on the ground.

I can then pull into a standing position and lowered on the carry-in device that has been placed adjacent my scooter. Someone then picked up my legs placed them on the footrest and I was strapped in and requested to fold my arms over my chest (in the manner of a corpse). I was then wheeled out to the plane and two people lifted the carry-on device as one does a stretcher; and carried me up the steps.

Once on board, I again transferred to get into my assigned seat. (This whole operation was of course; performed in the whole view of all people in the airport lobby. They also watched as I was lifted into the plane).

At the first destination, when all the other passengers have alighted, I was carried off the plane (necessitating a repeat of the transfer procedure from the airplane seat, to carry-on the device, and then scooter or wheelchair). We arrived at the terminal building to find that the only entrance is up to two flights of stairs and the elevator has broken for two days.

Once again I must transfer so that I can be carried up the stairs into the terminal. (The necessity to repeat this procedure numerous times was not only difficult and frustrating for me but, judging from their words and actions, it is obviously irritating to those who were carrying me).

In the terminal building I was outside the security checkpoint. However, it was not possible to go through the security gate in a wheelchair or scooter. Consequently, I was taken to the side (once in full view of every one who happen to be in the area) and my whole body - from the armpits to fingertips, from the top of my head to the base of my spine, from the goitre to ankle, from under chin and over my breast and abdomen was “patted down” by an airport employee.

I left and went to the restroom. Although the door is wide enough, the “handicap accessible” stall is too small to accommodate the length of my scooter. I must therefore, sit in it with the door open. (Obviously if this particular stall was occupied, whether a person with disabilities or by an “abled bodied” individual; I must wait until it is vacant since I cannot get through the door of the “normal” sized stall with a wheelchair or scooter).

I left on the second “leg” of my trip. Although I do not have to negotiate steps to board the larger plane that took me to my destination I must be carried to my seat (and off the plane) since the aisle between the seats on an airplane is not wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. This also meant that, in the event of a long trip, I must request an “aisle chair” (a smaller narrower version of the “barstool on the wheels”) to get to the restroom during the flight.

Not only was it extremely undignified to request this assistance but also I must wait until it is “convenient” for the personnel servicing the flight to attend to my needs. (In particular term I have learned that this mean I should request assistance about thirty minutes before I think I need it – and never at the time when the meals/drinks carts are of the galley). I was then wheeled to the restroom in the full view of most of the passengers who watched as I transferred from aisle chair to toilet.

After arriving at my destination, de-planing and getting into my hotel – a trip that necessitates taking another taxi since the airport limousine cannot accommodate a person in a scooter or wheelchair was a different encounter. In the hotel, I found that none of the four restaurants were accessible from hotel lobby.

Because limited access was available from outside the building, this again necessitated going two blocks into the pouring rain. In the process, I later discovered that a colleague and I cannot walk from the hotel to any nearby place of interest since we cannot go further than a block in any direction – there were no curb cuts that would enable us to ride our scooters off one sidewalk and on to another.”



Diversity is a bless but not curse

Individual are unique. It is a grave mistake to assume we are the same. See beyond the technical aid for great pleasure awaits you to discover
All faithful and patriotic citizens must cherish and nature diversity. It is strength and force to reckon with for the advancement of the human family.

Because we are different it is inconceivable that we must think, react and execute things in the same manner and rate. What is fundamental is being human and accommodative. It is irrevocable verdict that we are equal. Therefore it is incumbent on all of us to cherish and practice equals rights and equal opportunities even if not for anything but for peaceful co-existence.

Living a decent life is fundamental human rights not a privilege. Applaud efforts, strengthen weakness and reward accordingly. It irritates to associate common mistakes to any attribute much more functional limitations.

Tolerance is basic in harmonious social living. Tolerate peoples with their limitations. After all functional limitation is a mere indication of human diversity.
Your welfare is as important as others in the society. With inclusive thinking and programming we saving cost, building great solidarity and building a model to be admired. We all have the social desire to be recognized and respected.