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I went to the hospital yesterday. Let's talk about accessibility of public spaces. I can't talk to you as an urban planner, or an architect. I'm can talk to you as a blind man who writes comedy and walks around Toronto, like many other disabled people here. 1/17
Yesterday, my partner and I were out for a walk. We were passing by the (phenomenal, try the Nata) Golden Wheat Bakery on College Street in Little Italy.
Because COVID, patios have reopened in Toronto. I love a patio, me, but I hate how they bottleneck sidewalks. 2/17
Because COVID, patios have reopened in Toronto. I love a patio, me, but I hate how they bottleneck sidewalks. 2/17
We were passing by their fenced patio when a guy was getting on his mobility scooter -
which he had parked in the middle of everything, the dick. Please examine my professionally-recreated representation. 3/17
which he had parked in the middle of everything, the dick. Please examine my professionally-recreated representation. 3/17
I'm going to take this second to say in all of this, Golden Wheat Bakery is not to blame. The city decides the boundary for patio space and GW is just doing their thing. And really, go try their pastel de nata. Best in Toronto. Anyway... 4/17
My partner was to my right, and slightly behind me. I saw this guy mounting his scooter and on account of my having no depth perception, I wasn't sure if I was in his way. So I slightly sidestepped and my left foot slid into this...hole. 5/17
This thing. Why does a city bother with these things? "Beautification" and "green space" are not answers. I've grown up in Canada, I know that any kind of interlocking stone or brick situation are going to shift after the winter. But: PRETTY TREES, right? 6/17
So my left foot sinks in and i roll my ankle. My forward momentum takes me, well, forward. Because of my fun propensity for detaching retinas, I have always known to - at the sake of my whole body - protect my head/neck, as per the safety instructions of the Wu-Tang. 7/17
I sort of ran/fell forward, trying to spread out my impact (hard impacts detach retinas), and I was headed toward a lamp post. I bailed hard on my right side, ripping up my right elbow and left hand knuckles. 8/17
I caused a hell of a scene - a blind guy with a white cane bailing hard. People came to ask if I'm okay. Not the scooter guy, though. He just went off. All I could think and say then was "scoot away, bitch. Scoot away."
I got up, covered in sidewalk gross and my own blood. 9/17
I got up, covered in sidewalk gross and my own blood. 9/17
We came home to clean up and I could barely move my arm. I had a Tylenol 3 from old dental work and that seemed to eventually help me relax. We washed my cuts and scrapes (hand, elbow, and hip are all bloody) and I relaxed. I tried to spend my day as normal, but... 10/17
The pain eventually won. I conceded and went to emerg at Toronto Western hospital. I was COVID-screened, triaged, and had x-rays on my shoulder, arm, and ribs done inside of an hour and a half. Luckily I haven't fractured or broken anything, but I'm badly bruised inside. 11/17
Back to accessible spaces. I'm lucky I'm relatively young and can bounce back from this eventually (even though to turn on a light with my right hand takes focus and searing pain at the moment). My mom has osteoporosis; a fall like that and she'd shatter like a lightbulb. 12/17
Why are there open holes in the sidewalk? I love green space, but not for the sake of safety. Why are bars and restaurants allowed to take up 60-70% of the sidewalk? A wheelchair could barely get through. That prick on the scooter took up the whole space. A stroller. 13/17
I could go on about how pathetic this city is in terms of accessible design. I've been asked to be part of projects designed to fix exactly this, yet we see zero movement. Designers obsess over access in interiors and how pretty things can be, and new builds. And yet... 14/17
there's apparently zero work being done to fix what's there. The giant concrete sidewalk slabs that bounce at Bloor and Ossington? "Fine." Holes with trees and loose bricks? "Fine." Planters in the sidewalk with short lips? "Fine." "They're pretty!" 15/17
Don't even get me started on the pathetic tactile bumps that CURVE AROUND THE CORNER POTENTIALLY SENDING BLIND PEOPLE DIRECTLY INTO COLLEGE STREET TRAFFIC. Why do these exist? Because no blind person was consulted. There's no way. "BUT AESTHETICS!" 16/17
I'm wrapping it up here. I'm home and I'll be fine, but planners: if you want to make your city accessible, talk to disabled people. Talk to the elderly. Maybe consider accessibility as part of making your mark. If you weren't so design-obsessed, I wouldn't have this sling.
