At the edge of staff lot nine, there is a small ramp in the corner facing the Student Union. It sits against a brick wall and is largely overlooked. But it gives wheelchair users access to the Student Union, Hodges Library and entry to Volunteer Boulevard.
A few weeks ago, there were cars parking in front of that ramp and blocking access to it. Parking Services painted the curb to indicate no parking in that area. One problem solved.
However, I have recently seen rental e-scooters being left on the sidewalk at the top of that ramp. I’m sure the people who have left them probably think they’re doing the right thing by leaving them pushed to the side, out of the way of the pedestrian traffic headed up the walkway.
But by putting them in that little corner, they’ve made that ramp completely inaccessible to the people who need it the most. I have to wonder if posting a sign in that corner that says “Please do not block handicap accessible ramp” would have any effect, or if people would just ignore it.
So many people are simply unaware of how difficult movement across our campus can be for someone who uses mobility aids.
The building I work in, the Bailey Education Complex, has a handicap accessible entrance on both the first and third floors. The button on the first floor to trigger opening the automatic door is located on the side of the building, to the left of the door and is partially obscured by a large bush. It can be inconvenient for someone in a wheelchair to be able to reach. They must angle their wheelchair to avoid the bush, push the button, then move the wheelchair out of the way in order for the door to open.
The sidewalk in front of that door is uneven, complicating things further. The elevator in our building once barely allowed people any time to exit and enter the car before the doors would close. It was always necessary to have someone hold the “open door” button to allow someone in a wheelchair the time necessary to enter or exit.
Because someone spoke up, settings on that elevator have been changed to give more time before the doors automatically close. Though not perfect, at least this building has both an accessible entrance and an elevator. As I understand it, there are still some that may not.
Obviously, I don’t have all the answers, and I applaud the work being done by UT’s Student Disability Services. I hope that someone reading this may become just a little more alert to the little things they can do, like moving that e-scooter out of the way, to make things just a little more manageable.
Ms. Tidwell is an administrative specialist in the department of educational psychology and counseling. She can be reached at [email protected].
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