Wheelchair mobility in Atlanta

November 5, 4:51 PMAltanta Low Income Issues ExaminerDannis Cole

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Altanta Low Income Issues Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Exploring Doraville by MARTA is fairly easy, as long as there's a sidewalk.

Photo by Maggie Cole

Atlanta is no different than most cities, large and small. The closer you are to older neighborhoods, there are more sidewalks, in various states of repair. Some are newly paved, thanks to efforts to provide more of them for pedestrians. Some are broken, with weeds growing in the cracks, or worse, tree roots pushing them into an uneven mess. Some very old sidewalks, from the 1920's and 1930's are in surprisingly good shape. Others from the 50's are nearly destroyed by tree roots.

It is very difficult to negotiate busy streets without a sidewalk as a pedestrian. How much worse it is for a person with a mobility problem! A person using a cane, or "elbow crutches", or on regular crutches, needs a lot more room to pass. Pedestrians tend to think of them as just another pedestrian, and most do not allow them extra room. It can cause them extra physical pain to have to alter their course because of a person in a hurry.

But, a wheelchair is a different matter. The small wheels on a wheelchair will stumble over a mere piece of gravel. This examiner was thrown from her wheelchair unexpectedly by a 1" curb because the small set of wheels found it first. Pedestrians don't realize how much it can hurt if a wheelchair runs over a soft shoe or if a footrest hits a shin. The things pedestrians carry can hurt the person in the wheelchair, too. This examiner has gotten many scratches and bruises from shopping bags with corners, box corners, even pointy umbrellas. Anything on wheels cannot stop as fast as a healthy person on foot. This examiner can't push her own wheelchair, so she is dependent on the skill of the person pushing, and worries about being pushed into a pedestrian. This is why most people who have a choice of manual wheelchair vs. power chair like the power chair, if unable to push their own manual chair. You can stop faster, maneuver better and the batteries don't get tired as fast as you. Wheelchairs with angled wheels are more suited to athletic wheelchair users [see YouTube links below].

All wheelchair users are not alike. Some have enough upper body strength to maneuver a wheelchair over an obstacle, while others cannot. New Mobility Magazine is geared towards the "active wheelchair user".  WheelchairNet has an article on Wheelchair Etiquette that suggests you don't assume the person using the wheelchair is sick. Most who use them are physically healthy, just mobility impaired. But, don't assume the person is healthy, either. Some who appear healthy are not. The best thing to do is ask the person if they want help. Don't ever lean on a wheelchair, walker, or other piece of equipment when you visit with a handicapped person. Leaning on this equipment can damage it. Walkers and wheelchairs are meant for even pressure on both handles. Leaning on one side can bend parts so it doesn't function as well. Never let your children play with wheelchairs that might be stored at your church or supplied at stores. If you use a motorized scooter in a store, don't let your children ride on it; this will tear it up. Adding a child can often exceed the weight limits and shorten the life of the scooter. Children also tend to move about more than you, which can put uneven strain on the machine. Many people who do not use a motorized scooter at home can borrow one in a store, to conserve their energy or save them some pain. Large cities like Atlanta have them in most grocery stores and large retail stores. They can run out of the scooters at times; some stores do have manual wheelchairs with baskets for your items.

For more information, watch these YouTube videos:

Wheelchair Fun

COOL Mobility Prototype

Wheelchair Dance Competition

For more information on getting to Atlanta in a wheelchair, see: