Point of blog:
Is to try to make this world a more wheelchair friendly place.
Who am I?
I’m a young adult, a dwarf and a wheelchair user.
Can you help?
Yes please send me any photos or interesting info on accessibility around the world.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
It’s getting colder and that time of year where taking long walks aren’t as desired as they were… Time to find that warm indoor car ride. Some of you it maybe a no brainier how to get around but for those who use wheelchairs it’s a whole other challenge. I have always had to take a bus or rely on my family to drive, but now the options have expanded!
About a year ago I had called 311 to get an accessible cab. About two hours later finally a cab showed up… I tried them twice and both times it didn’t workout.
Last week I read an article, Hailing Wheelchair-Accessible Cabs posted in the New York Times about this new app called WOW Taxi for iPhones and Androids. I wasn’t sure if it would really work. I just had to test the app out and decided for my late tuesday night class, I’d try to get home via WOW Taxi app.
I downloaded the app, book a trip in the morning giving it my pick up and drop off locations for a Tuesday evening trip. I was ready 10-15 minutes early. I look at the app and it gave me the drivers name, medallion number, current location of the cab, and is updated every 20 seconds. The driver showed up ten minutes early! It actually work!!
I love it! The ride itself was a little bumpy partly because the driver tied down the front of my chair but not the back. You sit on a slanted ramp ground… But the fact that I managed to get in the cab, home safely and no waiting made it all good worth it.
My next cab ride I hope Mr. Amarjit Singh or his brother Vikrant comes and picks me up in his MV-1 cab. He apparently is the only owner/driver of a purpose-built wheelchair-accessible medallion cab in the city according to the NY times article titled A Cab tailored to Wheelchair Users.
Now I’ve more options of traveling around. Sadly the ride is the same price as for everyone else, (expensive) but it opens more options to traveling with in Manhattan. The yellow cab driver can take you to Brooklyn but not back to Manhattan. I hope someday I can do a full around trip from Manhattan to Brooklyn via public transport or cab, until then my father will still have to drive me.
Stay warm and safe travels.
Photo from: http://www.accessibledispatch.com