Stupid alert

[heightsyankee]

A woman on my neighborhood family forum just posted this:

Does anyone have recommendations for wheelchair-accessible restaurants?
A friend is in from out of town, and I must admit I don't pay as much attention as I could to accessibility.
A private room or quieter environment would be a plus for conversation. Thanks!

Really?

[Deleted]

I would think it would be a legitimate question to ask.

[pamela]

I fail to see where the stupid is?

Some restaurants are much easier to get a wheelchair in than others.

[y4m]

I've also missed something.

[heightsyankee]

All restaurants have to be wheel chair accessible. It's the law.

[Deleted]

May 17, 2012 10:25:54 GMT -5 heightsyankee said:

All restaurants have to be wheel chair accessible. It's the law.

yes, but some are still a lot more handicap friendly than others.

[ringstrue]

I look for recs for the opposite - loud family restaurants where DD and her yelping wont stand out.

[y4m]

I also think ADA mainly applies to renovations/new construction. If a restaurant existed before that law, and hasn't been renovated, and couldn't have easily made accommodations--they may not be fully accessible.

[OscarQ]

May 17, 2012 10:50:01 GMT -5 y4m said:

I also think ADA mainly applies to renovations/new construction. If a restaurant existed before that law, and hasn't been renovated, and couldn't have easily made accommodations--they may not be fully accessible.

Totally agree. There are many places I frequent that are not easily accessible. Technically complying and really being accessible are very different. I think this person was being thoughtful in seeking out a truly accessible place.

[heightsyankee]

May 17, 2012 10:31:39 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Perhaps she meant which are easier than others to get into/out of and maneuver around? My niece has this problem and while all restaurants may technically comply, some definitely make it easier than others.

Could be but that's not what she asked. Maybe I'm too cynical but her question seemed to me to say she didn't know places that had any accessibility at all. I was shocked that someone could not realize that all public places must be accessible for a wheelchair.

[msmerymac]

May 17, 2012 11:01:39 GMT -5 heightsyankee said:

May 17, 2012 10:31:39 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Perhaps she meant which are easier than others to get into/out of and maneuver around? My niece has this problem and while all restaurants may technically comply, some definitely make it easier than others.

Could be but that's not what she asked. Maybe I'm too cynical but her question seemed to me to say she didn't know places that had any accessibility at all. I was shocked that someone could not realize that all public places must be accessible for a wheelchair.

I'm on your side.

I mean, I guess it depends. For example, in Boston, a lot of restaurants are "ground level" (think Cheers - semi-below ground, so you have to go down a half-flight of stairs to go through the front door). Yeah, I can see older buildings like that being semi-problematic (or at least more so than Olive Garden). But thinking over the places I like to go, most of them are street level, don't have steps at the entrance, etc. Most places have free-standing tables and will move chairs out of the way for a wheelchair. *Shrug* It's not like there's a particular restaurant that caters mostly to people in wheelchairs, as far as I know.

[heightsyankee]

No, I am thinking ADA. I know buildings of a certain age can be grandfathered but there is really not much that old in Houston- and certainly not restaurants. From what I've seen, even the older buildings (like the historic performance hall in the Heights) have been altered for accessibility.