 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Accessible RV Checklist
Access Travel Rights
Handicapped Travel Club
Rolling Down The Trail
Family RVing
Schooling Options for RVers
Kartchner Caverns State Park
Oscar Scherer State Park
10 RVing Tips for Newbies
The Accessible RV Site
Riding The Rails
The Enabled RVer Resources
Access Travel Guides
Selecting a Cane for Travel
Fulltime RVing Challenges
Campground Access
HTC Accessible Park List
Arizona Day Drive
Touring Arizona
Columbia River Region
RVing with Kids
Volunteering and RVing
RVing and Children
| An Introduction |
| ||||||
| Access-Travel Rights: An Introduction by Hope Sykes An interview with Candy Harrington of Creative Concepts and Editor and Publisher of Emerging Horizons You're new to the idea of rving. You've just bought or rented an accessible motorhome or travel trailer. You're armed with the latest issue of a campground guide. You're bursting with excitement. You pause. Is it really as easy as that to travel by vehicle if you have a disability? Well, yes and no. But, you'll be relieved to know that it's mostly "yes". The enactment of the Americans With Disabilities Act did help bring about change. Advanced technology has helped. But, the best resource for change has come from the enabled themselves. I've interviewed Candy Harrington, an expert in access-travel to help things go more smoothly for you. Enabled RVer: Why don't we start with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? What are the rights of the disabled in the U.S.? Candy: Of course this is a very broad question, and in fact whole books are written about this subject, but I will try to give you the condensed version. Basically the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which was signed into law in 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the areas of employment, public services and public accommodations. More specifically, Title III of the ADA addresses public accommodations and commercial facilities. Title III covers everything from grocery stores to hotels and restaurants, and applies to all facilities constructed or altered after 1992. While the ADA mandates access, the Access Board actually sets the specific architectural guidelines. Campgrounds and recreational facilities are also covered, but the Access Board is just now setting the architectural standards for these facilities. Access standards vary widely from one property to the next, depending on the date of construction or alteration, the location and the size of the property. Local building inspectors do not generally inspect for ADA compliance, so some facilities that should be accessible are not. The best thing people can do is to learn the specifics of the ADA, so they know what to expect. Enabled RVer: Where can I write for more information about this? Is there a really good link on the Web that would have information about this? Candy: PVA publishes a free booklet called "The Americans with Disabilities Act; Your Personal Guide to the Law" (800-424-8200) which is quite helpful. It is also available on-line at http://www.pva.org/access/97adagd/97adagd1.htm "The Americans with Disabilities Act; Questions and Answers" Free from Consumer Information, Pueblo, CO 81009, 1-888-8-Pueblo or order on-line. PVA publishes a free booklet called "The Americans with Disabilities Act; Your Personal Guide to the Law" (800-424-8200) which is quite helpful. It is also available on-line at http://www.pva.org/access/97adagd/97adagd1.htm Department of Justice - ADA Home Page: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm Access Board Home Page: http://www.access-board.gov/ Enabled RVer: I'm driving my rig and decide to stop and eat at a restaurant. What are some tips that I should know about making this the best experience from an access or special-needs standpoint? Candy: Keeping in mind that (in theory) post-1992 facilities are suppose to be accessible, generally speaking it's a better idea to look for something new. Of course I would also drive around the front and if the entrance doesn't look accessible, then I would go some place else. Entrances are one of the easiest things to fix, and if the entrance is not accessible, then there is little chance of the bathrooms being accessible (they are usually more difficult to fix). Of course first-hand reports from others who have been to a particular restaurant are the best way to go. This information is hard to obtain sometimes, as you have to find other people who understand access issues who may have traveled to a specific area. A good resource for this is the "Travelin' Talk Network"; a worldwide network of people with disabilities who offer travel information and emergency assistance to one-another. There is a membership fee, but once you are a member you can search the on-line membership directory and e-mail members. You can find out more about Travelin Talk at www.travelintalk.net Enabled RVer: I've finished my meal and I may have to go to the rest room. What do I need to know about bathroom access in public places? If a restaurant provides rest room facilities at least one accessible rest room must also be provided, when readily achievable. The catch phrase is "when readily achievable", which can mean many things, depending on the size and location of the property. If you're traveling with an able-bodied person, it's a good idea to have them go inside and check out the bathroom facilities before you make the decision to eat there. Generally speaking accessible bathrooms should have wide entry doors (32 inch clearance) and an accessible stall. Ideally you should have a 5 foot turning radius inside an accessible stall, but realistically that doesn't happen too often. Sometimes you just find a dinky little stall with a few grab bars. There is not a lot of consistency with grab bars either (number or placement). Lowered sinks and amenities are standard for new construction, but sometimes they are overlooked, too. Remember, local building inspectors do not inspect for ADA compliance, unless specific access items are also part of the local building code. Enabled RVer: What about highway rest stops? Are there any access-information gems there? Sometimes there may be a tourist booth there as well. Is there any access information that you can think of that I should ask for? Candy: ALWAYS ask for access information. There are three reasons for this. One is that if more people ask for it, then more information centers will realize the importance of supplying such information. Second, sometimes they have it hidden behind the counter, and you may never know about it if you don't ask. And third, even though they may not have any printed access information, they may be able to offer you some verbal information. Many states and cities have free access guides available. We keep an updated list of these on our website, at http://emerginghorizons.com/Resource/ (just pick "Access Guides" from the drop down menu) Last year we ran an article on accessible rving in Emerging Horizons, and I contacted all the major campgrounds and RV facilities. None really had any access information, but Coast to Coast did indicate they were at least considering adding access information to their guides. Carol Franco seemed quite receptive to this idea, so I suggest that if people are interested in seeing this happen, they should contact her to lobby for it. (Carol Franco, Coast to Coast Resorts, 64 Inverness Dr. East, Englewood, CO 80112) Enabled RVer: How do I judge whether or not a campground, restaurant, or public building is access friendly? Candy: This is a hard question, because what is accessible to one person is not necessarily accessible to another. Trails, campgrounds and outdoor facilities are difficult to evaluate. Access criteria for these facilities is not clearly defined, so remember to ask what "accessible" means. Sometimes it means there is accessible parking, sometimes it means there is accessible camping and sometimes it means there is an accessible toilet. We also add recreational access information and new links to our web site as it becomes available. And although the National parks vary widely in accessibility (some are great, some are horrible) most do have access information available. Check out the National Parks Service website at http://www.nps.gov/parks.html. You have to look up the access information under each individual park. And finally, if you have a disability, make sure and get a Golden Access Passport, a lifetime pass granting free admission to all national parks. It's free, and available at Bureau of Land Management offices and at national park entrances. Thanks, Candy. If you would like to review some of the information from Candy's site, here's how to reach her: Candy Harrington, Emerging Horizons: Accessible Travel News, Candy and Charles Creative Concepts, P.O. Box 278, Ripon, CA 95366. Phone/FAX: 209-599-9409 On the web: http://EmergingHorizons.com By e-mail: horizons@candy-charles.com Copyright © 2000-2002 Hope Sykes. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |
|
. |