Uprights behaving badly: Footpaths

I am very excited to be sharing with you another posting from IDEAS Board Member Joanna Nicol. I quite like her blog as I think that the view she takes is something quite unique and independent of the usual perspectives on life. Her own experiences are very insightful and her words are a great way to share in with the experiences of a person in a wheelchair.

Joanna Nicol

I’m going to do a series of posts on things I wish those without apparent disability understood or did differently. It is from my perspective as a person who uses a wheelchair, but hope it can be useful more broadly. So to start with:

Footpaths: their use and misuses

My top 5 things six things I wish uprights got about using the footpath:

1. Don’t just stand there – move something. Standing still at the top of kerb ramps instead of moving off it to allow people crossing to safely and legally get off the road. This is not the place to start a meaning of life conversation or adjust your wardrobe. I, like others need a clear metre at the top of the incline to safely complete the crossing process without tipping myself up or collecting your shins. For many of us who have different mobility issues we need to pick a direction of travel and keep moving as much for safety as energy or anything else so abrupt stopping is never polite. It’s like a car slamming on the brakes every 50 metres instead of going say 30 kph with on-coming traffic coming at you on either side. Also if I am obeying the rules of the road and waiting on the kerb ramp with you jay-walking in the opposite direction please don’t climb over my chair to get off the road.. My footplates are part of my personal space.  
2. While talking of footpaths they are not the place to mingle with five or six of your friends all looking and talking inwards. Given I am waist high to most of you it can be very hard to attract your attention to keep moving (see above) and am often stuck yelling at people’s belt loops for some minutes waiting for one of the party to look down. Not everyone can sidle past or tap you somewhere that my grandmother would consider polite. I can’t tap you on the shoulder if I’m three foot tall.
3. Footpaths are still first and foremost designed built and paid for to enable the safe pedestrian movement of all of us. They are not designed to act as a parking lot for prams cars or bikes, a community ashtray, a junk storage zone, a dining room or an extension of your business. While these uses are able to be incorporated in parts and more modern footpathing have integrated these uses, please remember that the narrow footpaths still need to fulfil the movement thing as their primary role.
4. If you are over 12 do as our parents and the law teaches: please walk your pushbike on footpaths. It’s polite, non aggressive and saves kerb ramps for those of us who have need them to get anywhere not just get somewhere quickly. I know you are doing a good thing for the planet and all that, but polite is still polite. You are still a vehicle. You saving carbon by not using your car is great and something I very much support but the energy flow needed to incorporate your riding on the footpath for me is higher I suspect than for most other people (see point regarding committing to a direction of travel) in the other direction in a need for higher concentration, and the kind of stopping and starting of a machine that you are trying to avoid.
5. While we are on a roll here can smokers please refrain from lowering your cigarette and it’s plume to get me right in the face. Just as you don’t want it right near your eyes when your not smoking it – neither do I. I have even been ashed in my lap or on my hand or chest more than once. It might also be worth noting that this behaviour is not going to be good for any children in the area either.
6. This same idea applies to the swinging of handbags and backpacks in the vicinity of my head shoulders or back or failing to look in all directions (up/down as well as forward and back when exiting a shop to re-enter a flow on the footpath. Its like entering a flow of car traffic without checking your mirrors. Bumping the back of a wheelchair isn’t like bumping a chair leg.. I can feel it. If checking in all directions before you move seems exhausting my only solace for you is; if we all did it more we’d probably all have to do it less.

The main things I wish that “uprights” understood about footpath/sidewalk issues are:

• everyone is trying to get somewhere to be with those we love. I know all the stuff about vibrant footpath culture, but we need to be able to get places to enjoy the culture.
• everyone comes in different sizes so please look down as well as behind. It can be humiliating talking to belt loops for 5 minutes.

Raised Garden Boxes

Hi avid followers of this blog. I have a lovely post from Rich Fabend today. It is always truly compelling to see how he approaches his life and his experiences in creating adaptive equipment for his personal use. Below is a really neat post from Rich.

Rich Fabend

Would you like to raise some flowers and/or grow some vegetables for your own consumption? Raised bed garden boxes will let you do that and it is great exercise. Each spring the soil must be worked up and planted. During the growing season the vegetables must be weeded and thinned. If the weather is not cooperating the plants must be watered. The wilted flower heads must be picked off the plants (called deadheading) which is great exercise for fingers. A box does not take up much room if space is an issue. Prior to placing a box, the area under it must be prepared. This is not necessary if it will be placed on cement or any other solid surface. If placed on the ground you must assure good drainage.


The height of the box opening should be a few inches taller than the armrests of the wheelchair. The width of the growing area should be several inches less than twice the gardener’s arm length which will allow one to cover the entire planting area. Built from pressure treated lumber, the box is open on two sides so one can drive a wheelchair underneath it and work straight on.


The first year my boxes presented some unique problems because of the construction. The 2” by 8” which made up the planting area did not allow for the soil to be deep enough for vegetables so most of the vegetables planted did not grow very well. The following year, as you can see from the picture, we added about 3 inches to the height of the planting area. This allowed adding another 250 pounds of soil to the bed. Also, in an effort to cut down on moisture evaporation we added Hydro-Sorb to the soil. Hydro-Sorb retains water and releases it a little at a time. These two changes made the boxes much more successful. We did not find it necessary to increase the depth of the flower boxes.


I have 6 boxes, four I plant with vegetables and the other two with annual flowers. I enjoy working these boxes very much. I use adaptive garden tools which can be purchased online. The vegetable boxes can grow salt potatoes, broccoli, onions, baby carrots, beets and garlic. Gardening is good for many different reasons.

Introducing Guest Blogger Melanie

Introducing the amazing Melanie, who is quite an inspiration. I feel very excited about having her publish on this blog. I hope that you enjoy her shared experience. Everyone truly has a story to tell!

Hello. My name is Melanie and I am 26 years old. I am in my second year of studying to become a primary school teacher and I work at IDEAS as an Intake Officer one day a week. I live at home with my mum, step-dad and dog Lilly and look forward to getting a place of my own once I graduate and and have a full time teaching job. I have had a vision impairment since birth. I have congenital cataracts. They were removed when I was 6 weeks old but have permanently damaged my vision. There are no special glasses or laser treatments available that can restore my sight. I have been wearing strong bi-focal glasses since I was two months old.


Did you notice how I started off writing about who I am? There are many elements that make up me. My family and friends, the things I like and the values that are important to me. Sure my disability is a part of me too but it doesn't define who I am. Often something others do without even realising.

I think the only really significant thing that I cannot do is drive a car. That doesn't bother me too much because I have grown up relying on public transport. It is my norm. As far as everything else goes, well, I will always find a way. I have done some pretty out there things including abseiling, canoeing, ice skating, roller blading and bike riding. Hang on a minute… how does a blind person go roller blading, you ask? Well, the same way sighted people do! Putting one foot in front of the other, toppling over and clinging on to someone so tightly that you cut off their circulation!


When I have my vision aids and technology, I am completely capable at fully participating in life. If I need assistance, I ask for it and don't feel ashamed. I used to become quite frustrated with people who would constantly offer to help or do things for me. I couldn't work out why people seemed to feel the need to intervene when I didn't need or ask them to. I've realised that people do have good intentions. Sometimes too good. But the problem is the majority of people don't understand about disability. They don't see it as normal. Quite the opposite in fact. They feel pity and discomfort. When I walk down the streets using my cane, I sometimes hear small children asking their parents what my cane is. 99% of those parents tell their children to be quiet or to stop being so rude. I think I am more comfortable about talking about my disability than most others around me. I want little children to come up to me and ask questions. If they don't, then how are they going to understand that I am a normal, capable person just as they are. Instead they are getting the message that something is terribly wrong. This isn't terribly wrong for me. I don't even think about it all that much. I have had this my entire life so I don't know any different.


A lot needs to change in society. I am really passionate about inclusion. That is, no segregation, no special schools, no institutions, no restrictions. I want to see a society where disability is the norm. It's just as accepted as having brown eyes or red hair. In a perfect world all buildings and forms of transport would be accessible. All written material would be provided in alternative formats such as Braille and audio. Schools would be adequately funded to support children with disability, and include them in mainstream classes. Teachers would be trained to adapt the curriculum to cater to these students. Workplaces wouldn't think twice about hiring a person with disability. The parents of little children would encourage them to go up to people like myself and talk to us rather than shy away. I could go on and on… of course, we are progressing but at such a slow rate. I hope I get to experience a society like this in my time. People often ask me if my vision can be "fixed". They talk about laser, bionic eyes etc. and try and encourage me by saying that technology continues to improve so surely there will be a cure in my lifetime. I don't think about that stuff. As far as I am concerned, nothing needs to be fixed. I'm fine just the way I am.

Adapting Some Winter Clothing

Another fabulous blog from Rich Fabend!

I know that June, July and August are the winter months in Australia. Right now it is summer, in the States, but it has not been very warm. Much of the time, regardless of the season, I am cold. In my blogs I have been trying to encourage people to think of different methods and telling them that there is more than one way to solve a problem. Here are some things I have done to try to stay warm. My problem was trying to keep my hands and arms warm when I was outside. My fingers are always clenched in a loose fist position. It was very difficult for my wife or nurse to put regular gloves on my hands. It quickly became evident that mittens would work best. Unfortunately, mittens created problems of their own. It was impossible to keep my thumb in the thumb of the mitten. The major problem with mittens however, was that once I took them off I was unable to get them back on by myself. So I designed what I like to call Quad Mitts. They have an opening at each end with the front one tighter. I was able to get my wife's friend to knit a trial pair and they worked extremely well. The picture below shows the pattern that we used. Note that the cuff is extra long and can be folded over what I am wearing so I don't have to worry about them coming off. When I need to use my bare hand I just push it though the hole in the front end and then pull the end back over my hand when I am finished. I am a big man so you may need to adjust the measurements according to your own size. If you know someone who will knit for you maybe you want to think about a pair of sleeves (my arms are always cold) and/or leg warmers. Often in the morning I will have my nurse put my sleeves on with a tee-shirt and then I will take them off when the day warms up. Recently I cut out part of the back of a sweatshirt. I am able to put the sweatshirt on and take it off by myself and it’s not necessary to worry about pulling it down behind me. This was a simple thing to do but it keeps most of the parts of my body I can feel warm.

Dealing with Risk

Rich Fabend



If you read my other two blog entries Attitude, Attitude, Attitude and Attitude Adjustment, hopefully you are beginning to understand that it is a combination of your attitude and an ongoing process that are necessary to begin to deal with some of your daily frustrations. There is another barrier to some people’s efforts to think beyond traditional methods of accomplishing an objective. That obstacle is the concept of failure. Dealing with life's adversities often involves risk and along with risk comes the idea of success or failure. We are often reluctant to take a risk for fear we may not be able to accomplish what we are trying to do and that implies failure. First of all, nobody always achieves what they set out to do. Secondly, many individuals have the misconception that failure is bad. However, failure if approached with a positive attitude, provides opportunity for learning and hence for growth. In a “60 Minutes” interview LeBron James, the famous NBA basketball player, was asked what advice he would give to young kids, his response was not to be afraid to fail. LeBron James said, “Don’t be afraid of failure".


Making adaptive equipment often involves a learning process that includes a change in attitude. If you have an idea for creating a piece of adaptive equipment, pursue it. Remember for all of us, thinking out of the box is a strategy that can lead us down the road to success. When making adaptive equipment try to keep things simple. Use materials that are readily available and make the tools multifunctional if possible. Do not let yourself become discouraged for very few things happen quickly. Learning to approach a task with a new outlook will take time. However, success breeds success and after awhile you will look at things differently. Look at a new situation not as a problem, but as a challenge needing to be addressed. Set your mind free of the cultural restraints which may prevent you from finding a solution. The following poem hung on the wall in my classroom for years.



ONLY A PERSON WHO RISKS IS FREE


Author Unknown

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.


To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.


To reach for another is to risk involvement.


To expose your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.


To love is to risk not being loved in return.


To live is to risk dying.


To believe is to risk despair.


To try is to risk failure.


But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.


The people who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, are nothing.


They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.


Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have forfeited their freedom.


Only a person who risks is free.

~ from page 147 of the book "Addiction by Prescription" by Joan Gadsby