Poll of Passive Aggressive Complaining

[trouble]

So, a coffee shop moved in to my beloved tea shop. I miss my tea shop, deeply, but I also like having a place to drink hot drinks that's air conditioned and has tables and stuff, and thus, here I am.

And I got used to being around people who though "Accessibility matters!". I'm really missing that especially right now.

Noting that I've already asked people to stop putting the table out front so it blocks the only way for a wheelchair to get into this building (both this store and the one next door) twice, and both times people have said "Oh, yeah, that's important" and then not moved it until I've said "Look, my husband will be here soon, and he'd like to get in your shop, kk?", I ask this question:

Poll #3406 Wheelchair Accessibility: Is it optional?

Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 60

View Respondents

How many times will I need to ask the coffee shop to stop putting a table in front of the accessible entrance?

View Answers

3
1 (1.7%)

4
1 (1.7%)

5
2 (3.3%)

6-10
1 (1.7%)

11-15
7 (11.7%)

You will stop going before they stop doing that
48 (80.0%)

*sigh*

Comments

[trouble]

Certainly this has been our experience too. I just hate for Don to have to ask and signal and stuff, with his voice still being so growly and his general levels of exhaustion. *sigh*

[haddayr]

Yeah, it's annoying as HELL.

The mindset I hate is that accessibility is not about making space welcoming for everyone, in case someone in a wheelchair comes by. Accessibility is about them being NICE to an individual person.

stab stab stab

[trouble]

Yeah. *sigh*

The big fight here every summer is over the signs people put out on the sidewalk and, to a lesser extent, the tables people put out. (Mostly the bylaws require them to actually build a walk-around for people, and while these are not always well constructed, they do allow access.) Last year I just grumpily moved things for Don, but this year I'm going to go in and make the staff move things, and start writing letters.

I am so sick of letter writing. Maybe I need to stage a protest. I could chain myself to City Hall until the bylaws require businesses to not put shit on the sidewalk?

[willow]

At this rate, I think you should have some set letters, pre-written. With fill in the blank spaces for identification; then you can print off and snail mail, email and also have copies in your bag on the spot to give to them as 'First contact notification' which lets them know three more will follow with cc's to the relevant agencies.

Actually I think the best thing (but which has lots of economic privilege issues) is if it were possible to have a smart phone take a picture of the offense, the store, the signage and the employees and it all go up on a folder online for you to handle later. So when you do send letters you can have all sorts of identification - it'd also make it easier for angry letters to the editor and various elected officials.

Still, so much damn energy because people refuse to have common sense about how the world should be available for everybody.

[trouble]

I do need to toss some more letters into the toolbox, I think. *sigh*

[staranise]

Disability Mad Libs!

[willow]

All that up ahead, isn't me denying your exhaustion; mental, emotional and physical and just the plain disgust involved in people being so clueless.

But yes, the mention down below about the Mad Libs is a facet of what I was getting at. It has reached the point where I think you having pre-written stuff would be easier because it is so much ____ has behaved atrociously in ___ and ____ instances by ____ and having no care about accessibility.

[trouble]

Oh, yeah! I know! :D I just know I need to write more letters, and yes, I may as well make a bloody template.

<3

[trouble]

(Plus, I like providing templates for others to use. Toolboxes for EVERYONE!)