The Convenience of Accessibility: How Everyone Benefits From Accessible Solutions

Many people do not feel as strongly about accessibility as those who are directly affected by it. It is probably fair to say that most people are indifferent to it, though there are some people who oppose the idea of making things accessible for disabled individuals if they believe it will affect their livelihood or lifestyle negatively. This article aims to outline the tangible benefits of having accessible solutions for everyone, even if one does not have a disability. It also seeks to put to rest any rumors and misnomers commonly associated with accessible solutions. Our hope is that anyone who was uncertain about accessibility before will find a new or renewed appreciation for it, and may perhaps aid in accessibility advocacy efforts going forward.

Public Infrastructure

The Problem for Blind People

Many countries in the world, including the United States of America, lack necessary infrastructure for blind people to get around. A U.S. government census report shows that 3% of the U.S. is made up of Urban areas, while 97% of the total landmass is comprised of rural areas.

It is incredibly common for blind people to spend a majority of their lives in rural areas, due to the inability to leave. There are a myriad of factors that dictate why a blind person might be stuck in a rural area, including lack of a good support structure, as well as insufficient public transportation. Clay County, North Carolina serves as a perfect example of this, as the one specialized transportation service that does exist refuses to take a person out of the county unless they are attending a medical appointment, or if another person is going to a medical appointment in the same area. This effectively means that, unless the disabled person in question has a good support structure, i.e., a family member or friend who is willing to take them out of the county if needed, there is little chance they will be able to find another way out on their own. That is, of course, assuming there is another way out that doesn't involve the help of a friend or family member.

The Problem for Everyone

Lack of choice in public transportation options usually results in cars or other personal vehicles being the only option available. This is a deal breaker for Blind People of course, as it is impossible to drive a normal vehicle without vision. Corporations and organizations have been investing in specialized vehicles for years, including cars with vibration motors in the steering wheel so that blind people can feel obstacles coming up, as well as self-driving vehicles. However, these solutions either fall into the trap of not being production ready yet, or having caveats that require the driver to have a valid driver's license and the ability to appropriately manage the vehicle should something go wrong with the system.

One crucial detail is commonly forgotten among people who drive: Simply having vision is not enough to drive a vehicle. You must be able to process the presence of obstacles and other drivers on the road and react to their presence within an appropriate timeframe, often being within milliseconds or even microseconds. Not everyone can react that quickly, and as a result, it would be dangerous for those people and the people around them to allow them onto the road. Additionally, owning a personal vehicle comes at a cost that not everyone can afford. If you cannot afford the price, you cannot own or even rent a vehicle, effectively putting you in the same position as someone who is incapable of driving.

If you are not able to drive, there are other methods of getting around your local area and even surrounding areas, as long as you live in an area with good or decent public infrastructure, I.e., the location has a reliable bus system, train system, and sidewalks and crosswalks for you to make it the rest of the way to your destination on foot. However, if none of these systems are in place, or if they are in place but not implemented well, trips taken without a car can prove to be inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst. If an area lacks sidewalks and crosswalks, people who need to walk are forced to walk through the woods or a long the road directly, which increases one's chances of having unfortunate encounters with wildlife or vehicles. Without a reliable bus system, longer trips to other areas far from your current location in the same town or city become impractical and/or impossible. Without a reliable train system, trips to other towns/cities outside of your current one become impractical and/or impossible.