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Author Topic: TTC "accessibility" is a bunch of crap
statica
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1420

posted 05 November 2008 02:53 PM      Profile for statica   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
...seriously, I need to vent here.

I try to get on at Finch station and BOTH the escalator and the elevator are down for maintenence. Seriously, do they know how badly they screw dis/abled people like me over when I cannot go down that many flights of stairs without a huge struggle (well, I could have thrown myself down the stairs, I guess, I felt like it, my life officially sucks).

After not finding ONE employee who would listen to me at the booths,I'm pretty pissed. I get told I'll have to hike down to North York Centre and try and get on there! Do you know how damn far away that is, dragging my bum legs down Yonge Street.

Now I'm super-nuclear pissed off. I marched outside to the bus terminal section (which you cannot enter or face a $500 fine, but has the only working elevator on its platform), flag down a cop to help me across the road and try and get the attention of a TTC supervisor, who starts busting my lip about how I just want a free ride or some bullshit.

I am so fucking mad.

He finally lets me pass after EVERYONE waiting for a bus (with nothing better to do than stare at the commontion I'm causing)gets to see him ream me out. I felt like sinking into some hole, but dragging him down with me.

Fuck, I hate the TTC. They have no forsight on these issues and every employee I talked to had the "not my problem" attitude. And forget about that phone line to check what's accessbility options I have, it's never up-to-date.

My life sucks...sorry to sound like a 14 year old. But my life sucks!


From: t-oront-o | Registered: Sep 2001  |  IP: Logged
TVParkdale
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15681

posted 05 November 2008 04:38 PM      Profile for TVParkdale     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
You don't "sound like a 14 year old".

You sound like an outraged adult who paid [fare] for a service that is supposed to be disability-friendly but wasn't.

To add insult to injury, when you tried to find some way to fix the problem, that the service you paid for created, you were not treated with the respect due to an irate customer who has a legitimate complaint.

All-in-all, I'd say you handled it reasonably well under the circumstances.

You didn't *thump* anyone, did you?


From: DaHood | Registered: Oct 2008  |  IP: Logged
kropotkin1951
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2732

posted 05 November 2008 04:40 PM      Profile for kropotkin1951   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
That is disgusting and not merely venting. You should take them to the HRC and get them to ensure that in the future there is a contingency plan in place to deal with access when something like that happens.
From: North of Manifest Destiny | Registered: Jun 2002  |  IP: Logged
TVParkdale
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15681

posted 05 November 2008 04:52 PM      Profile for TVParkdale     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by kropotkin1951:
That is disgusting and not merely venting. You should take them to the HRC and get them to ensure that in the future there is a contingency plan in place to deal with access when something like that happens.

Good idea. Perhaps there is some activist organization that can help fight for this to happen?

What is "HRC" pls?


From: DaHood | Registered: Oct 2008  |  IP: Logged
pogge
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2440

posted 05 November 2008 04:56 PM      Profile for pogge   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Human Rights Commission.
From: Why is this a required field? | Registered: Mar 2002  |  IP: Logged
triciamarie
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12970

posted 06 November 2008 04:34 PM      Profile for triciamarie     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
That sucks. Sorry that happened to you.

If I was one of the people in line behind you I would have been impressed with your courage and perseverence in raising the issue.

Here's from the Ontario HRC website:

quote:
Transit Accessibility

Equal access by persons with disabilities, older Ontarians, and families with young children to adequate, dignified public transit services is a right protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code. For many, it is also a necessity – in order to obtain an education, find and keep a job, or use basic public services like health care. Lack of access to transit may also lead to isolation, as visiting friends or participating in the life of the community becomes difficult or impossible.

Unfortunately, equal access to transit services is far from reality for many Ontarians. While many improvements have been made in recent years to improve the accessibility of conventional transit services, such as increased use of low-floor or lift-equipped buses, and modifications to bus and subway stations, progress remains slow, and many of Ontario’s transit systems anticipate that it will take 15 years or more to achieve maximum accessibility. At the same time, there are troubling limitations in many of Ontario’s specialized or paratransit systems. Patrons too often face restrictive eligibility criteria, long waits for rides, punitive cancellation policies, and unequal fare structures.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission has been involved in a number of initiatives to help improve transit accessibility for riders with disabilities. Early on, it called for a strong Ontarians with Disabilities Act to address accessible transit in the province. In 2002, the Commission held a public consultation on improving transit accessibility and reported back its findings and recommendations. It has investigated a number of transit complaints and litigated cases at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario as well as reached positive settlements with transit providers. The Commission has also worked with the Ontario Community Transit Association and the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (now Accessibility Ontario) to address concerns rising from complaints and promote rights and responsibilities under the Code.


http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/resources/news/theme-transit

So basically, according to this, they're focussed on improving paratransit availability. But there have also been gains recent gains in getting drivers on normal buses to announce stops for visually impaired riders.

The Canadian Transportation Agency is the federal agency that regulates access standards -- not; US standards are apparently much better.

http://www.cta-otc.gc.ca/index_e.html (click Accessible Transportation)

ARCH Disability Law Centre may be able to give you the lowdown on the status of any court challenges, community initiatives etc and they can connect you with disability rights groups if you feel like cooking something up...

http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca


From: gwelf | Registered: Jul 2006  |  IP: Logged

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