Stand Up for Yourself...Always

I try to be polite and not create waves in public. It's bad enough when able-bodied people are annoying. I don't want to give wheelchair users a bad name. If I said everything I was thinking, people wouldn't think I was "sweet" and I wouldn't get "you have such a nice smile" all the time.

If I can get into your restaurant, great. If I can use your bathroom, even better. If not, I go somewhere else. Do I plan ahead as much as possible? Yes. Do restaurant staffers lie when I call, and say their restaurant is accessible when they know it's not or are unsure? Yes. Does it bug me? You betcha. I'm a human being, albeit with fewer nerves than most people. Literally.

See? I have a sense of humor about it.

REading other blogs from people who use wheelchairs, primarily The Disabled Foodie (http://www.thedisabledfoodie.com/), I realized that I don't have to be silent. In fact, I shouldn't. It's harmful, on both sides. Why shouldn't I eat there, and comfortably? And if I don't mention it, how will the staff know they're doing something wrong? Shouldn't I encourage them to do something, so that more wheelchair users will come?

I recently visited Cock & Bull here in NYC. It's a British-themed restaurant. You can even buy English food products from shelves behind the bar (they had Irn Bru!). I called ahead, even after making a reservation through OpenTable. I've learned that calling is necessary. They told me they would set aside a table for me, as the main seating area is upstairs with no elevator. I got there early, and they happily seated me, across from the bathrooms haha. If you know me, that is the best place to put me!

The bathroom was totally accessible. I was pleasantly surprised. I could transfer easily, and the soap, sink and grab bars were all on my level. That is like finding a unicorn! Even the purse hook was at eye-level! 

Until I went to lock the door. Now, oftentimes, the handicapped bathroom is the least maintained. There's usually no soap at all, or the lock is broken and no one bothered to fix it. Here, the lock was too high. I couldn't lock the door! That's important, man!

I mentioned it to my waiter. The manager came over to apologize. He said he would make a note of it and mention it to the owner. And then he had the bartender make me a free drink! You guys! This is New York! That just doesn't happen!

So what have I learned? I don't need to "hold it" and wait for someplace I know is accessible. All I have to do is ask for help. Get the manager's attention. A little embarrassment on your side will go a long way towards a lot on theirs. And it's worth it.

And try the Shepherd's Pie and Pimm's Cup at Cock & Bull http://www.cockandbullnyc.com/