Making sense of our disabled-friendly facilities

It's encouraging to see wheelchair logos and disabled-friendly facilities slowly popping up in various places in our towns and cities across the nation.

However, if for one minute you think that all is well for the disabled after this - I'm sorry to say that you are sadly mistaken. Because getting to one of them, and trying to use the so-called "conveniences", usually ends up into another story! Particularly, for those with wheelchairs and walking sticks.

These problems happen because the issue is not only about providing reserved car parks, special ramps, and others for wheelchair users.

More importantly, it is about putting in plenty of thought and planning beforehand into ensuring that these special facilities are truly convenient and fully functional for those who need them. 

Take, for instance, what happened a couple of days ago to Antony Leopold.

The 62-year old, who works as a travel agent in Kuala Lumpur, went to meet a client.
The meeting venue was at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang. Both are wheelchair users.  

Leopold, who had poliomyelitis when he was a child, had to drive himself to the airport alone. He couldn't get anyone to accompany him that day.

(Leopold uses a pair of callipers - a special walking aid with metal rods and shoes, strapped on both of his legs for support. He also uses two metal walking sticks for both of his hands for balance.)

At KLIA's departure hall area, he found more than a dozen reserved car park slots (all empty) for disabled drivers. But alas, they were all blocked by parking barriers! 

"I had a tough time removing the barriers myself," Leopold lamented to me.

"I had to shift and lock my callipers into action. When I was on my feet, I grabbed my walking sticks and had to perform an incredible balancing act stunt to push away the barriers, before getting into my car again to park it.

"For people in wheelchairs and unable to walk at all, it would have been impossible to park there," he explained.

Leopold pointed out that even though there was an uninterrupted flow of passengers and visitors streaming in and out of the automatic door nearby, no one offered to help him.

Not even any of the able-bodied uniformed staff who were walking around.

Inside, Leopold faced further obstacles.

Realising that it would take a long walk to the meeting point where his friend was waiting, he requested for a wheelchair.

Instead of getting the wheelchair for Leopold, the staff pointed him to the direction of another information desk, where the wheelchairs were located.

He had to make another long and painstaking walk to the wheelchair counter.

Leopold's meeting proper with his friend took only five minutes in the end. However, he had to spend nearly an hour going through his ordeal in KLIA.

He had to avoid a couple of walkalators in the process. They were much too dangerous for people like him - as well as the blind - because they could lose their balance and fall when using walkalators. 

Uncaring non-disabled passengers was another problem.

They simply refused to give up the "resting benches" even for a minute despite seeing Leopold struggling to catch his breath in exhaustion. 

"The least they could have done was to removed their luggage on the seats to let me sit down for a bit," Leopold said.

The by now fatigued travel agent, who is married and has three children, was even refused help when he asked one of the staff to accompany him to his car for some assistance when he was leaving.

"Sorry sir, we are too busy right now and your request is not part of our job description," they told him. 

With more than 25-years experience in the travel industry, Leopold has the following advice for KLIA to consider with regards to disabled and elderly passengers:

• Have a dedicated counter for disabled and elderly passengers. They should be able to access it the moment they arrive (and not somewhere deep inside the airport which requires lengthy walks).
• The special desk should be manned by trained personnel who can assist passengers and visitors with all types of disabilities: wheelchair users, the visually impaired, deaf persons and others.
• Wheelchairs should be promptly provided to the physically disabled or anyone with walking disabilities - including the elderly. Further assistance, like help in pushing their wheelchairs and others should also be provided - if asked - more so for persons who are alone and without help.
• Wheelchair logos should be clearly marked and placed as stand-up signboards. Markings on the ground, as is the practice in KLIA, is ineffective by itself. Failing to do so is also a contributory factor to disabled parking spots being abused by the able-bodied.
• In the inner lanes of both the arrival and departure halls, there must be at least two or three disabled parking available as they genuinely require it. Currently only VIP vehicles, taxis, limousines and vehicles with special permits are allowed.
• Please sensitise the police present at KLIA to the special needs of disabled persons as they keep chasing disabled drivers away who need help. – December 15, 2014.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.