Access blocked!

It was a miserable Oregon day for a football game, but our son, E, had a game yesterday at Westmoreland Park in Portland.

There was not a place to park close to the field of play, so we drove down to the larger lot. I like having the more space for our big White Bus -- we never have decided on a name. Jet White?...I'm still not sure.

E got out and ran to join his team for pre-game scrimmage.

Jodie and I unloaded our scooters and headed for the field. Westmoreland Park is a Portland treasure. It hosts a huge pond with lot's of ducks. Feeding the ducks is at Westmoreland Park should be on the top ten list of things to do in Portland.

There is only one access ramp in this area the park. Here is a street view photo. It is a simple blacktop ramp.

It does the trick -- when it's not blocked!

Jodie and I scooted down to the ramp. The two disabled parking spots were filled, as were all the parking spots nearby. On the ramp was parked a lady in a SUV who had her car running and was working on getting her son's football pads on.

I was annoyed; Jodie was ticked!

The lady saw us. She was obviously sorry, but she was getting her boy ready. She was the only adult, with other kids in the car.

I had empathy for her situation, but where is the empathy for us?

Able bodied people will not understand what blocked access feels like until they themselves or a loved one they are with cannot get where the need to go because of a blocked ramp.

The mentality that "I'm only going to be a second; there are no wheelchairs around..." -- you know, this is the number one barrier that still exists for the disabled.

A ramp is access. A ramp that is used as temporary parking is not access. Able bodied people don't understand this. They assume that we, the disabled, have more patience than they do.

It is hard to think of a good example of an able bodied person having their access blocked. All I can think of is a freeway on ramp blocked by a parked car. The driver was running into the store to get a pop, or getting their kids football pads on. You pick the scenario. For someone wanting to access the freeway, they want access now. Yes, there could be an emergency scenario that closes access.

The point is that you would not close a freeway on ramp for non-emergent reasons. Drivers are not going to have patience to wait for that. Why should the disabled wait?

As it turned out, I drove up the ramp....very tight fit. The lady then backed up and let Jodie use the ramp. She then pulled back on the ramp.

I got the feeling Why can't they (the disabled) just wait for me?