If only it was so easy; guess the powers that be might want to consider that the rest of the world shouldn't allways be the leaders in the pack.
"Equal access -- to the classroom, the workplace, and the transportation required to get there. Equal opportunity -- to live full and independent lives the way we choose. Not dependence -- but independence."
"Equal access. Equal opportunity. The freedom to make our lives what we will. These aren’t principles that belong to any one group or any one political party. They are common principles. They are American principles. No matter who we are -- young, old, rich, poor, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled or not -- these are the principles we cherish as citizens of the United States of America." Excerpt from Speech by President Barak Obama at the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2010..
Freedom to access transport and by doing so access to every place at any time
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Please Consider what accessible means
It never ceases to cause me wonder why wheel chair access to the taxi Industry has or is such a debate or such an issue for Industry, Government or Auto Industry; little reality check; it's not the next Space Shuttle, not as difficult as the International space Station.
The very concept of an accessible vehicle should make life easier for the majority of us, and whilst depending on your circumstances, a vehicle that is accessible to a person in a wheel chair will be generally easier for any one, with or without a wheel chair. You might consider that not all of us find the entry and exit of the standard sedan is an easy action, oh yes it might seem so, but the reality is that more energy is used than should be by the simple task of entering and exiting a car/taxi.
A few years ago I spoke with a specialist who worked in the field of Automotive design, he spoke of the ten's of thousands of dollars spent with the use of computer simulation equiptment to examine how it would be made easier to enter and exit a newly designed australian made sedan. Why is simple, because most of us either drop into or have to drag ourselves out of them.
A taxi by it's very nature is a vehicle that people enter and exit in short time frames, sedans are an absalute failure for the industry, apart from that all concerned might want to consider the statistics pertaining to population and the ageing nature of the worlds population. In Australia, Industries should, and I say should because most Industries are a bit slow on the up take of new ideas. What will be the average age of a consumer in the next 10 or 20 years, can they access your bussiness ? We all know that the taxi industry can't or is unwilling to think that far ahead, but I wonder if the Automotive Industry can think that far ahead, its far more likely they will.
Lets us hope!!
The very concept of an accessible vehicle should make life easier for the majority of us, and whilst depending on your circumstances, a vehicle that is accessible to a person in a wheel chair will be generally easier for any one, with or without a wheel chair. You might consider that not all of us find the entry and exit of the standard sedan is an easy action, oh yes it might seem so, but the reality is that more energy is used than should be by the simple task of entering and exiting a car/taxi.
A few years ago I spoke with a specialist who worked in the field of Automotive design, he spoke of the ten's of thousands of dollars spent with the use of computer simulation equiptment to examine how it would be made easier to enter and exit a newly designed australian made sedan. Why is simple, because most of us either drop into or have to drag ourselves out of them.
A taxi by it's very nature is a vehicle that people enter and exit in short time frames, sedans are an absalute failure for the industry, apart from that all concerned might want to consider the statistics pertaining to population and the ageing nature of the worlds population. In Australia, Industries should, and I say should because most Industries are a bit slow on the up take of new ideas. What will be the average age of a consumer in the next 10 or 20 years, can they access your bussiness ? We all know that the taxi industry can't or is unwilling to think that far ahead, but I wonder if the Automotive Industry can think that far ahead, its far more likely they will.
Lets us hope!!
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