I came across the Disability Rights Activist(DRA) website yesterday. Last tear they opened an office in New York City. And this past week they announced that the MTA has agreed to install an elevator at the Dyckman Street Subway Station. If you don't live in or around NYC then you don't know that more than half of the subway stations don't have elevators. I've only used the subway a handful of times whenever I've been traveling around the NYC area because there are so few elevators I can very rarely go where I need to go using the subway system. It's a huge hassle. The decision came about as a result of litigation between the United Spinal Association represented by the DRA and the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA). I haven't read the case yet but I'd like to because I'm wondering if this means the MTA and the NYCTA won't put in any elevators unless they are forced to through litigation. That would stink but it wouldn't surprise me!
I was also interested in the posting on DRA's website that in May a federal court okayed a major class action lawsuit by New Yorkers who use wheelchairs challenging the Taxi & Limousine Commission's (TLC) refusal to provide accessible taxis to the tens of thousands of people who use wheelchairs in the city. The ruling affirms that state and federal disability laws apply to the TLC. I think the TLC felt that wheelchair users should have to pay more to take a taxi. I don't remember the particulars but I was very irritated when I heard about the taxi issue several months ago.
I'm wondering if I should tell the DRA about the movie theater that doesn't allow wheelchairs so I didn't get to see Black Swan on the big screen....
No comments:
Post a Comment