| Up until the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was | | | | Usually a basic ramp will suffice as long as the incline |
| signed into law in 1990, there was no standard for | | | | isn't too steep. In cases where there is a steeper |
| treating disabled citizens fairly. Prior to that time, many | | | | incline to cover, ramps are often built that incline up |
| buildings and services were off limits for people in | | | | before turning and going up again. This makes the |
| wheelchairs just because they couldn't use the stairs. | | | | ramp safer and easier to traverse. |
| The mindset of the times meant that no one thought | | | | The ADA laws also speak to public transportation. |
| much about the problems except those afflicted. Now | | | | Mass transit of some kind must be made available to |
| the laws, which were amended in 2008, have brought | | | | everyone. With that in mind, many cities provide bus |
| the plight of the wheelchair-bound to the attention of | | | | services that include hydraulic lifts which will allow |
| the public and made it against the law to construct | | | | wheelchairs to be loaded onto the bus just like any |
| new buildings that don't accommodate the needs of all | | | | other passenger. In effect, these lifts are glorified |
| of our citizens. Since every building obviously can't be | | | | wheelchair accessible ramps that have been adapted |
| built with an elevator, in many places wheelchair | | | | to make vehicular travel safe and possible for people |
| accessible ramps have been installed to help these | | | | confined to a chair. In some cases, public transportation |
| people get around. | | | | systems may use actual ramps in order to provide |
| I was in a school building last week where a ramp had | | | | access for everyone. |
| been installed next to a short set of stairs. Although | | | | We've come a long way towards creating a society |
| the device was nothing but a simple inclined plane with | | | | that is more fair to everyone here in the United States |
| a railing, it made it possible for a student in a wheelchair | | | | in the past 2 decades, but there is still a long way to |
| to get around in the school. To comply with ADA laws, | | | | go and many services that still can't be used by the |
| it doesn't take anything elaborate and expensive. | | | | disabled. We are headed in the right direction, however. |