Say what you see?

So we've all seen the sign and know what it means right? It's the world wide recognised sign for people with disabilities right? 

Or is it! Well it has been recognised by the U.N. and has been round since early 70's  and recognised as an international standard, (ISO 7001 image of the International Commission on Technology and Accessibility (ICTA), a committee of Rehabilitation International (RI).

But in reality what does it mean? And here's the confusion. As a general sign yes people recognise that a wheelchair means a disability. But does it represent all disabilities, what about hidden disabilities. There has been much discussion about this with even certain retail outlets adding a sign of a man and woman next to the disability sign on toilets to indicate hidden disabilities.  There have also been many recent articles similarly of abuse and people putting letters on cars suggesting certain people are abusing disabled parking spaces as they are seen to be healthy and walking. 

Society doesn’t tend to help either in regard to build when it comes to parking let's make sure the spaces are near closest to the shops. Whilst in a lot of cases when you have a disabled toilet these are placed in my experience as further away as possible from other toilets.

Another issue is the government doesn’t help either you have one rule or criteria saying your disabled if you can't walk 20 metres or more (PIP) and another one saying 200 meters or less (most blue badge schemes). There has even been recent changes to legislation  to ensure other people who have say Mental Health issues  or hidden disabilties become eligible as well.

Personally I don’t have a problem with anyone using these toilets. However I would hope people themselves would consider necessity and need rather than thinking I am disabled therefore I’m entitled.

With regards to toilets and designated disabled car parking spaces ( with hatch markings) which depict these signs. Everyone needs to realise that these signs do not just mean disability. But they specifically mean that the design of such toilets or parking is intended for people in wheelchairs. Or people who have the most difficulties in being ambulant. 

Just look at the design standards they don't talk about disabled toilets or parking they very specifically refer to these spaces as "wheelchair accessible" toilets/parking. 

If you step back and look at the space the design of the sink and fixtures or the hatch marks around the parking space, they are all designed with a wheelchair user in mind. Even when designers put baby changing facilities in with disabled toilets you take away the advantage of it being accessible as the changing mat (even though fixed to the wall) and the extra bins needed detract from the design to ensure a wheelchair (manual) user can turn around in it.

There may be occasions when others do need to use these facilities, or park in such spaces but disabled people need to understand that just because there’s a blue sign with a wheelchair on it, doesn't mean you should park there. Just like with other things in life social responsibility must be considered. Think, do you really need to use that space or can you, even though you have a disability can actually manage a normal toilet or space?

I try not to judge anyone and I won't it’s not my place. As someone once said God doesn’t judge a person until the end of their time. Why should you or I? If only we all took and made are selves open to social responsibility not only in these specific areas but generally in life things would improve for all.