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I live in Coupeville Washington. Last Saturday about noon I was going across one of the busiest street in Coupeville.  I headed for the wheelchair "dip" and it was way too high for my power chair.  I ended up being thrown from the chair onto the concrete street.  Fortunatly a couple of people were passing by who lifted me back up and into my chair but I ended up with a bloody foot, and a sprained (?) back. Does anyone have suggestions what to do about this matter?  All the curbs in Coupeville seem to be made the same way (they are about 2 inches thick) and to get from one place to another in the town  would have to drive in the street with the traffic.  I am not sure who to contact or what to do.  Can anyone make suggestions?

Thanks

Start with your City Councilor.  Issues like this is waht they are there for.  But don't just rely on a phone call.  Wrtie him/her a letter but don't foget to copy the local newspaper.  Coity Councilors love issues like this. For many of them being a councilor is just a stepping stone to higher office.  Solving problems like this can help them.  But be prepared to be told that the "dips" (we call them curb cuts) meet ADA requirements and he/she does nothing for you.  

 

Before starting anything, seek out the city's ADA person complaince person.  You want to make sure they are in violation. If they are in violation, you got a beef. If not, you might just be SOL. 

 

Good Luck and keep us informed.

Go out with someone and have them take pictures and video, if possible, to take with you to show what you mean. (Do it safely so you don't get thrown again!) Sometimes it's easier to show than tell in a case like this. 

Like TriDog says, you need to see if they violate the ADA.  (You might need to check more than one curb cut.)  Another possibility:  the front (anti-tip) wheels of my powerchair are adjustable in height.  Maybe you just need to raise yours.

I have a friend in Texas that took on her city for a similiar issue and WON! It was a long, hard battle but a worthy one for her because she traveled those streets every day. I'll try to find out the steps she took but I know it involved meandering around city beaurocracy. Stick to it and let us know your progress.

Sorry about your spill and hopefully you're feeling better! 

Oh I happen to have had the same problem in the community I live in. There was one of these dips that were just too steep for years and years which I nevery really had to use. Things only improved when they put in bike path lanes which they took down the grade and added a nice bolted down rubber mat. You know like it was going to snow or ice over in central Florida LOL They need to have at least bike path standards that could benefit both wheelchairs and bikes without spending a lot of Federal money! Check out DOT see what they say. Supertooth

I swear they have non-disabled people designing wheelchair dips, curbs and such. A restaurant I used to go to when I was still on crutches and in a chair had the curb dip way in the back of the restaurant. When you went there in the winter, you froze your a** off just getting to the door. The curb/sidewalk was too high for me to use with my crutches, so I had to go all the way back to that dip. All the while you were hoping they had put salt down to melt the ice and you weren't going to hit a patch of it.

 

I have complained to several restaurants, as recently as a month ago, about where their curb dips are located. One Subway restaurant had it right where two buildings met and there was a dip in the roof. There was a huge ice mass right there, right on the curb dip. I don't use a chair anymore, but I didn't want to walk on the ice either. I had to go out into the parking lot to get there. The owner promised me he would do something. I will keep after him.

 

Fight the good fight and good luck!

maybe this will work if you cant get the city to change the curbs