Watching me, watching you

[kryptic]

I remembered times when I used empty soda bottles to relieve myself on long road trips. But when I gotta take a dump, that’s a different story! LOL!

Hey, do you use them folding aluminum style ramps? I’ve seen those over at Sportaid. How heavy are the ones you have?

What kind of van do you have? Is it the dropped floor IMS or Braun style? Like with Dodge Grand Caravans? Or do you have a full sized van with those bus style lifts?

Also, how wheelchair friendly would you say Jersey is?

Oh yeah, one more question, are you a manual chair user? Or power chair?

If you use a manual chair, what kind do you have?

Sorry if I’m asking a lot of questions, just curious.

[furthured]

I have an electric wheelchair. I made sure to get one with the most power, speed, and longevity. I call it my off-road vehicle. I have a second wheelchair I use if I am going to go out to a bar because it has an elevator seat (a.k.a. a makeshift bar stool). ;-)

My van is a Chrysler minivan (with under the floor ramp). However, I am in the midst of buying a new one: a Honda Oddesey with an under-the-floor ramp. I don't like fold-out ramps because, if something goes wrong, you're stuck. If something goes wrong with an under the floor ramp, I can just manually use the 3-foot ramp I keep in my car to get in and out.

The ramps are the aluminum folding ramps. The 3-foot folds in half; the six-footer is a trifold. I can carry the 3-footer myself (as I just hold the handle with the ramp perched on my footstool). The six-footer is too heavy for me to do myself but decently-strong person can carry it. Since I mainly use it to get into friends' homes, there's always someone around to help.

Some towns in NJ are very accessible. I live in Montclair which is not only mostly accessible, but has the best restaurants in the state (Thai, sushi, Turkish, veggie, tapas, Ethiopian, fusion, etc.) and nice lounges. I work in Newark which is not always accessible. I ride in the streets in Newark because I'm never sure when there is a cutout on one end of the block but not on the other. However, I now know most of the curbs/streets in downtown. I also know which restaurants are accessible and which are not. The nicer ones all are. As for the crappy ones, I don't care that a number of them are not accessible as one crappy one is just like another (although I eat crappy a lot, especially for lunch). Those that I have wanted to go to but were not accessible, I have forced -- either nicely or through threat of lawsuit (which I also do nicely but make very clear that I wil in fact sue and I will in fact win) -- to get their own folding ramp so I (and others in chairs) can now enter.

The main bus/train terminals in NJ have to be accessible; the smaller ones do not. But I always take my car, even to NYC, as I just find it much easier.

[kryptic]

Honda Oddesy? An excellent choice bro! I’ve seen a few demo models and they look quite stylish. But of course, Honda’s reliability reputation is why I am also both a former and current Honda owner myself.

Hey, are you still currently serving as director for the ACLU? I can only imagine how daunting and tedious managing/overseeing such cases that deal with such a wide variety of civil liberties issues must really be.

I don’t care much for attorneys but, a Civil Rights Attorney? I can definitely dig that bro! Thanks for answering my questions Ed.

[furthured]

Yup Kryptic, still ACLU-NJ Legal Director. I don't take on many disability rights cases (mainly free speech, freedom of religion, and race, ethnic, gender, or sexual orientation discrimination), but I do handle of few disability matters more broadly, especially in the school context/special ed.

[kryptic]

Right on bro! Keep on, keeping on!

If i'm ever in Jersey and need a lawyer, i'll be hiring you dude!

[wheelsgirl]

Beautifully written Krypic. I am new to the site and slowly going through what I can with my limited time, but very glad I took the time to read your writing. You put a lot into perspective. I am glad in so many ways that my children have been raised around people that I worked with and for. They have never seen the chair or the disabilities (I also work with MS & DD) they see the person and they are always so open and receptive to people.

There was one day we were at the store and there was an elderly man struggling in his chair to get to the door & so many people ignored this man, they "didn't see him" and my 9 year old yelled "Whats wrong with you people" and then went up to the man & asked if he could help him. Without my prompting HE, at 9, seen with his heart, not with his eyes.

Thank you again. You have touched my heart.

Love,
Kathy

[roger888]

Finding some time to look through some of the old threads again & today I am concentrating on the story section.Reading this one made me think, what ever happened to Kryptic?He produced some very good material while he was contributing.

[Claire]

I know, I wonder too. I really liked him. Sweet guy, and great writer. I loved what he had to say.

[roger888]

He might reappear now that we are talking about him,wouldnt be the first person to do that.Its funny how some people lurk for a year or more without posting then suddenly decide to post again.Its like they are patiently waiting for the right opportunity.

[charlene]

Dec 10, 2008 9:15:47 GMT -5 roger888 said:

Finding some time to look through some of the old threads again & today I am concentrating on the story section.Reading this one made me think, what ever happened to Kryptic?He produced some very good material while he was contributing.

Guess this had something to do with trolls that were around at that time...

[Claire]

Oh yeah you're right! That was HORRIBLE. He left, then came back at our urging for a while, but then disappeared without saying anything.