I am still strugglin

These are images from the "dog cars" I posted them yesterday before I got them uprighted...sorry for the confusion.












I am still struggling with my digital camera. I have figured out that the internal memory chip in my camera is full. I thought the images were being written to my removable card, they were not leaving only a blank card. I had to participate on a panel discussion on feminism and disability. I was not sure what to expect but I was up for a reason to check out of the office for a while. The weather has turned cold and the clouds are dark and threatening so I brought the van into work today but there has been no precipitation to speak of. Even though the clouds looked menacing and the temps were cold I decided to train up to the University.

Today’s images are those from the train I used to ascend to the university.; These cars are the older cars UTA bought before the Olympics hit out State like a virus. The cars are really dogs but I can accept the vehicles much better after having been to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia the ramps used to bridge the space from the platform to the train were kept hanging in the tunnels of the subways. So when a person with a disability want to access the car the conductor had to actually exit the train walk over to the wall and pull the “bridge” off wall then walk back train lay piece down, load the person then return the bridge back to it’s place.

When we first got the “dog” cars some one at the shop at UTA , actually got the job of manufacturing the bridges used here during the Olympics. The bridges were OK but there were also a law suit waiting to happen. The bridges were unstable and I feel heavy for the operator to use. I felt it was just a matter of time until someone’s big chair would move the bridge at the wrong time and send them down the gap between the train and the platform. I noticed today, however, that the UTA had actually manufactured bridge-plates for the gap and they seem quite civilized and safe. No one is falling off these.

We spoke to five or six feminist graduate students who are also going to be counselors and who may see folks with disabilities of one sore or another. The session was laid back—of course—and fun. I also think the experience will lead to further opportunities to work with other neophyte healthcare professionals and train them how to better interact with consumers with disabilities.