What Stuyvesant Town Offers

 

Stuy Town and Peter Cooper are better for mobility problems than most who live in many sections of Manhattan. We don't think about the major positive effect that nature has, but a resident can go out and be around grass, trees, shrubs, plants, flowers, while most Manhattanites don't have this unless they go to a park (usually small) nearby. Of course, there is Central Park, which offers everyone a park land that is wide and expansive. And, sometimes, dangerous, too!... We also have the East River with its stunning views for those who can get there. So what we have is standard for everyone, not only those with walking issues, and we can take advantage of those if we want and can.

As for the mobility challenged: Every building should have access to a wheelchair or walking aide. A ramp or path should be provided on either the T (terrace) and M (main) entrance. It is a law under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If something is broken or marred, Management should be notified and the problem fixed as soon as possible.

There are still issues. Beam, the sub-company of Blackstone, decided that the inner path around the Oval would look better with gravel. Gravel is a problem for many with mobility issues. Depending on one's severity, one can find it impossible to go along this rickety space and sit on one of the benches.

Another issue is the mediocre to poor work that is done on the loop crossings from one side to the other. Deep lines, potholes, gouges have to be fixed but it can take months or longer for this to be resolved. It should be relative smooth sailing, but it isn't.

Though these are issues are for those with mobility challenges, they can apply to others, too. Frequently those without mobility challenges are ignorant of the effort it can take for those who do not find walking easy.

Your Feet Go Where?

 

One of my interests is the eFolding Scooter. It is not cheap, coming in at near 3,000 dollars, but it has many features which are attractive. But one's feet are resting on a bicycle-like bar, instead of a surface that is friendly for one's feet. Is this pleasant? Also, it is a three wheel scooter instead of a four wheel one.

Patty's Story

 

 

Yes, I am curious about the ATTO scooter. It folds into a pleasing "trolley" that can be easily pulled. But there are issues. For me, the sound of the scooter seems loud. Most promos do not have its sound, but it is there. Also the feedback from the company is not acceptable, but I am not certain that it is from Moving Life, the company which makes the scooter. The cost? Pretty high. About 3,000 dollars. That said, I enjoyed watching Patty's Story for two reasons. The first is that she used the scooter in Manhattan, which most (all?) such promos do not. I saw places I recognized and walked. The second reason is something that most people will not see as the scene goes too fast. As she goes near her door, a sign says: "Turn on your embarrassment." Or some such thing. (It is difficult to tell.) Embarrassment is one of the most important things that people get who need a mobility aide. In Patty's case, it is also that she has an artificial leg. So cheers to her for showing us the scooter--and that brief sign.

Facebook: Folding Scooter

Get Out Of The Way, Slowpoke

Though I am using a walker, I'm intrigued by an electric scooter. It seems there are many such scooters, from 700 dollars to below 3,000 dollars. The thing I have noticed is that some seniors tend to hunch over with their walker. Their back is not straight. Whereas an electric scooter obliges the person to sit straighter. Besides, and most important, the electric scooter does the walking, and that can be a joy for a person with mobility issues.

Some residents in Stuy Town, or their visitors, have electric scooters. A person with such a scooter will be able to open the building door, but with some energy. The middle door can be opened, too, but a Stuy ID card needs to be activated for this. In my building, one still has to open a door inside. The scooter, if it is normal, will fit into a Stuy elevator. 

Electric scooters can be too big for certain stores, however. I don't see taking an electric scooter into one of the small Chinatown cafes I used to frequent. A walker that I can fold, yes; an electric scooter, no.

The change of needing an electric scooter can necessitate a "learning curve." Oddly, I mostly never see a senior with an electric scooter. Mostly I see middle-aged persons or those in their twenties or thirties with such scooters. Money? Safety? Embarrassment? I don't know.  

And the city can be a pain-in-the-ass for anyone. Mobility scooters included....

What Are Those Bumps At Every Corner?

 

Ever since I've gotten a walker, I've been aware of coming to a corner and having to cross it, with my walker and hands shaking, because of the "bumps" that have been installed there. It seems it is not just me, but other people with a mobility aide or a personal shopping cart have issues with these bumps. I could think of no reason, but one. They were installed so that blind people would know that they were at a corner. Fine. But I came across another question? Do these "bumps" actually help blind people? I have helped blind people cross a street if I am there, though some New Yorkers are too in a hurry or not aware to help anyone. But I would think, and hope, that if one comes across a blind person at a corner, one would ask if assistance it needed. Some of the corners near me have heavy traffic and, even with stop lights, turns and bicycles ignoring signs if they can, crossing a street can be threatening to anyone, let alone a blind person. Despite signs and rules, there is comfort in numbers, so that people can more easily cross a street if there are more than one or two people crossing.

So I investigated some more. The "bumps" are called a number of things: warning signs, tactile cues, truncated domes, braille paving. Here in the US, the Americans with Disability Act mandated some of the changes. And some countries are way ahead of these domes in years and product. Not all blind people are completely blind, too. Only a very small percentage are. Some have varying degrees of sight, and some can "see" a brightly colored pattern, which is why these bumps are mostly yellow. And, the bumps can be designed for braille users differently based upon the circumstance ahead.

More questions: Are these bumps too much in other areas of the world? Or is there a design that is better, instead of a design that is popular?

 

People can be inconvenienced by these bumps, for sure. Using a walker, I am. I would hope that the design can be different so that all people can benefit. Manhattan is not designed for anyone who is ability challenged. It will take some time (a lot of time, I think) for the city to be truly friendly to pedestrians, bicycles, delivery people, scooters, impaired walkers...and blind people.

ADDED: We have a name! Seiichi Miyake. According to Google posting: In 1965, Miyake spent his own money to invent tactile blocks (or Tenji blocks as they were originally known) to help a friend whose vision was becoming impaired. The blocks come in two predominant types: one with dots, and the other with bars. The dotted blocks alert the visually impaired when they are approaching danger, and can often be found at the edges of crosswalks and railway platforms. The barred blocks provide directional cues, letting users know that they are following a safe path.

More here: Japan Forward Site

ACRE Carbon Ultralight

 

Before I bought mine, I only saw this rollator once in Stuy Town. I wasn't able to ask a question, as I was too far away, and the car holding the person and the rollator drove of. Because of my needs, I wanted something very light and less bumpy than what I had. I was impressed with Acre's website and the comments. The rollator costs a bit of money, so I had to pay in interest-free installments. I am still testing the rollator out, but it is definitely lighter (10.6 pounds) and smoother, as the wheels are made of soft but durable rubber and unlike the plastic wheels I was used to. However, I feel a bit unsteady at this early stage, but that's possibly a trick of the mind and not being familiar with the Acre. The rollator is beautiful. Expensive but beautiful. One has to ease up on my concerns and learn to "bang" it a bit, as I was doing with my older walker. 

It must be mentioned that the seat is a tight fit. Some of the Acre people sit with their legs crossed, and that may be the reason, though it's not mentioned. (Three width sizes, by the way: Compact, Regular, and Wide. I have the Regular.) I don't usually sit down, so this was not a deal-breaker. But to some, it may be. I also had to buy a storage bag, as what they give you with the rollator (an "organizer bag") is too small. So more money spent. The seat is also higher than non-Acre models. Not a plus for me. But, again, I rarely sit.

If I were just "walking" in Stuy Town and Peter Cooper, the Acre Carbon Ultralight would be great, but I need something for longer distances. Before Covid and my fall, I use to go to Chinatown once a week. I would like to see Manhattan with a light and smooth rollator that I can easily fold and sit inside any cafe in the city. We shall see!

Pride Mobility

 

Occasionally, I go to a YouTube website which is run by an attractive British woman with a bad operation at nine that left her needing a wheelchair and house alterations she had to make. People with a similar problem will find it valuable. Some of the posts are valuable even to me, who does not need (at this point; who knows?) a wheelchair. One of her interesting posts was about going on a sidewalk and the obstacles that people don't think about, but that anyone needing a mobility aide, does. Here in Manhattan, these obstacles can be great or troublesome. While the blog is interesting and even fun, she has lately become a proponent of "disability pride." This seems stimulated by the "pride" movements that are becoming popular now. Pride? I don't know anyone who is disabled or has mobility issues who would jump for joy (if they could) to be walking without the need for any mobility device. I don't think pride is at issue. One has a problem. One has to accept it and deal with it, and, if one can, make oneself better and the world around you. It is different than "pride."

Stuyvesant Town and its companion, Peter Cooper Village, have a lot of people with mobility issues. There is no blog or website that focuses on mobility issues in this area, which is the purpose of this blog. In many cases, however, the issues are the same everywhere. Since a major fall, I had a number of these issues and have explored possibles to get better, both physically and mentally. Stay tuned!