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Wheel Chairs And Curb Ramps
By Nicole Thomas, Thu Dec 8th
Impact of curb ramps on people with mobility impairments Curb ramps are designed to provide access to people who usewheeled forms of mobility. Without curb ramps, people who usewheelchairs would not be able to independently access thesidewalk and street. However, not all wheelchairs perform thesame on a curb ramp. Common types of wheeled mobility devicesinclude manual and powered wheelchairs, as well as poweredscooters. Each type of technology will benefit from differentaspects of the curb ramp design. For example, most poweredmobility devices are maneuverable in small spaces due to theirshort wheelbase. have a longer wheelbase but havemanual steering, and most can perform a three-point turn intight spaces. Manual wheelchairs can turn on their own wheelbasebut are difficult to steer on a cross slope as they tend to turndownhill. For many people with mobility impairments, curb ramps are notcritical to access. In fact, in some situations curb ramps makeit more difficult
for some
people with mobility impairments tonavigate. Crutches and canes are
sized to fit the individualuser so that the energy required for ambulation
is minimized ona hard, level surface. Use of these types of walking
aids ismore difficult on sloped surfaces such as curb ramps. Cane,walker,
or crutch users must lower their body forward when goingdownhill. On
uphill slopes, the cane or crutch must be liftedhigher and placed on
the surface. The user must have thestrength to lift his or her body
up over the supporting device.Widening the crosswalk to allow people
to use either the curb orthe curb ramp will enhance access for cane
and crutch users whoare not comfortable traveling on a sloped surface.
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