Image courtesy of Jason Bosher.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jason Bosher in person. He is personable, funny and smart. But, what you wouldn’t know is that he is a member of what I call, The Walking Disabled Club. He was interviewed by The New Westminster Record for this article: Transit tough for the ‘invisible disabled’.
The sheer volume of riders on our transit system makes it exceedingly difficult to get a seat. When you don’t look disabled, and you request seating, you may encounter disdainful looks, or even verbal or physical abuse. It’s not an easy situation to monitor, nor is it easy to be put into the situation where you need to ask for the seat. As Jason pointed out in the article, you may be asking another invisible disabled person to give up their seat.
If you do end up standing, rough rides, sudden braking, or rowdy passengers may cause you to fall, resulting in further injury, or a dislocation of a prosthetic. (Believe me, you don’t want to go there!)
TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s regional transportation authority, recommends speaking to an attendant at the Sky Train station if you would like assistance in securing a seat.
If you live in a smaller community, you likely encounter a different set of transit troubles.
What is the transit seating policy in your community?
