UPDATE: I have spoken with the public relations department of Baskin-Robbins and they were very apologetic for what had happened. A meeting is being planned with me and them sometime next week to discuss how the ice cream company can be made accessible to wheelchair customers.
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THOSE
who truly know me know that I’m never one to complain about
things. Unless, of course, I feel that I really have to.
Recently
I found myself in one of those “have to” predicaments. It was when I visited
the Gardens Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.
It
was one of those days that I badly needed a break from my routine at work and
at home.
And
going to a wheelchair-friendly accessible mall was the most sensible thing, I
thought – especially when I was going there all by myself.
For
the most part I thoroughly enjoyed myself, wheeling around the large shopping complex
for several hours.
All
that activity finally needed to be rewarded with a high dose of sugar to
replenish my energy levels.
But
what was supposed to be a “sugar n spice makes everything nice” experience - so
as the tagline at the Baskin-Robbins café in the Gardens goes - turned out to
be quite the unexpected opposite for me as a customer in a wheelchair.
Whilst
the promotion colour and flavour of the ice-cream company-to-die-for that day
was a proud pink, I only saw red all the way.
First,
there was a mother at the counter with a shopping cart and a young child in it.
She
had parked it in such an inconsiderate way that it effectively blocked my
wheelchair from getting to the ice cream flavours. The usual route provided by
the café for customers was much too narrow for a wheelchair to manoeuvre.
Hot
smoke must’ve been visibly seething out of my ears and nose when she started
feeding her child the ice cream she had bought right there and then at the
counter.
One
look at my face and she got the message.
Within seconds, she and her cart were gone.
But
my conundrum was only starting.
After
paying almost RM20.00 for two scoops of ice cream I realized I had no place to
sit and enjoy it.
The
only place provided for customers was a separate section of the café with a raised
platform of about six inches.
The
only other choice I had was to squeeze myself awkwardly at the side of the
platform where a few high small tables with equally high chairs were placed.
I
was tempted to use one of the high chairs as a “table” for my cup of ice cream.
But
the nauseating thought of eating from a platform where people normally placed their
“behinds” is enough to make anyone’s stomach churn – even if it was world-class
ice cream!
The
staff who were all women, however, were apologetic. They offered to help carry
my wheelchair up the platform.
But
wheelchairs are not designed to be carried.
And
certainly, not at all by persons who have not specifically been trained to
handle wheelchairs.
The
wheelchair could unwittingly be angled in a wrong position and result in a
nasty, permanent and even fatal accident not only for the user but for the
helper as well.
The
simplest thing to do (even if the management insists on a raised level for
whatever reason) is to have built a wheelchair ramp to access it.
This
would have illustrated that the company truly has the interest of all customers
at heart. It would help customers who are elderly (whose numbers are only
increasing), those with walking problems and even those with shopping carts.
It
would also help to prevent accidents by people like those with poor vision or
children accidentally tripping over it, injuring themselves and possibly bringing
on a lawsuit.
Besides,
I’m am sure the staff also would like to be able to focus on their job at hand
instead of helping carry wheelchair customers every time they come around.
People
with disabilities also, like others, prefer the independence of having to wheel
in and out without having to call someone for help each time.
It’s
also called “dignity” and not being made to feel “helpless” every time when one
thinks of ice cream.
Incidentally,
when one pays for ice cream, let us not forget that it is not for the marvelous
blob of ice alone that the money is for. It is also for a decent place to enjoy
it each time.
I
also hope that the higher ups in The Gardens and Mid Valley Megamall and other
outlets will also make it compulsory for businesses who rent their shop lots to
ensure that wheelchair accessible features are not compromised in any way by
those who lack forward thinking in their business plans.
Especially
if they call themselves a disabled-friendly shopping centre.
The
local authorities like City Hall also has a big say in this when they give out
licenses to operate.
They
should conduct spot checks from time to time to ensure disabled friendly
features are fully provided everywhere.
It
should never be a matter or “charity” or “kindness” anymore but on indivisible
and inalienable human rights.
That
should be everybody’s flavour at the end of the day.
The
End
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