We could not locate the page or file you were trying to load. If you were to believe everything you saw in the movies, New York may seem like the last place a wheelchair user would ever want to visit. Busy, overcrowded streets with hundreds of thousands of people all rushing to be someplace does not sound ideal, but NYC is a modern city and, as such, generally wheelchair friendly. new york city wheelchair tips However, there are still some pointers that will help you get the most out of your time there. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at our top 10 tips for wheelchair users in the Big Apple: New York is notorious for its small hotel rooms, so be sure to contact your prospective hotel by phone prior to booking. Ask them about accessibility and what their rooms have to offer wheelchair users. New York’s iconic yellow taxis unfortunately vary in size internally, so there is no guarantee that the one you hail will be suitable for you. However, cabs on the streets of NYC are not allowed to turn down a wheelchair user so if you’re in a manual chair and can stow it, it could work.
Most of the drivers are extremely helpful as well. It’s also worth keeping in mind that special taxis for powered wheelchair users are available 24/7 from Accessible Dispatch and can be pre-booked if needed. Public transportation is a possible option thanks to some stations having ramp and lift access, and the buses all have automatic ramps too. New York has recently taken strides to improve its infrastructure for wheelchair users, so you should be able to get around without any major difficulty using public transport, although it can be very busy at peak times. Also, if you’re taking the subway, make sure that both your starting point and your destination has a working elevator before you board the train. You don’t want to get stuck at your destination with no way to get above ground. It has happened to me before and wasn’t very fun… new york city wheelchair tips Many of New York’s streets now have dropped curbs, but some can still have higher ones that can prove difficult to navigate.
Again, don’t believe the movies, New Yorkers are great people and there should be someone nearby to help out if you ever get stuck. New York’s main attractions have all gone the extra mile to accommodate wheelchair users. The Empire State Building has disabled restrooms as high as the 86th floor and the big department stores are all wheelchair friendly too. You can even take an accessible ferry to see the Statue of Liberty up-close if you wish. new york city wheelchair tips new york city wheelchair tips There are a number of wheelchair accessible tours that will take you around NYC. From visits to Times Square to the Statue of Liberty; you can generally find a helpful tour guide to show you around. Big Apple Greeter is a voluntarily run welcome service for visitors to the Big Apple, and the resident New Yorkers who offer their services are always delighted to help out wheelchair users visiting their city. 8) Book A Broadway Show Theater is a huge part of the NYC experience.
However, many of the venues are old and unfortunately do not accommodate wheelchair users extremely well. For most theaters though, you should be able to make it work and many will even offer discounted ticket prices for wheelchair users and a companion. One thing you are never short of in New York are restaurants. Booking a table should be a breeze unless you are heading to one of the swankier joints in town. However, it is always advisable to ask beforehand about accessibility as it can vary from excellent to non-existent! Be specific about your needs too, as you can find sometimes that things are not quite as they were described over the telephone. While it is not entirely unfeasible for a wheelchair user to visit the Big Apple alone, it will be a whole lot easier if you do so with a friend. Be sure to take out sufficient America travel insurance and you are sure to have a great time in the city that never sleeps. new york city wheelchair tipsA broken wheelchair didn't stop two brothers from finishing the New York City Marathon
A broken wheelchair didn't stop two brothers from finishing the New York City Marathon The story, from the start, is inspirational. Two brothers, Kyle and Brent Pease, came to the New York City Marathon from their home in Atlanta. The plan was for Brent to push his younger brother, who has cerebral palsy, through the 26.2 mile journey. But they ran into a bit of trouble on the way. According to the account on the Kyle Pease foundation’s website, halfway through the race the back wheel on Kyle’s wheelchair broke. At first, Brent tried carrying Kyle. When that didn’t work, they were escorted to a local bike shop by the NYPD to attempt to repair the wheel. But when none of that worked, and the two were left struggling through the course, something extraordinary happened: A fellow runner named Amy from Maryland decided to forfeit her finishing time and grabbed the left side of the chair to offset a portion of the weight, while moving the wheel in the direction they needed to go.
After 1.5 miles, another new friend named Cameron from NYC saw the light and joined taking the left side with Amy shifting to the right. (Thanks to The Mighty for bringing this to our attention) Stupid golf trick goes predictably wrong Why the 2017 season could (and should) be Eli Manning's last in New York It’s time for the Giants to start looking for Manning’s replacement. Are 'Win Probabilities' useless? ESPN's Director of Sports Analytics explains why they're not. I freely admit that my motive behind this conversation was personal. I’m an Atlanta sports fan, information I’ve freely shared (…) Mike Gundy and Barry Melrose shared style tips for their mullets They were just two men with mullets, talking about their hair. Bartolo Colon is the most magical thing at Disney World right now The 43-year-old right-hander is a mentor and inspiration at Braves camp. Re-live the greatest call in American sports history on its 37th anniversary