Scott Reynolds wrote:

> On 11/28/2003 5:45 AM, Drew Hamilton wrote:
>
> > Eric Takabayashi  <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
> >
> >>Same for the much of the rest of the city or society. It's as if people with
> >>physical disabilities including many elderly, are simply meant to stay at
> >>home if they can't manage alone.
> >
> > I've always wondered why Japan seemed to be so advanced in terms
> > of providing assistance to blind people by means of a lot of
> > braille in public places, textured floors in the train stations,
> > etc., but so far behind in providing for people with other
> > disabilities.  Anyone ever come up with a reasonable explanation?
>
> Whatever do you mean?! Haven't you heard about the non-step buses and
> the priority seats? What's more, I've heard rumors that some of the
> train stations are equipped with elevators and that there is actually a
> building somewhere in Tokyo with a ramp for wheelchair users.

Today I was on a half hour bus ride with a man in a wheelchair who had to go to
the university my wife attended. (We were there last week, and the university
seems reasonably equipped for people in wheelchairs. The cafeteria is damned
cheap. Fed the family for about 700 yen.) He sat in a normal seat at the entrance
(middle) of the bus, holding his folded wheelchair in the aisle. He was able to
walk on severely twisted feet, however, so all the driver had to do actually, was
carry the chair down for the man to sit.

He would have been screwed had he not been able to shuffle himself along.

--
"I want to meet my father and say, your sperm became me."

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