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To your last point, it's worth pointing out that making your built environment more easily traversible and usable for people with accessibility needs will prett

To your last point, it's worth pointing out that making your built environment more easily traversible and usable for people with accessibility needs will pretty much always make it more easily traversible and usable for everyone. It's hard to appreciate this until you visit a country where they haven't spent decades making sure their elevators and hallways are wide enough, there are no unnecessary stupid steps, the sidewalks don't have curbs at crossing points, etc. etc. This is just general societal progress, it makes all of our lives easier and we're so used to it we don't even notice it anymore.

oalders 5y ago
I only truly appreciated this once I had was a pedestrian in a big city with a baby stroller. If a wheelchair can get somewhere, generally the stroller can do it as well. (At least a single wide stroller). Making places more accessible can have a positive impact on large parts of the population.
- tomrod 5y ago
  I've learned to take this approach with software as well. It just makes sense. While he's not universally accepted, Nassim Taleb makes compelling behavioral arguments for why this is better overall (in the context things like kosher salt and such) https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dictatorship-of-the-small-minority-3f1f83ce4e15 https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dict...
paledot 5y ago
Canada is unexpectedly one of those countries. Accessibility here is a nightmare, especially in big cities. As another partner of a person with limited mobility, I always notice and appreciate the difference that 40 years of ADA has brought to construction in the US. (I'd take universal health care over improved building codes any day, but both would be nice.)
- kspacewalk2 5y ago
  Indeed, Canada is a laggard in this area. I work on a university campus where they've gone beyond the bare minimum that's legislated, and it's quite a stark difference from the rest of the city. Another important part of that is sidewalk snow removal. Only within the last 5 years has the city slowly started doing this somewhat right on some streets, whereas campus sidewalks are always plowed and salted.

oalders 5y ago

I only truly appreciated this once I had was a pedestrian in a big city with a baby stroller. If a wheelchair can get somewhere, generally the stroller can do it as well. (At least a single wide stroller). Making places more accessible can have a positive impact on large parts of the population.

tomrod 5y ago
I've learned to take this approach with software as well. It just makes sense. While he's not universally accepted, Nassim Taleb makes compelling behavioral arguments for why this is better overall (in the context things like kosher salt and such) https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dictatorship-of-the-small-minority-3f1f83ce4e15 https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dict...

paledot 5y ago

Canada is unexpectedly one of those countries. Accessibility here is a nightmare, especially in big cities. As another partner of a person with limited mobility, I always notice and appreciate the difference that 40 years of ADA has brought to construction in the US. (I'd take universal health care over improved building codes any day, but both would be nice.)

kspacewalk2 5y ago
Indeed, Canada is a laggard in this area. I work on a university campus where they've gone beyond the bare minimum that's legislated, and it's quite a stark difference from the rest of the city. Another important part of that is sidewalk snow removal. Only within the last 5 years has the city slowly started doing this somewhat right on some streets, whereas campus sidewalks are always plowed and salted.