4 ms·

The USA has ADA law mandating accomodations for access, and it's so strong (at least in CA variant/extension) that even trolls can use it to extort money from f

by hgsgm 4y ago

The USA has ADA law mandating accomodations for access, and it's so strong (at least in CA variant/extension) that even trolls can use it to extort money from facilities that have no practical need for it.

runarberg 4y ago
Everybody deserves access. And if a regulation has this unintended side-effect (I need see some examples before I believe this has happened in real life) the overall effect of better accessibility is a net positive. Our society is better when it accommodates people with different needs. On the plus side—since this submission is about Halli—Halli has been using his personal wealth to build 1500 wheelchair ramps in Reykjavík. His efforts have been quite successful. I wonder if there are people or organizations in California that are engaging in similar actions.
- triceratops 4y ago
  You are correct that everyone deserves access. At the same time it's a better outcome if businesses are allowed (or forced) to spend money on accessibility upgrades instead of paying out to lawyers. https://sanjosespotlight.com/access-v-abuse-crema-coffee-in-san-jose-closes-due-to-ada-lawsuit/ https://sanjosespotlight.com/access-v-abuse-crema-coffee-in-...
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- simonsarris 4y ago
  If you searched "ADA abuse" you'd find hundreds of examples, many of which have brought thousands of cases, especially to small restaurants and small business websites eg https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2021/08/10/spate-of-ada-lawsuits-hits-hundreds-of-local-businesses-still-reeling-from-pandemic https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2021/08/10/spate-of-ada-... or: > Conservatively assuming an average settlement figure of $10,000 per case, Defendants have extracted over $5,000,000 from California’s small businesses from the cases filed on behalf of just one of their serial filers in just over two years,” the complaint says. The district attorneys believe the firm has systematically drained California businesses, many owned by immigrants who do not speak English or fully understand the vagaries of the American legal system, out of millions of dollars over the past four years. https://www.courthousenews.com/law-firm-accused-of-ada-shakedown-of-small-businesses/ https://www.courthousenews.com/law-firm-accused-of-ada-shake...
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    [deleted]
ipqk 4y ago
It's not about facilities that don't need it (though I'd argue all facilities need it), it's about abusing specific details like the height of signage to extort money.(https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/parking-lot-trolls-lawsuit-happy-ada-defenders-are-officially-enemies-of-the-state-8586200 https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/parking-lot-trolls-laws...) If they actually cared about accessibility, they'd just tell the owner to fix it. Instead they sue them extracting thousands in settlements.

by hgsgm 4y ago

runarberg 4y ago

Everybody deserves access. And if a regulation has this unintended side-effect (I need see some examples before I believe this has happened in real life) the overall effect of better accessibility is a net positive. Our society is better when it accommodates people with different needs. On the plus side—since this submission is about Halli—Halli has been using his personal wealth to build 1500 wheelchair ramps in Reykjavík. His efforts have been quite successful. I wonder if there are people or organizations in California that are engaging in similar actions.

triceratops 4y ago
You are correct that everyone deserves access. At the same time it's a better outcome if businesses are allowed (or forced) to spend money on accessibility upgrades instead of paying out to lawyers. https://sanjosespotlight.com/access-v-abuse-crema-coffee-in-san-jose-closes-due-to-ada-lawsuit/ https://sanjosespotlight.com/access-v-abuse-crema-coffee-in-...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
simonsarris 4y ago
If you searched "ADA abuse" you'd find hundreds of examples, many of which have brought thousands of cases, especially to small restaurants and small business websites eg https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2021/08/10/spate-of-ada-lawsuits-hits-hundreds-of-local-businesses-still-reeling-from-pandemic https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2021/08/10/spate-of-ada-... or: > Conservatively assuming an average settlement figure of $10,000 per case, Defendants have extracted over $5,000,000 from California’s small businesses from the cases filed on behalf of just one of their serial filers in just over two years,” the complaint says. The district attorneys believe the firm has systematically drained California businesses, many owned by immigrants who do not speak English or fully understand the vagaries of the American legal system, out of millions of dollars over the past four years. https://www.courthousenews.com/law-firm-accused-of-ada-shakedown-of-small-businesses/ https://www.courthousenews.com/law-firm-accused-of-ada-shake...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

ipqk 4y ago

It's not about facilities that don't need it (though I'd argue all facilities need it), it's about abusing specific details like the height of signage to extort money.(https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/parking-lot-trolls-lawsuit-happy-ada-defenders-are-officially-enemies-of-the-state-8586200 https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/parking-lot-trolls-laws...) If they actually cared about accessibility, they'd just tell the owner to fix it. Instead they sue them extracting thousands in settlements.