Cripping CoMo

Caitlyn, Shane, and I headed out on our date with our imaginary crush who uses a wheelchair on a warm Saturday afternoon.  We decided stick to places downtown because we thought that it would make for less time traveling to get somewhere and more time for getting to know each other.  We chose Chipotle for dinner because of its popularity and somewhat affordable price.  For entertainment, we chose RagTag cinemas because of the types of films it plays and the proximity to Caitlyn’s apartment for a quick escape for some fun time afterwards.  Since we predicted things would go well, we decided on Caitlyn’s apartment, Beverly, for some private and physical time.  When arriving to Caitlyn’s apartment, we found out immediately that we would have to shift plans.  We rented a room at the Broadway Hotel after getting some drinks at the Rooftop Bar.  Like I said, things went really well.

Our first stop of the date was a dinner date at Chipolte. We thought that this would be a good first stop because it is not only delicious but also a central spot on campus. The door to the restaurant was easily accessible but we quickly realized some flaws in the layout of the Chipolte. Because the waiting line is pretty narrow, we observed that it would be almost impossible for two people in wheelchairs to chat while in line. Also, the counter to order is extremely high which would make it to difficult to order and communicate to the employee on what exactly you wanted to order.  The bathrooms fortunately were accessible and large enough to fit a wheelchair. They also had grab bars. The seating area in Chipotle was a bit cramped in certain areas and would be very difficult to navigate around in if someone was in a wheelchair. Overall, we had a good experience in Chipolte but it definitely wasn’t perfect.

After chowing down on some Chipotle, we headed towards RagTag Cinema for some entertainment.  On our way towards the theater, we were shocked at how awful the sidewalks were.  Many of the sidewalks were incredibly narrow and full of cracks and missing pieces.  After carefully heading down Hitt street, we finally made it to RagTag.  The door was definitely wide enough in regards to accessible standards, but the door was not automatic.  Once we were inside, there was plenty of room for our date to navigate.  All the of the majority of the chairs were movable in the dining area, except for the booths on the right side.  When going to purchase tickets, the counter was definitely low enough for somewhere using a wheelchair to have a conversation with and buy the ticket from the person.  We even noted that there was a sign that stated they provided hearing assistance devices for anyone who needed them.  Although this is offered, we have heard through the grapevine that the system doesn’t work too well.  We were still feeling a little snacky after dinner, so we headed towards the bar to grab some popcorn and a drink.  The space to get to the bar was too narrow for anyone using a wheelchair to even move towards the bar.  Even if our date got there, the bar was too high for a bartender to notice our date waiting.  We moved towards the theaters after grabbing our snack.  The first theatre seemed crammed, but it would not be impossible for someone using a wheelchair to navigate it.  The isles were tight and could not easily be utilized by someone using a wheelchair, so they would mostly likely have to sit at the end of the rows.  The second theatre was on accessible to someone using a wheelchair if they sat up in the front.  This limited our options for seating.  Couches were movable and in the front, but the auditorium seating in the back of the theatre could not be moved or adjusted.  The bathrooms outside of the theatres were accessible, single seaters that included handlebars.  The bathrooms in the dining area were less accessible.  The men’s restroom was a single seater that included handlebars, but the women’s restroom didn’t even have an accessible stall.  The restroom was cramped and hard to move around in.  We decided to check out the patio for seating also after the film.  The patio was the most accessible because the concrete was smooth and the tables and chairs were easily movable.  This made it possible for us to create our own comfortable space on a large patio.  Things were starting to heat up, so we made a move towards Caitlyn’s apartment, Beverly.

 

After Rag Tag, we decided to head to Beverly apartments for a more intimate place to hang out. This was a complete disaster. There was no accessible place to even enter the building making it completely impossible for a wheelchair to enter.  Because of this, we quickly changed our plans and decided to head the Roof.

                 

In order to get to the roof from Beverly apartments we realized how awful the Columbia sidewalks were. There were several divots in the sidewalks which would make the sidewalks very unpleasant to roll on. Also, we had to take an extra long route just to get to the Roof because we had to pass the hotel in order to find a crosswalk that was accessible for a wheelchair.  We were pleasantly surprised by the roof and how wheelchair accessible it was. In total, the hotel has about 3-4 accessible rooms on each of the 7 floors. In order to enter the hotel, there were automatic doors as well as an elevator to get to each floor. Before going to the room, we decided to go to the actual “Roof” to grab a drink. There were many high tables as well as a high bar BUT there were plenty of other alternative options. Fortunately there were comfy chairs that could easily be rolled up next to as well as a beautiful view.  Overall, we were very happy with this venue because of how simple it would be to navigate around in a wheelchair.

 

Overall, we were surprised with how conscious people must be when planning a date with someone who uses a wheelchair.  A lot of this takes away from the spontaneity of dating culture.  This date made us think more critically.  Rather than limiting our analytical thought processes to doorways and ramps, we thought even more about the height of countertops, the size of bathrooms, and the ability to modify the space we were in.  Contrary to our original thoughts, downtown buildings, with the exception of Beverly apartments, were more accessible than we thought. There is always more to improve though.