Where You Choose To Go Matters. Blog on Disabilities.

Having a disability can impact the way one thinks and the situations one chooses to encounter.  In fact I bet it alters one’s thinking in such a way that common decisions made every day are affected by it, even decisions as simple as buying groceries or going to get coffee.  Why do I think this?
I am a part-time nanny and am lucky to watch a very cute twenty two month old baby.  Often during the day I will take him downtown Iowa City to the pedestrian mall to do various things.  Because children his age tire easily and can’t walk around too much, and I can’t carry him for too long, I often bring the stroller.  My viewpoint may be very limited and this could be a stretch, but I feel like pushing a baby in a stroller and having a physical disability are similar.
Last week I took the baby downtown to the Iowa City Public Library.  I drive his family’s vehicle and park in the parking garage when I take him downtown.  In the parking garage there is a door the needs to be opened before you can access the area where the elevator is.  Even something as simple as opening a door is really hard to do when you are pushing a stroller.  There was no automatic door, so I had to manage but it was not easy.  How does someone in a wheelchair do this?  Why is there not an automatic door available for those who have a difficult time opening a door?
After we left the parking garage, we headed to a coffee shop on the way to the library, Java House to be specific.  Once again I ran into the issue of opening the door and pushing the stroller.  The Java House downtown does not have an automatic door available for those who need it.  Luckily people around me were very friendly and opened the door so I could get through easily, but if they had not been around I once again would have been struggling.
Common everyday activities, like going downtown Iowa City for coffee, can be impacted by a disability.  Obviously pushing a child in a stroller is not the same as having a disability, but I think it served as an eye-opener for me.  I learned that not nearly as many places are as accommodating to those with disabilities as I thought.  This needs to change. 
According to Iowa law it sounds like any newly built building must comply with door entries that are considered appropriate for those with disabilities, the exact requirements specify what is appropriate (i.e. width of doorway).  Any current building that are renovated or rehabilitated must also comply with this as well.
http://search.legis.state.ia.us/nxt/gateway.dll/ar/iac/6610___public%20safety%20department%20__5b661__5d/3020___chapter%20302%20state%20building%20code%E2%80%94accessibility%20of__2e/_c_6610_3020.xml?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0