I started as a Google Local Guide in 2016 after a question popped up on my phone. You know how it works.
I was asked if the place I had just visited had wheelchair access. To be honest, I hadn’t even noticed. I probably didn’t care, until now.
I have so far counted 57 public shops, restaurants, pubs, bars and businesses that have wheelchair access in my city. I want to know how wheel-chair friendly my town is and once I figure it out my next project will be Helsinki. I have a gut feeling that the % of wheelchair accessibility in my town is higher than in the capital city of Helsinki. But I might be wrong. Either way, I can’t wait to discover it.
If I sat in a wheelchair I can only imagine how hard it would be to get to places without knowing if I can even get in through the door. With these answers on google maps I could more independently travel around. That is, if I sat in a wheelchair, but I don’t. But wheelchair entrances are not only beneficial for people in wheelchairs but also for young moms and dads that are new to having to carry a toddler in a stroller. I sure hope I never end up in a wheelchair. But I sure hope I have kids one day. So, to me, wheelchair access is personal, not just business.