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How Local Guides can help millions in September

Googler

Caption: Illustration of people with luggage, in a wheelchair, walking with a cane, running, and walking,.Caption: Illustration of people with luggage, in a wheelchair, walking with a cane, running, and walking,.

 

On a trip to London last year, I noticed that while many pubs had wheelchair-accessible entrances, nearly all had restrooms that were up or down a flight of stairs. It struck me: How awful would it be to not have access to a restroom after having a pint?

 

For anyone with mobility needs, exploring the world means encountering challenges like this. That’s why Google Maps shows accessibility information – so people can find out whether a place they’re going to visit has features like elevators, stair-free entrances, and doorways wide enough for a wheelchair.

 

This information is powerful, and it helps all kinds of people. Consider those who use walkers or strollers, or the friends and families of anyone with mobility needs.

 

People have added wheelchair-accessibility details to millions of places. But we can all make a bigger impact. Today, we’re inviting Local Guides to commit to sharing accessibility knowledge on Google Maps. If every Local Guide answers three questions every day for two weeks, we’ll have nearly two billion answers to help everyone navigate the world.

 

Join me

I’m committing to answering at least five questions each day about places I’ve visited. I’m also going to explore more and take note of the world around me. Instead of rushing for the train to get to work, I’m going to walk back a stop to see how many places I pass have wheelchair-accessible entrances. On an upcoming weekend, I’m going to host a meet-up with my friends to explore new parts of Brooklyn, adding accessibility information as we go.

 

How to answer wheelchair accessibility question on Google Maps

  • Go to “Your contributions” on your phone.
  • Tap “Answer questions about a place” (Don’t see it? Make sure Location History is turned on.)
  • Answer as many accessibility questions as you can (use this guide for reference).
  • You may see other questions as well, until you move on to the next place.
  • If you have an Android device, you can find places near you that are missing this info and edit these attributes by checking the facts.

 Caption: Screenshots of the five wheelchair accessibility questions you may be prompted to answer in Google Maps, with one displayed on a device.Caption: Screenshots of the five wheelchair accessibility questions you may be prompted to answer in Google Maps, with one displayed on a device.

 

 

Want to do more?

  • Join a meet-up, or host one (if you’re a Local Guide Level 3 or higher) to answer accessibility questions with others. Explore a neighborhood, adding info as you go.
  • When writing a review, point out if a place is set up well for people with mobility issues.
  • When taking photos of a place, show details that matter most to people who use wheelchairs like the entrance, restroom, and seating.

 

I hope you’ll join me now and going forward to make the world easier for everyone to navigate. Tell us what you’re doing in a comment and on social with #LocalGuides and #a11y. We can’t wait to see how you make your mark!

 


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155 Comments
Level 9

Great initiative @TraciC, will surely answer at least three questions related to disability access.

Level 9

We are joined you @TraciC from the first day we joined this program , thinking day and night how to improve the map and how to engage more with members 👍👌🎉🎉

Make a world wide Meetups and

1. commit to host a Meetup Every month

2.To answer more than 5 questions daily

3. Invite more people to join Local guides Program 📣📣📣

4. Use new map Features like add Videos to the map

And more 

I encourage all my fellow Local guides to help more and more people even answering one question make deference , 

Screenshot_20170906-124452.jpg

 

 

 

 

Keep it up 😉

WoW really it's an wonderful initiative to fullfill any place with it's reality. Thanks @TraciC about this great initiative ! 

Love to Hear ; Love to Share !
Kamal Hasnainee
Bangladesh
Level 10

Добрый день 

Ajaks
Level 8

I've always answered questions about places and i really feel for everyone who has problems accessing certain places. The future is brighter

Level 10

I think it's a great idea to make world more friendly and reliable for our loved ones who have mobility issues.

We are with the team for this world wide initiative @TraciC.

The small numbers of contribution will be totally big impact. 

Level 8

Good idea

More detail more help

Level 8

@TraciC

I try to help with my photos and videos  about the traffic, street, light, around the place, sometimes at night conditions. Cause people need to know about the situation and the  to go there. 

How safely, is it worth? 

When dry, wet, rain, dust, dark etc.

Googler

Can't wait to see what we all do this month! 🙂


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Level 10

Yehh !!! Excited In September for New features in Google Maps !

We are waiting Video Upload Feature For iOS Devices ! @TraciC

Add, Edit, Explore More ! || Google Maps Contributions || Gujju Local Guides on G+

@TraciC thanks for what Google do for good...

I usually open and tapping the two-line description under a location’s name and add the information 

According to the google map apps and the announcement, we can give a desriptions about a places with wheelchair accessibility, but my question is 

How people can find a places with wheelchair accessibility near their area ? or how people  directly search / type the keyword on google map ? without opening the location.

i/e : We can type " Restaurant Near Me" , Gas Station Near Me, etc and we can see the list of result..

 

thanks

 

 

 

Former Google Contributor

Thanks for sharing this great information and encouraging all of us to take another look at the world around us and help contribute the information need for so many people. 

Googler

Hi @RahmatHarmanP! Glad to hear you're already adding wheelchair accessibility information to Google Maps. If you have an Android device, you can find places near you that are missing this info and edit these attributes by "checking the facts."


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 7

I will answer at least 5 questions daily thank you

thanks @TraciC 

Let's say i am regular person(not LG)  who need a information which restaurant near me who served or have a  wheelchair accessibility , it is impossible to click and see the detail of every place one by one ? 

i/e : We can type " Restaurant Near Me" , Gas Station Near Me, etc and then we can see the list of result but i can,t  find Restaurant with wheelchair near me.

Hope it's  going to be a new feature on the next google map update

Level 9

Hi @TraciC  Thanks Great initiative. we sured to answer more than 3 questions on per day basis.

Connect Moderator

Its a good Topic!!  I have already joined this answering....

Hope it's bring much improvement..

Happy Guiding!!!

Level 8

Excellent idea, @TraciC.  But it'll just cover the entrance accessibility right? Nothing about the access to the toilet? Thanks



Bali Local Guides contribute to give back to the community.
Googler

Hi @RahmatHarmanP. To clarify, the information I shared earlier is a way for Local Guides to find places that need wheelchair accessible information and is not a way for Local Guides to find places that have wheelchair accessible offerings (like an entrance, restroom or seating). Currently, there isn't a way to filter your search results — whether you are a Local Guide or someone using Google Maps not as a Local Guide — for wheelchair-accessible places. Hopefully by adding this information to Google Maps, we'll get closer to making this information easier for those who need it to find it. 🙂 

 

I recommend posting your thoughts under "Feedback & Feature Requests" as well as submitting that feedback in the Google Maps app, I'll also share it, too. 🙂


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Googler

Hi @Sandra1961. There are currently five areas covered in Google Maps which you may encounter: entrance, parking, seating, restroom and elevator. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 8

Okay, @TraciC. Will look it up 



Bali Local Guides contribute to give back to the community.
Level 10

Hi @TraciC,

 Good intiative for those with mobility problem. 

Level 10

Thanks. I have already submitted more than 10,000 answers and for all the places that I have visited so far. There is no questions left for me at this moment.

Level 6

Thanks @TraciC, this is a wonderful initiative. There is this school I respect so much in Enugu state, Nigeria because of its attachment in awarding scholarship, admitting people with disabilities but it doesn't make provision for wheelchair accessible offerings like an entrance, restroom or seating. The school is  Saviour Institute of Science, Agriculture & Technology, (OSISATECH) Enugu. A tertiary Institution of Higher Learning established primarily but not exclusively for the disabled and disadvantaged members of the society who are normally discriminated against in admission into Universities, Polytechnics or Colleges of Education in the country. 

Connect Moderator

Wonderful initiative @TraciC! Right up my ally.  You know personally how I feel about this cause.

 

Cheers,

Karen

 I absolutely love this initiative! As my username suggest I am in a wheelchair and can really use access to information like this! Anyone reading this, please take the time to fill out the necessary questions to help people like me have a better idea of what were rolling into! thank you in advance! Signed- Badassnerd in a wheelchair

Googler

Hi @DibyayanC. What an achievement! The team is always looking to add new questions, so please be sure to submit feedback on what you'd like to see. You can also contribute to this effort by adding photos of entrances, restrooms and more!

 

@KarenVChin I do know and think we're going to be changing the world together. I'm well over my five for the day and am getting competitive with myself! 🙂

 

@B-A-Ninawheelchair Hello and welcome to Connect! Thanks for taking the time to read this post and to urge us to add this information. I hope we do you proud. 🙂 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 9

Great initiative @TraciC 
We can make our world more beautiful. 

Local Hero: Mapping Calcutta’s Hospitals | Instagram | Facebook| Twitter | YouTube | LGSummit16, LGSummit17, SVT18 alumnus
Anonymous
Not applicable

This is an awesome initiative and I'm in.

 

As someone with a bum leg compliments of the U.S. Army, getting around can be a challenge. I run into the same issue in London, but I'm lucky I can at least still walk stairs, although it's painful.

 

Others have even more challenges and it's nice to be a part of helping out.

Level 8

@TraciCof course we will.

we also thanks to google who always make improvement and so much help to the worlds.

we as indonesian LG will always support and do the best.

 

Regards

Rizki

Level 9

Thank you @TraciC it's a great idea!

Level 3

Great initiative for Divyangs

@TraciC

 

Loved this idea. I have been making regular contributions by answering questions and appreciate your initiative this shall motivate more and more LGs to make meaningful contributions.

 

Cheers!

Level 10

Hi @TraciC

 

I just checked all the 1,185 places that I have visited so far. There is no more answers left to be answered for me.

 

I love this initiative by the Google team. Proud to be a member of the LG team.

 

Thank you.

Level 8

I try to help with my photos & Location

 

Level 9

Great article and very important @TraciC. We all need to think about our citizens in wheelchairs and make their life easier with improving Maps answering questions such as wheelchair accessible entrance, wheelchair accessible restroom, parking, alivator  etc. Great job.

Level 10

@TraciC Goood initiative, will answer 3 question each passing day. Best wishes,

@JohnnyE

@KPAnuraP

@LinhHoangMKT

@DibyayanC

Level 10

@ProfArunCM

 

Thank you...!!!

Level 6

This great Google team

Awesome!

Asif
Connect Moderator

Awesome new questions @TraciC I'll be answering questions like you each day and will encourage this in my upcoming meetups. 

 

Regards Paul

Level 8

Thank you

Level 8

Great initiative. Let's make the world better place ❤️

Level 9

Great initiative @TraciC, Thank you very much ....

I ❤️ Bangladesh | Meet-Ups | Achievements | Instagram | My Website
Level 8

Great initiative @TraciC 

 

to be honest i was doing this for few days now. in my country there are places ( specially banks ) have this facility so i used to check with those banks and answer those questions. will continue this with other places as well

Level 10

Great Initiative @TraciC,

                            Common Local Guides just do this, answer atleast 3 questions a day. This helps a lot of persons with disabilities. However, I used to add a photo of the entrance of a place and write a caption as Entrance. By doing this, physically challenged persons may have the clear cut idea that they can visit that place or not.  

               Definitely encouragement of this amazing new questions and photo of Entrance will be done in the upcoming meet ups.

@TraciC thank you for this great initiative ! 

I happen to be a person with a disability so i know the frustration that comes every day to wake up to in pain to go thru it again but this sort of thing makes such a big difference so thank all of you!

Level 9

This is wonderful. Thank you so much for initiating! Would love to answer the questions 🙂