marjaerwin

Walkability Ratio

2021-10-20T18:50:09Z

I'm going to define this as the ratio between the straight-line distance for a trip and the actual walking distance. [Or chair distance, not sure the appropriate terminology.] This will, of course, vary from person to person and day to day. and doesn't take more enjoyable routes into account.

So today, I only had to go 1 km one way. Which works out to about 2,500 steps round trip.

But I had to detour to avoid a busy highway, to avoid some dangerous intersections, to avoid 2 batteries of high-powered strobe lights, and to avoid 3 dogs. Which made it 13,876 steps round trip.

Walkability Ratio 18%.

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The local department of transportation is replacing all the traffic lights with flashing ones...

2021-10-04T18:11:35Z

Hi,

I'm strobe-sensitive. A lot of flashing lights make me sick. Strobe lights, turn signals, hazard lights, etc. They can hurt, blind me with the flash, disorient me, make me fall down or stumble into the street, make me lose awareness, leave me with migraines afterwards, and even leave me vomiting, among other symptoms.

I have seen a number of neurologists and an occupational therapist about this, but they can't do much about this.

I've noticed that some of the traffic lights at some intersections have more flashing lights than before. And they're higher up, so they're harder to avoid, and I just can't cross the stroads at intersections with these.

I contacted the local department of transportation explaining that I can't safely cross with these lights and have to detour to intersections without them, and got a pain call back explaining that they can't help because this is the new standard and they're replacing all the lights at all the intersections.

What can I do? I need to be able to cross the stroads, and not all the stroads have safe crossing places, without too much traffic, out of line of sight of any traffic lights.

P.S. I have also contacted the federal department of transportation.

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How can I be a better bug reporter?

2021-09-11T18:57:30Z

Hi,

I run into a lot of accessibility problems, especially online.

I get sick from flashing, other animation, animated gifs, animated pngs, animated status notifications, blinking cursors, zooming, smooth scrolling, carousel, marquee, that slight zooming you may not notice because you don’t get a migraine and nausea from it, animated position:sticky headers, foregrounds scrolling in front of non-scrolling backgrounds, columns scrolling alongside non-scrolling columns, stickies not scrolling with scrolling content, etc.

I also have trouble seeing standard-sized text, or seeing light text on dark backgrounds, so I need to switch font sizes, and colors, and it helps to switch fonts too.

I can and do fix a lot of these with my browser and add-ons.

Problem 1.

I am not a programmer, and don’t know much about the technical details, and can’t code fixes. I try to do what I can to describe the practical results though.

Problem 2.

I may not be able to use “safe mode” or a “clean profile” without getting badly hurt. I have to skip reporting steps because of this.

Problem 3.

I am not be able to read documentation, especialy if it has non-scrolling sidebars, and may not be able to find my way through the documentation I can read. I hope I can help with some of the documentation I can read, though.

Problem 4.

I am usually struggling with a lot of pain and frustration when I file my bug reports, and when I try to test variations, e.g. to bibisect them.

Can anyone suggest ways I could be more helpful, both for the coders, and for other users/readers with similar disabilities?

Thank you!

... rgh, migraine.

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marjaerwin @ 2020-11-25T15:28:00

2020-11-25T20:28:12Z

So I’m losing the use of both shoulders. Which hurts and really gets in the way.

I have a referral to see a sports medicine specialist about these injuries.

I can’t do that online, because of website issues, so I have to do that by pain call.

I then try to schedule the taxi. But it’s not letting me complete the form. And it’s got strobing web bugs and embedded Google Migraines, so if I try to scroll the page it often punches me with the painmigraine pain. I hate Google Migraines.

I have to go to technical support with another pain call. It turns out the place isn’t in their database, so no trips allowed.

I have to cancel the appointment I’ve just scheduled.

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What a stupendously bad idea!

2020-11-19T04:07:57Z

So apparently an economist with Deutsche Bank has noted that people tend to save money by working from home-- and has proposed to tax those who exceed a certain income and choose to work from home.

Now how do they save money?

Mainly because they’re not using as much gasoline, electricity, etc. They’re not using the roads, creating congestion for other people on the roads. They’re not using the rail lines, if available. They’re not causing as much environmental, infrastructural, and just plain hassle damage.

Of course some people can’t work from home.

But because of the above, when poosible, it should be made more possible, not less.

At higher incomes, you’re not going to have many disabled people, but if extended to lower incomes, that’s yet another crip tax on those disabled people who can’t drive, can’t bike, and can’t use inaccessible bus systems. Or can’t work in inaccessible worksites.

And it’s a time tax while people commute.

What next? Tax people who save money by not having cars? by not rolling coal?

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marjaerwin @ 2020-11-10T18:56:00

2020-11-10T23:56:53Z

Someone is using giant flashing ads on their vending machines. I think it’s the state lottery. I want to contact my state representatives about this.

Unfortunately, when I enter my address into the statehouse’s search tool, I get an animated zooming map, and 2 possibilities. My apartment is behind one of the op-ups, so if I want to check the boundaries in detail, I have to scroll over, and … as usual, scrolling triggers more painzooming painimation instead of scrolling.

The accessibility contact info isn’t accessible either.

I did find a contact email for the webmaster, so that’s step 1.

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marjaerwin @ 2020-03-08T15:24:00

2020-03-08T19:24:30Z

I’ve contacted the state department of transportation, again, about the incapacitator they installed on that crosswalk. It’s an accessibility and safety hazard.

I’d contacted them in January, but they closed it without an explanation.

If I want to ask about why, the page instructs me to self-harm [specifically, to make a pain call, but with my neuro issues, that leaves me with awful earaches and migraines, and many people can’t make a pain call regardless].

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Does anyone know who to contact about accessibility fails at government offices?

2019-05-25T02:30:11Z

I had to go by the DMV to renew my identification. Because it’s intended for drivers, it doesn’t do accessibility for those of us who can *never* drive. But it’s the only place to provide state identification.

A lot of major and minor problems:

* The entry line was narrow, probably too narrow for most wheelchairs, and it turned around every 2 meters or so, which may be more impractical with wheelchairs and was dizzying walking to the back of the actual line.

* There were flashing painscreens/televisions in this area, and flashing lights on vending machines in this area. At one point these were roughly opposite each other, so looking away from one made it hard to look away from the other.

* way too noisy.

* perfume.

* There were ceiling fans under the lights in the actual waiting area, so if I looked in the wrong direction, everything flashed about 30 hits per second. I had an eye patch, but still fell down at one point, and people with greater sensitivity and/or no eye patch could easily have seizures due to this.

* noise again.

* It was impossible to make anything out, like calls for specific numbers, over the noise. No, removing my ear protection did not help.

* There were painscreens/televisions listing the current numbers, but they were hard to read, they had scrolling pain-text along the bottom, and they periodically flashed.

* The cameras kept flashing in the same room, powerful enough to hurt at the far end of the waiting room.

* The cameras themselves had a green strobe light, and I nearly fell down.

* And of course the flash hurt.

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Adding more cruelty to the subway system...

2019-05-07T18:00:37Z

https://slate.com/technology/2019/05/philadelphias-septa-is-testing-showing-ads-to-people-buying-tickets-bad.html

This is not accessible. I don't live in Philly, but I have a strobe sensitivity and visual motion sensitivity, and many ads hurt, scramble my senses, and leave me with post-ictal migraines. Also many safety signals make my stumble or fall down, and can leave me with post-ictal nausea, sometimes vomiting. If these kiosks are firing ads at people who are standing up, they will cause similar symptoms. I doubt the rest of the system is accessible either…

P.S. Remember that photosensitive people aren’t allowed to drive. Not being able to take the bus or subway either doesn’t help.

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Virginia Medicaid is not accessible

2019-03-11T19:58:41Z

All too much relies on phones, and phones are phones, so they are not accessible. I have hyperacusis, I have trouble disinguishing voices from other sounds, and I get awful migraines from beeping sounds, ringing sounds, and certain types of music. I’m trying to find a doctor right. I’ve been trying for several weeks. Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be any local primary care physicians, in network, accepting new patients. I haven’t gotten far enough to find out whether they’re accessible and whether they have accessible contact options, because of the above. I’m hemmed in by impassible highways, and with my disabilities I can’t take the bus. I was assigned a more distant doctor. After giving up the search for a local doctor, I tried to find accessible contact info for her. No luck. I had to rely on the pain number. So after 3 calls on friday and today, I found that they’d given me the wrong number. And after 2 calls today, with the 1st call dropping because phones calls drop, on the 2nd call I found out that she’s strictly a pediatrician and doesn’t work with patients my age. P.S. Also there are plans to implement work requirements, and just kick disabled people off Medicaid.

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Catch-22 Redux

2019-01-17T23:35:19Z

Looking over Medicaid providers:

Aetna:

Provides free aids and services to people with disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as: Qualified sign language interpreters Written information in other formats (large print, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats)

Provides free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as: Qualified interpreters Information written in other languages

If you need a qualified interpreter, written information in other formats, translation or other services, call the number on your ID card or 1-800-385-4104.

That's a bit of a catch-22 for people who need alternative communication because we can't reliably use phones.

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Phones are not accessible, redux.

2018-12-15T18:45:41Z

I have been trying to apply for Medicaid, and am encountering a lot of problems.

If I try to apply online, I have to provide a contact phone number. I can't do that.

If I encounter problems applying online, I am supposed to call a certain number. I can't do that.

Since I tried to apply in person, and noted that I have hyperacusis, they're demanding much more documentation, and demanding that I apply for ssdi. I am disabled, and rely on my family for support, so I am not eligible for ssdi. In order to even apply, I have to provide a contact phone number. I can't do that.

If I want to communicate by email, instead of by pain, I have to provide a contact pain number. I can't do that.

P.S.

Medicaid application denied.

No explanation given.

No explanation how this is supposed to square with their previous request for certain extra information-- not legally required-- by the 20th.

Just an explanation of how to set up a do not resuscitate order.

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Why is so much web design so sadistic and so reckless with readers’ safety?

2018-10-27T19:08:53Z

I need a number of accessibility fixes to use the web. I am not a programmer, but I have to search out new fixes, and often program new fixes, for my own safety. And often I can’t find or program suitable tools.

A lot of web design either works around existing accessibility tools, reintroducing once-solved accessibility problems, or adds new accessibility problems.

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I have sensory processing issues, including a strobe sensitivity, motion sensitivity, and mild proprioceptive impairment, among other things.

I also have rsi, and can’t use scrollwheels without injury.

I also have a chronic illness.

I can’t say much about how these design tools affect other users with other disabilities.

But most browsers and many web sites inflict types of flashing and/or animation which can trigger my migraines, nausea, and drop falls.

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Browsers:

For example, Safari, Opera, Vivaldi, etc. inflict blinking cursors.

So far I’ve only found that Waterfox and Firefox allow users to disable blinking cursors.

Both Waterfox and Firefox inflict tab throbbers. Firefox has particularly painful tab throbbers since 57, and no adequate options or css fixes to block the throbbers. My understanding is that because there’s an inadequate user css fix which sometimes works, it’s fixed, and because they on’t formally support user css, it’s not their responsibility to fix the fix.

Both Opera and Vivaldi inflict zooming in their new tab page.

By default Firefox and Waterfox enable smooth scrolling and autoscroll, but luckily they include options to disable these things.

Tiny user interface font sizes.

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Websites:

Animated gifs, animated pngs, animated pain, but most browsers include options to disable these things.

Advertisements.

Marquee text. Carousel animations. Metronome and Cylon animations.

Zooming on mouseover, as in It’s Going Down, The Advocate, and some other pages.

Zooming on scroll, as in Google Maps and their embedded migraines in other pages.

Scrolljacking in general, including pages which don’t work with my scrolling software, or which impose slow, smooth, painful scrolling.

Static backgrounds behind scrolling text. Makes things painful and ureadable.

Static backgrounds on either side of scrolling text, as in Twitter. The edge of the scrolling element often cuts across parts of the background, so the sheer effect is more intense, and closer to the middle of the screen.

Frames.

Flashing animated login and page not found screens, as on Tumblr.

Sticky headers, and other elements which change size, pop up, or otherwise animate as users scroll.

Fixed headers, fixed sidebars, fixed footers, etc. can also cause trouble depending on their size, contrast, and position.

Pop-up somethings which obscure the article and can’t be cleared away, as in It’s Going Down.

Dogpics.

Tiny font sizes and unreadable fonts. Note that everyone has a different set of readabler fonts– I prefer Opendyslexic, Andika, and Skeirs.

Some people suggest f.lux as a solution. It reddens the screen at night. But it doesn’t resolve the underlying problems, and red light is more likely to trigger seizure-like symptoms.

I’ve got user css fixes for several of these, but not all. Because each page uses different names for sticky elements, css which works on one page won’t work on many others.

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Metro is planning to perfume the subway system???

2017-05-23T17:28:08Z

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2017/05/23/will-air-fresheners-make-metro-great-again/

Do they still have signs claiming “Metro is Accessible”?

I can’t use the system because it’s inaccessible, and this will make it even worse, this will make it as inaccessible as Hell.

Depending on the ingredients, perfume can cause blinding tears, sneezing, asthma attacks, migraines, and blisters on contact. Of course, not everyone’s allergic to every perfume, but it’d be rude for me to wear one containing, for example, urushiol around people who are allergic to it, it would be rude for other people to wear one containing any allergen around people allergic to it, and it is reckless and discriminatory to fill subway cars with it.

Metro is a government agency. It's supposed to follow the Equal Protection Clause and the Americans with Disabilities Act. This policy would violate both.

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