Able-Blindness and Accessibility

 

The Telford Bridge connecting Dunkeld and Birnam

Able-blindness¹ is the overlooking of accessibility issues that do not affect oneself. The condition has a tendency to lessen with aging.

We all have a threshold at which we consider accessibility is compromised. Below this threshold there is a tendency for us to dismiss anything that is not a barrier for us. At our threshold we are challenged. Above our threshold we are excluded.

To illustrate, consider at the picture of Telford's Bridge at Dunkeld. The road and pathway rise to the centre of the bridge. The asphalt surface is relatively smooth, with no trip hazards. The footpath and the roadway narrow.  The gradient is approximately 10% for 50+ metres. 

Observing pedestrians who cross the bridge, their main concern is the proximity of traffic. It is rare to see anyone struggling to climb the slope. It would be tempting to think that adjustments are therefore not required and there is no issue.

This morning I was told a story about someone who visited Bilbao. This person observed lots of people in wheelchairs and wondered whether this was a demographic difference. Do more people in Bilbao require a wheelchair compared with the UK? The answer was no. There were fewer users of wheelchairs in Bilbao. The difference was, they could get out and about.

If you search online for pictures of Telford's Bridge, the majority will be the glorious, multi-arch view of the structure spanning the River Tay. But the picture above indicates a stark truth. The bridge is not accessible. 

The bridge gradient excludes some residents and visitors from active travel. This is not just users of wheelchairs. It includes those who can walk or cycle but for whom a prolonged 10% gradient is at or above their threshold. For them, the bridge is a barrier not a connector.

This blog is not about suggesting solutions but rather about reframing how we see or don't see our environment. Ideally, we can all reduce our able-blindness without losing our mobility.

1. This is a term coined for this article. It is not a true visual impairment. It is a cognitive bias. The visual information is perceived, but filtered out as not important.