ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, February 7, 1996            TAG: 9602070037
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: TRACY GALLIMORE STAFF WRITER 

SNOW MAKES HANDICAPPED ACCESS MORE DIFFICULT

During the recent snowfall, Julie Miller and Tracy Ratcliffe circled the Kroger parking lot, waiting for an illegally parked car to leave the handicapped space.

Miller, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, often has to wait while reserved spaces are used illegally.

This winter, she's had to wait even more often.

She can picture the scenario: An able-bodied driver parks in the space to get a few staples to wait out the storm - then gets stuck in the express checkout behind 11 other shoppers.

This winter, Miller and Ratcliffe, both of Christiansburg, are on a campaign to make sure drivers understand what people with disabilities go through.

"We want to make people aware of the problems ... when reserved spaces are stolen and access ramps are blocked," Miller said.

"When you want to be able to do for yourself, it drives you nuts to have to ask for someone to go with you or do something for you because the store or business hasn't made their facility accessible.

"I'm convinced that increased awareness is the first step toward making the situation better." Ratcliffe and Miller began looking at businesses around the New River Valley to see how they handled snow removal. In some lots, the snow was scraped from other spaces and dumped in spaces reserved for the handicapped.

For Ratcliffe, the solution is simple: "Don't park illegally in handicapped parking zones," she said. "Don't shovel ice and snow into reserved spaces or over curb cuts designed for wheelchair access."

Keep entrances and exits dry. Shovel a path wide enough for a wheelchair. "A little consideration really goes a long way," she said.

Bob Huff, director of the New River Valley Workshop, says the accessibility problem stems from a lack of awareness and a lack of communication.

"We all get a little bit frantic when the weather gets somewhat sour," he said. "The first thing on our mind becomes 'How do I get home?'''

Linda Conrad, director at Radford University's Disabilities Resources Office, said store managers usually take care of the problem when such issues are brought to their attention.

Even if stores are short-staffed because of inclement weather, she said, there are simple ways to ensure accessibility.

She suggests making sure a worker is assigned to keep ramps clear of ice or snow, or to handle other weather-related tasks.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law in 1990, was designed to make public places more accessible to people with disabilities. The act requires that public places be designed so people with disabilities can reach them.

Older facilities must remove barriers to the handicapped "if readily achievable."

The act covers such facilities as restaurants, hotels, and grocery and retail stores.

LENGTH: Medium:   61 lines
ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO:  Tracy Ratcliffe. Snow piles block handicapped spaces.