The ADA also means that a lot of hole in the wall establishments you see in Europe simply can't exist in the states. Society is poorer for it.
You'll find that the disabled have plenty of options, it's definitely not the case that if you don't say enforce wheelchair accessibility for seating areas that there are no restaurants around to accommodate the disabled.
But you do get a lot of hole in the wall places of a type I simply haven't seen in the US, e.g. what would be a very small take-away restaurant in the US, but with a ceiling high enough to have an upstairs floor accessible through some very steep set of stairs to get to a seating area.
That's what I mean by society being poorer for it. It's not a choice between waiving a magic wand to make everything wonderful for the disabled or not. Complying with what amounts to onerous building codes can cost a lot, and often that cost is so high that the establishment isn't viable anymore.
I'd much rather live in a society where I pay a small premium (even if that premium is the loss of a few restaurants) so that if my legs give out, I can continue to participate in society; not just a small portion of it.
Accommodating disabilities today is accommodating yourself in the future.
You don't, small businesses do. Plus, there are plenty places in Europe that cater to people in wheelchairs, it's just not mandated for all.
Well, that's not the ADA.
And you're right, I can fly to Japan or Europe. People with disabilities are quite clear on the difference:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1673691
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/traveling-wi...
Which is one reason why, as this article puts it, "The Americans With Disabilities Act Is a Model for the World — Literally"
http://fpif.org/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-is-a-mod...
> Dad was looking forward to seeing Pompeii for the
> first time, and let’s just say it was tough. This
> is a place not designed for the disabled.
> Yes, the top of the Eiffel Tower is inaccessible to
> disabled travelers.
What do you expect us to do? Bulldoze Pompeii to make it wheelchair accessible?
For example: restaurants. Take a world where restaurants have to comply with ADA regulations versus a world where it's expected that someone coming up with a business plan for a restaurant that caters to the disabled. It's the difference between a world where the disabled can go to restaurants or where they can got to a restaurant.