I had reduced mobility for months, many years ago.

Even though I was already aware of just how difficult it would be to get around, living through it gave a shocking amount of perspective.

Some of the disability accommodations (disability parking) were pure bullshit. Elevators and ramps were godsends.

A large, standing shower without steps and room for a stool were musts.

A taste of what’s to come, when I get older. I don’t really see any real solution either, other than prepping.

I think it’s important to remember that accommodations accommodate a wide range of people and so they’re not one-size-fits all. A parking spot might have been a “bullshit” accommodation for your situation but for others it might be absolutely critical. If an accommodation isn’t necessary for someone’s disability they’re free to leave it open for someone who does.

I'm not sure what you mean about parking. I have a disability, and personally, parking is the most important adaptation.

Grew up with a father who was in a full-time wheelchair. Issue one was availability of spaces. It was amazing to watch people park, hop out of their car and jog in to the store (Dad would say, "being brain dead is a disability, too.). Second issue was having enough space to open the ramp (I'll never forget the time someone parked next to the ramp side door as we were leaving the store. I asked the guy to move and he said no. Fortunately, on my way out a police officer was coming into the store... the county impound moved the car). Third issue is that sometimes the distance between parking and store entrance was quite far.

My beef with it is that people who don’t need the parking manage to get it.

Meanwhile, I technically didn’t qualify for disability so I still had to move through the hard way once I was able to drive again.

It’s somehow an abused system.

You don't even need to be disabled for this to become a serious problem: just take a trip where you need to carry more than one large, heavy, or delicate item of luggage. Switching modes is easy[0] if you're able-bodied and able to travel light. If either or both of those things becomes untrue it's a different story.

[0] Note that switching modes always costs time, sometimes significant amounts of time. In some cases it's time you may not have or may not be able to easily find.

> [0] Note that switching modes always costs time, sometimes significant amounts of time. In some cases it's time you may not have or may not be able to easily find.

When I land at SFO from an international flight, I’m on BART way before anyone could board a second flight after clearing customs.

Switching modes doesn’t have to cost any more time than switching vehicles within the same mode. You just have to design the systems to do it well. Train to bus isn’t magically less efficient than bus to bus. Neither is Airbus to train.

Switching to and from cars is pretty bad and usually inefficient though, that I think we can all agree on.

Changing transportation modes is also quite difficult for parents with small children. Especially if they have to haul multiple car seats for the flight.

flying with a toddler in and of itself is already hell on earth, both for the parents, toddler and everyone stuck in the metal tube for the duration of the flight.

train journies are also far more practical if you have a toddler or small children considering trains are a very relaxed atmosphere.