Two Sun Metro riders, both in wheelchairs, having to move carts to gain an accessible pathway to the bus that is stopped at the Walmart at Trans Mtn/Woodrow Bean bus stop.
Just what in the heck does Walmart not get when it comes to accessibility issues?
The disabled community, including advocates, have had numerous meetings with Walmart and Sun Metro about the blocking of the bus stop of carts being used by Walmart customers.
Seems to no avail.
Yes, I understand that it's the people that should not be placing the carts there.
But Walmart cannot have their cake and eat it, too. They benefit from Sun Metro having a bus stop in front of their store, but they don't want to maintain the pathway for their customers.
It makes absolutely no sense that there is not a cart caddy up by the bus stop.
And even more senseless is the fact that Walmart employees don't check the bus stop in a timely and consistent manner for carts.
So Sun Metro's riders are now assuming what is Walmart's job out of necessity.
The disabled are forced to move carts, risking possible injury or accident to themselves or others around them, just to board the bus. Let alone able bodied riders are forced to move these carts.
Why is Walmart so lazy? Didn't they make a profit last year? We should all be protesting them, they are as bad as the banks and car manufacturers with their greed.
They promised the disabled community an accessible pathway LAST YEAR- where is it? A lady in a scooter was just hit by a car in the parking lot there a couple weeks ago. Yes, the onus falls on the driver, but Walmart has created an unsafe condition for the disabled with their huge parking lots and lack of a safe pathway through that parking lot.
When I call for them to clear the carts they promise they'll be right on it- management tells me that. Why lie to me when it takes less effort just to take care of your customers?
Didn't Walmart just get done with a lawsuit by a disabled person in a wheelchair about these very issues? What lesson has not been learned?
I am still waiting to see if Sun Metro and Walmart can ever come to a clear conclusion about Sun Metro buses being allowed to come further into Walmart's property and have the bus stop at their door. Sun Metro has said they have been denied that option, Walmart says they never said no- but no one is willing to have a meeting of the minds. Ft. Bliss has buses that come onto their property and pick up civilian employees that play "insurgents" in mock simulations- why can't Sun Metro come on the property also?
When is enough enough? How many lawsuits does it have to take for a company the size of Walmart to start really giving a hoot about their customers? They already don't care about the American worker- most of their stuff is from China. And what's up with the re-labelling they have done, making the Great Value brand (theirs) look more generic so one thinks they are getting a cheaper brand, tho the prices have risen? Before they labelled to have their brand say "we are as good as name brands but are cheaper"- now they're doing the opposite for the same effect!
Greed. It all comes down to that ugly word. It's what makes the corporate world go 'round. Haven't we really had enough of all that world has done for us?
Hmmmmm...time for guerrilla tactics. What about making signs saying "Boycott Walmart" and taping them to the carts?
ReplyDeleteHave you also contacted the bus company and your local state rep as well as your house of representatives member? I did basically that for a problem at Northwest Airlines and it worked well.
Another thing to do is send your letter (boiled down to 200 words) to your local paper. Try something like this:
"How many deaths will it take before Walmart cleans up its parking lots? The Sun Metro stop at (address) in front of Walmart is clogged with carts, making it unsafe for handicapped people to board the bus. Walmart promised to keep its pathways clear, but has not done so for over a year. Further, a woman in a scooter was hit in that parking lot on (date). Walmart has created an unsafe condition for the disabled with their huge parking lots and lack of a safe pathway through that parking lot. Walmart wants profits--and we risk our lives.
Thank you, Deena, for your comments and suggestions. I have spoken with the bus company and Walmart and ADAPT about these issues and we have been going 'round and 'round. But I am seeing that I will need to step up the pressure and change tactics as we, the public, are not being taken seriously.
ReplyDeleteHow about, this may sound crazy... enforcing the law? Imagine the number of outstanding warrants that could be enforce if the EPPD simply started arresting people who steal shopping carts.
ReplyDeleteIf you take someone elses property away from where its supposed to be... that's theft.
Make the arrests, lets the get ball rolling.
very interesting, Anonymous. Will have to look further into whose property it falls under. I was under the impression that since it was Walmart's private lot, including the gas station and "parkway" that they were also responsible for the sidewalk- thus making the carts by the bus stop still on their property. When Walmart agreed to make an accessible pathway from the sidewalk to their front door they never mentioned it was the city's responsibility- hmmm?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Wal-Mart is paying a price for their "good intentions". I din't know that a property owner "owns" the sidewalk. Does Wal-Mart own the bus kiosk?
ReplyDeleteWhy should Wal-Mart have pay hundreds of thousands for wheel lock shopping carts? How about arrest a few people for taking private property outside the owners property line.
This is a "broken windows" issue. You commit a little crime it leads to bigger crimes. I just want one arrest. Is that so wrong?
lol anonymous, you sound a lil eager there!
ReplyDeleteAm I not responsible, as a property owner, to maintain my sidewalk and repair it? Yes. So as a residential owner I am responsible- why would businesses not be? If I block my sidewalk in front of my house I go against city code and can be cited/fined.
Honestly, I have never lived in a place where the owner of the property was responsible for maintenance and repair of sidewalks- it was always city property and their responsibility. Which brings up the question- since I don't know a whole lot of residential owners that take good care of their sidewalks here (in the NE)- how can we ever really be a truly accessible city for the disabled when alot of sidewalks are not passable and business does not even build a sidewalk in front of their business until said business building is erected, thus making disabled in wheelchairs have to go in the road with traffic when there is lack of sidewalks?
Mesa St and Dyer are both infamous for having abandoned buildings with sidewalks in disrepair and vacant lots, owned by banks and mortgage companies and privately that have no sidewalk and are not required to build one until a design is ready for construction.
ps- a cart caddy built for minimal cost would be handy- but still need the manpower to go and check on it every once in awhile and empty it.
ReplyDeletealso being able to have Sun Metro come onto Walmart property and have the bus stop there would solve alot of the cart issues and safety issues having to ride a wheelchair theough a football field-sized parking lot.
If we are not going to solve the problem, then yes perhaps Sun Metro and Wal-Mart should agree.
ReplyDelete