konasubs

iTrader: (342)

Well, I after meeting ANOTHER member who is disabled and getting out of RC or having to travel and ungodly amount of miles to reach a track that has access felt like its time to talk about this. I am not disabled but own a small deli in CA. I have and am required to have access to folks with disabilities. I know THUMPERPA and have just met CRIPPLETHREAT who both have issues in their states/cities with local tracks NOT having ADA compliant ramps so they can get on the drivers stand. Pathetic!!!!! It's not about costs, do a fund raiser for goodness sake!!! Think of how many young people who feel restricted would get involved in the hobby if they feel welcome and are shown the way. My friend who owns SLRC in Sacramento needs this and I am ALWAYS willing to marshal for him.....This is ridiculous....IMHO

Cain

iTrader: (294)

I hear ya. there is a racer in the region who is a good guy who would benefit from that for various tracks. Luckily one of those I attend that he goes to also at times has a ramp and a section pushed out for wheel chairs.

I think part of the prob may be that for some tracks starting out, just to get going some places they use are just not wheel chair accessible (like say a basement in an old small town community center). Hopefully if interest grows maybe something could be done.

LVNeptune

Aren't *ALL* businesses required to have this?

jmackani

iTrader: (14)

I believe the problem is it varies across localities. Businesses built prior to 1993 have different requirements like a grandfather clause.

87MagnumII

iTrader: (9)

We ran into this when I was running a track (now closed for other reasons). We didn't have a ramp but we were indoors and fashioned a platform on an electric fork lift that we used to hoist a few guys in wheel chairs. It wasn't ideal but they didn't seem to mind, in fact they were grateful for the effort made. The laws vary from town to town and state to state. we didn't physically have the room to build a ramp that would pass code enforcement

buster8787

mmmmmmmmm

konasubs

iTrader: (342)

Many tracks just need a simple ramp for folks to roll up to a platform.....I get the cost....many many folks wanna be in the hobby. I was just frustrated that I spoke to 2 different long time techies that were both driving long distances because no local facility were set up.....

cloead

iTrader: (6)

It can be far from "simple" depending on a variety of factors. I would assume cost, man power, and space are the big hurdles to overcome.

You yourself could start a fundraiser or talk to your local tracks about getting them ADA compliant.

konasubs

iTrader: (342)

Well it's the law in California so everything I hv seen accommodates folks.....hard for me to help these 2 guys in PA more than I hv with this and Rib n his family in other ways....guys regionally need to kick in....I get cost and manpower 1st hand owning a small biz in a smaller community...

alphacat

iTrader: (7)

ADA compliance can be very expensive. Not having it can put you out of business. I am a builder in my day job. Often a ramp and elevated stand with rails will suffice. Most RC racers are willing to help the local track with construction and welcoming a racer with the need for this will pay huge dividends. Get some help form your local building inspector, most are pretty decent about helping a small business.

howaboutme

iTrader: (3)

I'm in the design industry so I can shed some more light on this situation and it is touchy. One one end, there is the right thing to do, both legally and morally, and the other is cost and space.

For ADA, certain old buildings can be grandfathered in. Compliance kicks in if that building decides to make renovations (and even that is based on % or construction cost against the total value of the property). All new facilities must comply.

What makes this complicated in terms of enforcement is that the driver stands are typically built separately from the drawings that the GC or owner submit for building permit. If it is not on the permit drawings, the jurisdiction cannot comment on it. Think of the drivers platform as furniture. Back to the space issue...Ramps need a lot of space (minimum slope, access, etc) which most RC places don't have. Alternative is a lift, which costs money and needs maintaining.

So..in a nutshell, the building owners usually will get away with it unless someone complains (threat of law suit) and references the ADA Act in context. The key phrase is "equal access to all".

Hope this helps.

a1

iTrader: (9)

I can see why any one would not help you out. It would be bad business to not help out.

wyd

iTrader: (51)

We have a ramp but to be honest for the height of are drivers stand and the ADA angle they wanted the damn ramp to be at would of made the ramp longer than the total length of are building. Its not so simple to just put up a ramp. It is a major hurdle with the township. Are racers are happy we have one but its just not so simple as slapping up a ramp. Wish it was that easy.

howaboutme

iTrader: (3)

Building owners typically solve this issue with handicap lifts like this.

You will meet all of your legal requirements w/o a long ramp.

wyd

iTrader: (51)

Lucky are township was very cool and worked with us and what we where using it for.