Wheelchair Access Toilet

Moving around on wheelchair is not easy at all and lifts are usually full of able bodied people.  Sometimes when I bring Mikaail out to Causeway Point in Woodlands, it will take awhile before we are able to get into the lifts especially now with the renovation works in Causeway Point in progress.

I note that the main entrance of Causeway Point now has steps!  So it will be a real challenge to get to Causeway Point once the renovation work is completed.  Previously there were no steps so moving around on wheelchairs, pramps or strollers is very easy.  Went by Causeway Point yesterday and I note that besides the ramp, there are also steps by side.  I am really happy that building owners decided on this move.

Anyway, my other grouse is that I personally dont understand why must the able bodied person use the toilets meant for wheelchair bound person.  There was a time when Mikaail needed to use the toilet and it is occupied by a male staff from Courts!  I knocked on the door as there was a high chance that the toilet is used by an able bodied person.  I was right!  He was smoking in the toilet!

There was another time when I brought Mikaail to Harbourfront for lunch.  When he needed the toilet, I brought him into the ladies toilet as there is separate wheelchair access toilet in the ladies toilet.  There were a lot of unoccupied cubicles but the one for wheelchair is occupied.  So we had to wait for the user to vacate.  Not at all surprised, the lady who was in the wheelchair access toilet, really did not have a real need to use that particular cubicle at all.  I reminded her that the wheelchair access toilet is really meant for wheelchair users.  And guess what she said, "Oh, I didnt know you were coming"?? 

Then just last month, we were at a relative's wedding at the Serangoon Community Club.  This time the wheelchair toilet was locked.  When I asked the staff at the Serangoon Community Club, I was told that the caretaker said the toilet was spoilt.  I told the staff if it is really spoilt, shouldnt there be a sign?  I am sure this is not the case.  I believe that the caretaker just cant be bothered to clean an extra toilet as there are members of public who would use this toilet as well.

There must be more awareness amongst the public that wheelchair access toilets are strictly meant for users on wheelchairs only.  Recently when we went for a short cruise on Star Cruise, I liked their concept of managing wheelchair access toilets use. In order for us to use the wheelchair access toilets, we must register at the Star Cruise reception desk for them to revalidate the access card. This way other passengers are not allowed to use the wheelchair access toilets.

Perhaps if the Society for the Physically Disabled could come up with something similar to prevent the able bodied from using the facilities meant for the disabled that would be great!