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A senior citizen's e-wheelchair destroyed: Munich's accessibility in danger!
The Isarvorstadt in Munich is in focus as Gabi Messerer, a wheelchair user, is confronted with barriers and vandalism.
A senior citizen's e-wheelchair destroyed: Munich's accessibility in danger!
In the Isarvorstadt Munich, 63-year-old Gabi Messerer is not only confronted with personal challenges, but also with the adversities of everyday life. She has been dependent on a wheelchair for 12 years, a fate that befell her after a mountain hike that ended with symptoms of paralysis. Now she is not only fighting against her health restrictions, but also against vandalism, which recently hit her hard.
Messerer's lightweight electric wheelchair, which is essential for her everyday life, was damaged after it was left in the garbage shed. Since this wheelchair is not insured and her financial situation is tense - she lives on citizens' money - the chances of a quick repair or replacement are slim. The health insurance company will not pay for a new electric wheelchair because the large wheelchair has already been paid for. “I am desperately looking for support to get a new E-Fix wheelchair,” says Messerer.
Obstacles in the living environment
Gabi Messerer's living situation is made even more difficult by the accessibility in her living environment. Two years ago, the property management removed the parking space for her wheelchair in the inner courtyard because it was perceived as unaesthetic. Instead, she offered to store the wheelchair in a basement, but the ramp is too steep to be used safely. The large electric wheelchair now blocks the entrance area and poses a danger.
These difficulties are not just isolated cases in Munich. According to a study into the living situation of people with disabilities in Germany, everyday barriers are widespread. The Institute for Human Rights emphasizes that self-determined mobility is a human right that people with disabilities have should enable people to take part in social life. Barrier-free local public transport (ÖPNV) is of central importance here.
Barriers in public transport
Although the law stipulated that public transport should be barrier-free by January 1, 2022, this goal has quietly been missed. According to the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG), more efforts must be made to actually ensure complete accessibility. At the moment, many public transport options are often difficult to use, especially for people with intellectual disabilities.
In addition, there is the challenge that many companies in the passenger transport sector who operate 20 or more vehicles have to make 5% of their vehicles barrier-free. This rule also applies to on-demand offers. The call to remove barriers and create more offers for inclusive local transport runs like a common thread through the political agenda. The federal government has decided to abolish exceptions to accessibility requirements by 2026.
Gabi Messerer hopes that her situation can be improved in the long term not only through personal initiatives, but also through legal changes in transport policy. “I would like people like me to receive the necessary support and opportunities for a self-determined life,” she says. The city of Munich is offering advice to support people with disabilities in converting their homes, which is a step in the right direction.
But there is still a lot to do until all barriers are broken down and people with disabilities can participate equally. The comprehensive goal of creating a barrier-free society is a responsibility for society as a whole that affects everyone.