Urban accessibility in Moscow: new technologies to improve the city (experience of people with reduced mobility)

went to the bank, I did not know is it

P3 feels

Asking people

accessible or not, I checked a photo

uncomfortable

for help

of entrance in YandexMap, it

when place not

Information

seemed accessible, but it actually

accessible and

Photos in

had one big step, I am thinking okay

when need to ask

YandexMap as a

need to ask someone to lift

for help.

source of

wheelchair a bit, but I looked around,

information

and there VkusVill, and accessible

P3 checked a

area, so I used it and were able to

photo of the

Credibility of

reach the bank. I did not ask anyone.

entrance to the

existing

If no choice I ask. It is not cool...

bank in

information

often people want to help, but they

YandexMap and

do not know how to help a person in

entrance was

Exploring routes

a wheelchair, some of them grab

seems accessible;

wheels and you fall down. It is

however, it ends up

happening often, I remember at

non-accessible. P3

Sochi, we were going at transition,

found a route to the

ramp there steep but I were able to

bank and did not

People do not

cross it, the guy wanted to help me

ask anyone.

know how to

Attitude barrier

and started to push from behind.

help a

And I am flying from a wheelchair to

Overall, people

wheelchair user

the road. He was so sorry, helped

want to help, but

me, everything okay, did not break

they do not know

anything. He wanted to help but did

how.

not know how. This situation is

common, I usually explain first how

to help. Also, drunk people come to

me to talk, ask about health. Usually,

The

I try to escape such conversation.

psychological

pressure of

Mental health

I: Uncomfortable social situations,

disability

people want the best, but

P3: Yes, help from the heart, but

sometimes confusion happening

I: It is sad and funny at the same

time

P3: Yes, I had other weird situations

at the start, when I only got injury... I

remember I were at hospital 6, it had

the first rehabilitation centre, now

here five of them in Moscow. We

were coming there mostly for

communication, as we got the injury.

We felt ashamed to go outside, it

was scary. A lot of complexes. So

we met all people with injuries to

communicate, share the experience.

Ones with a friend, he also in

wheelchair we decided to go from

one hospital to another by metro. It

Tram rail as a

Public transport

did not work as a metro not

dangerous city

Transport

accessible. We went down to the

element

barrier

escalator, then we went back. We

One time, wheel

were crossing tram rail my wheel

get stuck while

stuck and I fall down on the rail, the

crossing tram rail, it

tram was around 150 m from me. I

created a

thought okay I have no time to stand

dangerous

up, then the man took me and my

situation.

wheelchair very fast, put me in

When tram rail

wheelchair. I had some extreme

covered with

situations.

rubbery top it safer.

I: That's scary, tram rails overall

dangerous for wheelchair users. If

they made not well

P3: Now they doing it way better,

they cover it with some rubbery

material.

I: Yes, just need to take care of it.

P3: Yes yes

I: If it's okay, I want to ask, if

theoretically more people in a

wheelchair outside, do you think it

can help for people who only got

injury for example?

P3: Of course, I can compare with

my friends. When I got an injury, we

did not have proper rehabilitation

P3 believe people

centres. Now when you got injury

after an injury must

you go straight to the centre form

have rehabilitation.

hospital. People do not have this

long process of accepting yourself,

P3 did not have

you start to have the training, centre

proper

straight forward includes you in life,

rehabilitation and it

shows how to live with your new

took 5 years to get

body, how to use it, it is new. Two

used to the new

months and they adapt, they do not

body. P3 was at

lose time and do not close inside

home and were

themselves. Because I needed 5

afraid, he

years, I just sit at home, never go

experiences panic

Importance of

Mental health

outside. I was so inside myself; I was

attacks and

rehabilitation

afraid to pick up phone, open door. I

suicidal thoughts.

felt shame if somebody will see me,

P3 realised that

it was so hard, I had panic attacks all

something should

Panic attack as

the time, and I understood that I

be changed and he

a result due to

cannot continue like that. Either I

needs to move

not acceptance

start to move forward or it is not a

forward.

of new stage in

life. I had suicidal thoughts, and I

life

understood life is one, I need to

P3 pushed himself

improve or just stop live. At the start

to return into

Suicidal thought

I pushed myself to go outside, just

society.

due to low life

stand near the house entrance was

quality

hard emotionally. First trips to a

Now P3 brave and

health centre, two bus stops, it was

not afraid to travel

Fears about new

an actual trip for me, achievement, I

even around the

body conditions

was happy that I won my fears. Now

world.

I understand that no one cares who

am I, what I am. For me, it was

important and hard to win fears. I

made it because I knew how I lived

Improvement of

before the injury, and I understood

life after

that changes are needed now.

acceptance of

Slowly I made it. Now it is not a

changes in body

problem just take tickets and go to

another country. Like with D we went

Positive changes

to Thailand, just got tickets and then

in personal

we found everything else. Not a

perception and

problem. At past I though it can

happen to anyone, but not to me, I

even was afraid to think about it,

because it was so unreal for me.

life

I: You are strong, and it great that

you share your experience with other

people.

P3: We trying to motivate people

with D, we love extreme as well. I

am first in Russia who jumped from

bungee with a wheelchair, also

parasailing and scuba diving, we

love it. We often take part in

P3 have an active

activities, like fashion shows, for

example, Mercedes fashion week,

this year it cancelled because of

Covid-19, but last year we took part.

We also take part in "Teotralnaya

Perspektiva”, people with disabilities

perform on stage with a professional

actor. A lot of cool social stuff, which

remove the barrier between people

with disabilities and healthy people.

life.

I: Social aspect is very important.

P3: Most of the time healthy people

need it more than people with

disabilities. I noticed that person with

disabilities is socialised, and people

come and start... they feel

uncomfortable to be near you not

because you in a wheelchair but

because they are healthy, they feel

P3 mentioned that

sorry. They need to relax, everything

"healthy people”

okay, we on the same level, we can

need socialisation

talk about anything. Not necessary

with people in

only about my disability, or. they

wheelchair more

healthy, they feel. even yesterday

than wheelchair

D's sister had a birthday and we had

users.

a BBQ in our dacha, some friends

arrived and they did not know how to

P3 noticed that

start talking to me. They start to give

people might feel

examples like they have a friend who

uncomfortable

The socialisation

had an injury, but he can walk. like

around him and

of "healthy

Attitude barrier

they trying to help me but do not

start to talk about

people”

know what to do for that. I do not

injuries and

Social barrier

need help, just communicate with

disabilities.

"Healthy people”

me like with normal human that's all.

feel ashamed of

They also need this social

"I do not need help,

their health

adaptation.

just communicate

around

with me like with

wheelchair users

I: True, do you think urban

normal human

accessibility can potentially help with

that's all. They also

People feel sorry

Stereotypes

it?

need this social

adaptation.”

P3: Of course, it is necessary,

P3 believes that

Acceptance of

because when you at the bus,

urban accessibility

wheelchair users

people can just talk about the

can create

in society

Equality

random topic with you, people start

condition when

to talk with you, I do not know, with

people

Wheelchair do

kindness. That they are happy that

communicate and

not see

people go out, we together, we

socialise with PRM.

themselves less

equal, comfortable for everyone, no

than "healthy

one face problems.

people”

I: I like that you have so many

Importance of

interesting activities, I think the city

urban

Urban

also should develop with society.

accessibility

accessibility

P3: Of course, the city always should

get better, new technologies should

be implanted. On one side, I have

something to compare. I saw a

group of disabling in Germany, they

P3 thinks that new

too soft, if something is wrong and

technologies can

non-easily accessible, they almost

help to make cities

cry. Here we are so prepared for

better.

everything, that in some sense it is

not a problem. Of course, we should

have an accessible environment, at

The person in

the same time person in the

wheelchair should

wheelchair should not be dependent.

have conditions to

He just needs to have conditions to

take part in social

be useful for the government, society

life and "to be

and be able to work. He just needs

useful”.

some stuff, a bit bigger toilet, less

narrow lift... not much. Ramps, I saw

Bigger toilets

not only women with carriages use it,

Wide lifts

but also grandmothers and

New

grandfathers for their shopping bags,

P3 noticed that

technologies to

New

even for young people it's easier to

ramps used by a

improve the city

technologies

use ramp then the stairs. I see it

wide group of

often, the ramp does not make only

people: elderly,

for us, it is useful for everybody. Just

people with baby

Right to the city

to adapt. 80% with disabilities can

carriages, young

be included in society and they can

people; because it

work for themselves and feel that

is easier to use

they needed, motivation and self-

ramp than stairs.

Physical barrier

esteem will grow. People with

Social life

disabilities have a lot of complexes. I

remember myself when I was

P3 said that the

healthy, I had more complexes then

inclusion of people

now. I was upset that I do not have

with disabilities will

Important

Important urban

this and that, I am so unlucky. Now I

motivate them and

physical

elements

understand I had everything, I never

help with self-

conditions to

appreciated that. I really miss the

esteem.

create

feeling of going upstairs, fresh grass

accessibility

on legs. Now I appreciate even small

things, life becoming happier. You

use your right to accessibility, it is

something you were born with,

Importance of

people do not understand that in one

ramps for

moment it can be taken away. I am

everyone

the same.

"You use your right

I: I guess it is peoples nature. Can I

to accessibility, it is

ask, what is your favourite place in

something you

Moscow?

were born with,

Importance of

Inclusion in the

people do not

inclusion in city

city

P3: I like Red Square, but road

understand that in

and society

made of stones, no one will change

one moment it can

it because of its cultural heritage, in

be taken away. I

wheelchair it is impossible. I do not

am the same.”

know, maybe Kremil, it is free for us.

A lot of interesting and free places,

P3 like Red

which is accessible. About the

Square, however it

streets, I like old Arbat, love to walk

not accessible. But

there. It has accessible cafes, and

Moscow has other

not accessible, they even have a

interesting and

museum, forget the name, its not

accessible places.

accessible. Theatre is accessible. A

P3 mentioned old

Right to the city

lot of nice streets where to walk,

Arbat, it has

Right to

parks are great... they becoming

accessible and not

accessibility

accessible. Gorkiy Park is accessible

accessible places.

and comfortable, parking spots, you

Gorkiy Park is also

just park your car and go for walk.

comfortable to use:

Accessible toilets there. Also,

it has parking and

handbikes, you can just rent it in

accessible toilets.

VDNH, Sokolniky and Gorkiy, it is

free. When you ride people look like:

Handbikes is

what is that? unusual. Things

accessible in

developing. It is cool!

different parts of

Moscow: VDNH,

I: It is great, I think its increase

Sokolniky and

Red Square

Public spaces

accessibility

Gorkiy.

Old Arbat

P3: Yes, like, you will be not able to

explore the park in your wheelchair,

VDNH is huge, but on handbike it is

Gorkiy Park

possible. It is a professional sport, if

you want, we can go there during

VDNH

summer, you can try

Sokolniky

I: Really?

P3: Yes, sure

Handbikes

I: After quarantine lets do it!

Sports for

Activities in city

P3: It feels interesting, different from

people in

the bike!

wheelchair at

parks

I: Thank you!

P3: There different sports available

for people in a wheelchair, it is cool!

There also tricycle for people whose

hands not working.

I: Cool! Sorry, to jump from one topic

to another, is a school were

accessible for you after the injury?

P3: I was at college, and did not go

there for a year after trauma. They

just brought me diploma to the

hospital at the end, made

concessions. But then I continue

education, the first profession was a

P3 was at college

builder, of course in the wheelchair I

when he had injury.

cannot be a builder, so I finished

He received

programming courses at MGU and

diploma but due to

web design. Did you saw the film

health condition

1+1?

were not able to

work as a builder.

I: Yes

He finished

courses at MGU

P3: There also another cool German

and learned a new

film, kind of similar, check it, the man

profession.

in wheelchair worked on construction

site. It called "on wheels”, very funny

and kind.

I: Thanks, I am actually looking for

documentaries, interviews and

feature films about the topic

P3: Sorry, I forgot, what are you

Influence of new

background?

body conditions

on life quality

I: I finished a bachelor in

Environmental Science and now at

Prototyping future cities.

P3: Right, cool

I: Topic about accessibility really

relevant to course

P3: It is, everyone wants to go

outside because sitting all the time at

home... the mind is suffering in 4

walls, you get further away from

society, and it is hard to get back to

society. You just get angrier on

people, on life... it is a heavy feeling

which crushes you. Why it is

happened to me, why I deserve to

P3 described that

be a prison. Why I cannot go

when a person

outside. you just start to blame

does not have an

everybody. Only thing is needed is

opportunity to go

access to the street and accessible

outside, he

houses and that is all. Majority of the

experiences

problems are solved.

separation from

society, get

I: This is true, I also believe in it

angrier, experience

negative thoughts.

P3: It is all coming from the USSR,

Accessibility of

people from the USSR cannot be

streets and houses

disabled. Officially there were no

disabled people. Do you know there

city where only blind people live,

they just were sent there? City

adapted for blind, their handrails for

them. All city, everyone was sent.

can help.

Psychological

pressure from

Mental health

I: The USSR was very discriminative

lack of

towards any kind of disabilities.

accessibility

Urban

accessibility

P3: Do you know that in the 1980s

during Olympic game Germany

Anger

offered 2000 wheelchair for soviet

Separation form

disable people and government said:

society

Social barrier

"we do not need it, everyone healthy

P3 mentioned that

here, we do not have to disabled

USSR was

people”. They even cancelled

discriminative

Paralympics, because who needs it

towards people

if a country has no disable people?

People with disabilities were there,

they just were always hidden or

government were sending them to

special places. A lot of disabled

with disabilities.

people were after WWII. It is a

shame, people were suffering

because of disabilities and

government.

The USSR had a mentality like how

such a strong country can have

people with disabilities? Everyone is

healthy.

It is just fascism, with a more human

Negative action

face and against different people.

of USSR

Direct

People were not burned till the death

towards people

discrimination

but were sent somewhere.

with disabilities

I: I am actually also doing a small

research on this topic; cities were

"It is just fascism,

built without consideration people

with a more human

with disabilities.

face and against

different people.

P3: It is. You see, our needs not

People were not

different from the needs of other

burned till the

people. Imagine you cannot go

death, but were

somewhere just because you cannot

change it in yourself. Everyone

wants to go to the shop alone, have

sent somewhere.”

a walk, but lack of accessible

"You see, our

environment... when you ask

needs not different

Wheelchair user

somebody all the time, it is different

from the needs of

needs are not

feelings.

other people.

different from the

Imagine you

needs of other

I going every year to one city in

cannot go

people

Ukraine, and there more people in a

somewhere just

wheelchair then healthy people. It

because you

was shocking for me, everywhere

cannot change it in

people with disabilities. It is special

sanatorium specifically for people

with a spine injury.

yourself.”

But here is okay if compare with

P3 every year visit

some other places, I visited Armenia

sanatorium for

and it is a disaster. People with

people with a spine

Sanatorium

disabilities just at home, they loved

injury. The place

but families not allowed them to go

have a lot of

outside. When locals saw us they

people in

Equality

were shocked, like people in a

wheelchair can be by themselves, do

wheelchairs.

Armenia

not need held and can be outside.

P3 visited Armenia

and noticed that

I: you were a good example for them

people with

disabilities cannot

P3: Hope so. I guess not everything

go outside.

so bad in Russia.

I: I also wanted to ask, have you

ever asked city administration for

help for example?

P3: I asked for a parking spot at my

previous place of living. Special sign

so no one will put the car on my

spot. Because when you arrive all

spots are taken, or some stops free

but they too narrow for me. I got a

special sign. Then all people from

the neighbourhood knew that it is my

spot, only some visitors have used it,

but it is rare. People understood that

it is important for me and I cannot

P3 had the

Positive

without a car spot.

experience of

experience with

communicating

authorities:

I: sorry, it is my cat, we adopted her

with authorities. He

asking for

from the shelter only today so she is

asked for a special

parking spot

still afraid and explore flat.

sign for car parking

and he got it. Local

people know that it

is important for him

P3: that's cool, I also think to adopt a

and it rare when

dog from a shelter, they suffer so

someone put the

why not help them.

car on his slot.

I: Yes, I think it good approach.

P3: They kind and grateful, and not

angry on people even after horrible

street life.

I: yes, kind creatures! Sorry for

Important urban

taking so much time, and finally I

wanted to ask about the mobile app I

am working on. It is called "ABLE”, I

send you Figma link. The goal is to

create an accessibility map, so it is

the map, but which can consider the

needs of PRM. At the moment it only

for Timiryazevskiy district, but further

in the plan to make it for Moscow. At

the moment it is based on online

research but originally, I planned go-

alongs with PRM to test map and

explore the interaction with the

physical environment. If you are

okay, can you look at it and give

your feedback? How it is looks, how

is a logo? Is it useable and needed?

If you have the time of course. Also,

if you see something bad please

give a negative comment as well, the

point is to improve app a make a

good product.

elements

P3: Sure. I will have a look and will

send you a text if it is okay. I need

time. Commonly, you know bloggers

make videos, and there some

location. Usually, by his movement

you can tell if they're a step or do

place have lift or ramp. Healthy

people do not care about it, but we

P3 use videos as a

looking for these details. So, people

source of

make a video for one reason and we

information about

Videos as a

use it to see if place accessible.

the accessibility of

source of

Right to the

space. Photos of

accessibility

information

I: Interesting way to get information.

the entrance from

information

interned also

P3: also I used photos of the

provide

entrance to see if place accessible.

accessibility

Also, we had a cool project, famous

information about

people tried themselves in a

the place.

wheelchair, the aim was to show

how the city is not accessible when

you in the wheelchair. ...