With a pram

I worked at ParaCENTRE FENIX — I'd like to think I have some idea of the challenges a person with limited mobility faces. A pram took that experience to a whole new level. You might think: so what, the pavement has a dropped kerb and everything's fine. Think again. A dropped kerb isn't always available, or it's a little further than you'd expect. The quality of the surface you're pushing on is another matter. Cracks, tram rails... all of this significantly reduces comfort — not to mention how a baby probably experiences that obstacle course.

Pavements that aren't level are a chapter of their own. I mean the camber towards the road. I've encountered slopes so severe that comfortable, pleasant pushing is completely out of the question.

Similar issues — though they've improved noticeably — still come up when travelling. Some public transport platforms are raised, making getting on and off with a pram easy. But where no renovation has taken place, there's a huge step. Accessing a station or navigating places with lots of steps is a major challenge. Typically it means hunting for a lift that looks terrible... then you reach the upper or lower level only to need another lift to get to where you're actually going. It's not easy — even in 2025!