Emergency Exit & ADA Entrance Blocked at a Tulsa QuikTrip
Author:Steve Patterson August 1st, 2009
Yesterday morning I stopped at a QuikTrip location in Tulsa to use their restroom and get a snack for the road. I did not park in the disabled parking spot because it was further away from the entrance (but close to the wheelchair ramp). From my car I could see a problem at the entrance:
The extra space next to the door was packed full of merchandise. Once through that door the problem was clear:
T0 comply with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act you need 18″ clear to the handle side of a door you are pulling toward you and 12″ to the side of a door you are pushing away. As I am realizing this is not just for those in wheelchairs but for all of us that have some physical challenges. The store was designed fine but their placement of xtra stock has made the above entry non-compliant.
Heading back to the men’s room more stuff is stacked in the way. A wheelchair would never pass through here and with a cane it is now too narrow. It gets worse. Around the wall to the left is an emergency exit:
And in front of the emergency exit is a power washer.
I didn’t buy anything nor did I say anything at the time - I was too angry. A couple of hours later, at my brother’s house in Oklahoma City I look up the phone number for the QuikTrip at 15th & Denver in Tulsa. I get a manager on the line and complain about the ADA access and the emergency exit. He is not concerned. I asked if it will still be cleared a week later when I pass through again. He said, “probably not.” I filed a complaint on the QuikTrip website.
Folks, the ADA guidelines exist for a reason. Placing your crap in our way is very disrespectful. Blocking emergency exits is criminal.
- Steve Patterson
