Quixoticgeek2d ago

My train journey home starts with another accessibility rant (sorry, I've got an hour on a train and I didn't bring a book). Time to talk about something few think of as an accessibility aid

Benches

Most people take for granted that they can stand for half an hour or an hour to wait for a train. But for a surprisingly high number of people. Standing for even a few minutes can be agony. These people might not look like they need accessibility aids. But not being able to sit can be a problem
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Show threadQuixoticgeek2d ago
As part of the ongoing enshittification of the built environment, benches have been disappearing. This is because people moan that the benches get used, by homeless people who use them to lay down on. Or youths who hang out on them. The former is often countered by seat designs that stop a person laying down. It's called hostile architecture. People put effort into making bother people uncomfortable. Rather than solving homelessness. Which is something that's really easy to solve.
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Show threadQuixoticgeek2d ago

How? Give people homes. I know, it's radical isn't it.

Don't want youths hanging around. Give them a viable 3rd place. But that would require effort.

Much easier to remove benches. Or replace them with leaning planks. Which somehow make for a position even more uncomfortable than standing.

The station I just got on at has some benches. But they are positioned poorly. Either where there's no shelter from the wind/rain. Or towar the rear of the train. When I need to be at the front.
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Show threadMichael ᚋᚔᚉᚆᚓᚐᚂ2d ago
@quixoticgeek @cstross I was going to say something similar: the best way to prevent homeless people from sleeping on benches is not anti-social encumbrances on the bench but to give them homes.
Show threadQuixoticgeek2d ago
@baoigheallain @cstross exactly. Housing should be a human right. We also should have a UBI.
Show threadRobert Pluim 🇪🇺2d ago
@quixoticgeek @baoigheallain @cstross
"Solving homelessness is impossible"
"But during Covid we housed all the homeless"
"Yes we did, but solving homelessness is impossible"
Show threadDave Smeg
@rpluim @quixoticgeek @baoigheallain @cstross
Forcing the homeless away by not alloing them anywhere to sleep, local councils can deny they have a homelessness problem, so don't have to spend money on it.
They can instead, divert that money into their back pockets.
Mar 31 at 7:02amWeb