you are so right carla, nothing moves politicians like publicity.

-----Original Message-----
From: Carla MacInnis [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 9:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Curb Cuts - Jump up and down on Desks, People!


Mag,

  You need to use the media to your advantage with regard to getting curb
cuts.
Call the lifestyles editor of several papers. Heck call your local tv
station. Tell
them it's a human interest story that affects everyone, not just those with
mobility disabilities. Or, you could chain yourself to a lamp post until
things
start to happen :)

  Years ago, in the city of Fredericton, I called the Mayor's office and
they gave
me a police officer and a van for the day. We drove around the city, scoping
out
poor side walks and crappy curbs, and I wrote a report and it was submitted
to City
Council. Within a month, work began, street by street, on fixing cuts; heck,
there
were 4 curbs in front of a nursing home that had no cuts. Scary.

  Approaching the newspaper is one of the best ways to get the message out
there -
not only wheelchair users need the assist, but parents with tots in
strollers, the
elderly with walkers/canes. Nothing worse than getting a cane lodged in a
crack on
the sidwalk - I've seen more than one elder take a flip. Not fun.

  If each of us did this sort of thing in our city/town, things would move
along
very nicely, I'm sure.

Cheers!

Carla
http://www.brunnet.net/terrier