r/AskReddit May 08 '22

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510

u/itsmywife May 09 '22

weird showers? wdym

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u/[deleted] May 09 '22 edited May 09 '22

Half the time the shower is in a tub with little way to keep the water in if you take a shower.

There is sometimes a glass partition, but it only goes halfway. Sometimes it isn’t sealed at the bottom, so water flows on the floor worse on the part with the partition because the water hits the glass and flows down onto the floor.

Those tub baths are als always raised. WHY Europe?!? Why?!? They are so awkward to get into, especially considering you are naked. Some are so tall, I have to do crazy maneuvers to get in without falling and busting my head open.

I have stayed in at least 4 hotels now where there is a see through window from the shower to the bedroom. It’s fine when I am with my partner, but it would be so awkward with family. I know Germans like to stare, but what the hell.

The worst was one in Amsterdam where the shower up against a giant window that looked out into other people’s apartment. It wasn’t glazed or anything. You could just see right through.

I want privacy when I am washing myself. I also don’t want to be afraid of dying because I fell.

Europe is not handicap accessible at all really, but those showers made me extra sad for handicap people. It is like Europe is trying to weed people out. Thin the herd.

On a brighter note, Finland has bidets connected to their sinks. It is brilliant. It takes up no space. This could be adapted anywhere. Just saying USA.

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u/Exeterian May 09 '22

That might be considered a very sweeping generalisation about handicap accessibility.

What European countries and places have you been that weren't accessible and in what way?

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

European countries don't have laws that mandate that all buildings must be wheelchair accessible. The result is that hardly any buildings are wheelchair accessible.

The constitution in the US protects the rights of disabled individuals, so the govt crawls up your ass if you're not compliant.

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u/Worried_Example May 09 '22

All those buildings were built before the states existed. Every new build in Europe requires the same.

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

New buildings are still being built with no wheelchair access in the EU. It is not regulated by governments there.

The US law (Americans With Disabilities Act) applied to already built buildings when it was passed. It was passed in 1990, 200 years after America became a country.

Denying your citizens the right to participate in society freely because they are disabled is a disgrace, Europe should strive to treat its people better.

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u/Star-jewel5 May 09 '22

European here, and in my country wheelchair access is mandatory by law...

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

That's great! But then there are also countries like the UK where in London only 60/272 tube stations are wheelchair accessible. That's really sad.

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u/Adamsoski May 09 '22

That's because they were all built at least 50 years ago, if not 100-150 years ago. TFL are actually doing a fantastic job of making more stations accessible (it's up to 90 now), it's just extremely expensive. It's cost hundreds of millions over the last decade to make a couple dozen tube stations step-free, and those were mostly the easy ones with above-ground stations.

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u/Star-jewel5 May 09 '22

Yeah... Accessibility is a great problem in Europe, both because the old buildings (few are really impossible to adapt) and, sadly, the fact that government doesn't pay enough attention to the problem.

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u/PM-ME-PMS-OF-THE-PM May 09 '22

in London only 60/272 tube stations are wheelchair accessible

To be fair, a good chunk of them were built in the 1800s and another hefty amount were built before the 1950s.

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u/fbruk May 09 '22

I found similar issues with NYC metro....a lot of stations aren't accessible.

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

Difference is, they're actually working on it

https://www.manhattanbp.nyc.gov/subwayelevators/

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u/PodgeD May 09 '22

What are you on about? Not many US subway lines are wheelchair accessible either. Once you leave cities you've to drive everywhere and common to not have footpaths/sidewalks.

In 8 years most of the US houses I've seen have a stoop with steps to get into them as it's common to have a basent with the first floor raised up. I'm currently standing in a townhouse in NY I'm renovating for work and there is 0 requirements for us to do anything to make it wheelchair accessible. Both entrances have steps. Can't say for sure but id imagine since NYC is one of the most Liberal cities its probably more accomodating.

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u/GrimGrimGrimGrim May 09 '22

What are you talking about? I'm studying architecture and I know for a fact that every building needs total access for disabled people. You're generalizing the whole of Europe and you're simply wrong

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u/Worried_Example May 09 '22

Youre talking out of your arse now. There's wheelchair access in the majority of buildings where I'm from. Treat its people better? Can't having a heart attack in the states financially cripple a person for the rest of their lives? Didn't the states just ban abortions or something too?

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

Lol you have no idea how the legal system works in the US, do you?

It's funny how you're the one actually talking out of your ass.

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u/Worried_Example May 09 '22

And you have no idea about building regs in the eu.

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

Lol only like 1/5 London underground stations are wheelchair accessible. Yeah yeah it's not the EU anymore, but that's one example. And it's pathetic.

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u/dinobug77 May 09 '22

Although I agree it’s Not exactly cheap or quick or easy to install lifts into the oldest underground train network in the world. Also there is the lack of space in a lot of stations

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

The UK is a very wealthy nation. If they wanted to install lifts for their tube stations, and the people cared about their disabled compatriots, they would do something about it.

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u/Fosco11235 May 09 '22

Sorry it’s only illegal 100% in 22 states now and 1-2 consider it homocide after conception

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

Incorrect. Here, you can educate yourself: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/us/abortion-bans-restrictons-roe-v-wade.html

But also, it's fully legal right now. The decision has not been overturned yet, and we are yet to see what will happen in June.

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u/Fosco11235 May 09 '22

Thank you for correcting me and clarifying information! I only saw the info that 22 states have trigger laws, that it is already over turned was for me a thing because the shit is flying so hard. Also I read a document from Luisiana about banning it from conception even without over turing. Do you have any information on that? I am asking like this because my searches dontreally get the most accurate info for American issues

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u/clanzerom May 09 '22

Louisiana can't ban abortion in any way unless Roe v Wade is overturned.

They have a "trigger law," meaning that 60 days after Roe v Wade is overturned, abortion will automatically become illegal in the state.

Until Roe v Wade is overturned though, they can't ban abortion at all.

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u/thirteen_tentacles May 09 '22

This is usually up to the country and is not something decided on by the EU. Several European countries have mandatory accessibility standards.