# accessiblity



## nutz (Feb 28, 2016)

Hi I am Known as Nutz,

My OH myself and our disabled 22 yr old son are thinking of moving over to Spain.
My son uses an electric wheelchair to get around and I was wondering how accessible it is over there, what areas are best etc.

Any information would be gratefully received thankyou.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

nutz said:


> Hi I am Known as Nutz,
> 
> My OH myself and our disabled 22 yr old son are thinking of moving over to Spain.
> My son uses an electric wheelchair to get around and I was wondering how accessible it is over there, what areas are best etc.
> ...


Generally, in my experience, Spain has not embraced disability in the same way that the UK has.

For example, shops don't seem to bother with ramps etc. nor do they need to have aisles that are wide enough for wheelchairs. Both of these I had to comply with in UK.

Some establishments have buttons to press to open doors but most don't and you would simply have to struggle to get a wheelchair in.

Having said all of that, I'm sure some places are better than others.


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

All the above is true I'm afraid although , of course, there are exceptions. Some offices I have been into seem only to have paid lip service to the regulations and installed ramps which must be at an angle of over 60 degrees. Not for the faint hearted.


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## Swerve (Jun 29, 2011)

Don't forget the obligatory orange trees in the middle of the pavement. Also crossing the road can be a nightmare as many drivers don't seem to know what they're there for and 
Just drive straight over. Maybe an idea to have a little fact finding trip.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Agree with all of the above although I do have a friend who uses a mobility scooter and she says that Torrevieja/ Orihuela area is quite good for accessibility


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Agree with all of the above although I do have a friend who uses a mobility scooter and she says that Torrevieja/ Orihuela area is quite good for accessibility


I hear Benidorm is good for mobility scooters too


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

There is also a lack of dropped curbs in many places. Even when they are there at a crossing you find cars parked so we cannot use them. I have had many arguments with drivers over this. They say things like "I'll only be 5 minutes". What use is that to my husband in a wheelchair who wants to cross the road. Is he expected to wait 5 minutes while the inconsiderate motorist pops into the bank? 

Another thing we sometimes have a problem with is in bars and restaurants the toilets are either up or down a flight of stairs. Now, when we go somewhere for the first time we check where the toilets are before we sit down.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

DunWorkin said:


> Another thing we sometimes have a problem with is in bars and restaurants the toilets are either up or down a flight of stairs. Now, when we go somewhere for the first time we check where the toilets are before we sit down.


Toilet checking is essential!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Toilet checking is essential!


... for many, many different reasons


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Our town put in dropped curbs in 2010 when they rebuilt all the pavements using Plan E money (Zapatero's attempt at Keynesianism).

The main beneficiaries are old ladies with shopping trolleys and younger ones with pushchairs. 

Our lottery ticket vendor has an electric wheelchair and uses the roads. The pavements are too narrow!


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Have you checked out all the other aspects of being disabled in Spain? 
Health care, disability benefits etc
Apologies if you already have done so.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

When I first came to Spain, I was very disabled and my prognosis wasn't good, so I searched for apartments geared to disability (ramp, elevator and wide enough in the apt for a wheelchair). As it turns out, I've gotten better and haven't needed a wheelchair, but this might help... What I did was use Pisos en alquiler en España, Madrid y Barcelona - Enalquiler.com. When you enter the site (after the first page), there is a button on the top right that says "mas filtros." To get a wheelchair accessible apt, click on the bottom right "acesso minusvalidos." Good luck to you both!


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## nutz (Feb 28, 2016)

I have started but any further info would be great to be honest he probably wont be able to claim any benefits if they are means tested he is quite a wealthy young man and heathcare we were planning on looking at private health care as I also have heath issues


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Today I asked two people in electric wheelchairs what it's like to get around Malaga. I live in the Centro District and that's where I asked these guys.

The first guy is over the moon about having a wheelchair. He said he can go practically anywhere with his because many of the streets in Malaga are pedestrian streets. He said his battery lasts for 18 hours and he could never walk 18 hours, even when he was able to walk. He said he even goes down to the boardwalk by the sea and goes to the end of the boardwalk (several Km). He also said he heard on the TV yesterday that many city buses are being fitted with ramps so that wheelchairs can go on them (I've seen them myself).

The second guy I asked reported the opposite. He says it's very difficult to get around as he lives far from the centre. Within the centre, he says it's difficult also, though not as bad. He just kept shaking his head throughout our conversation, very upset about the topic.

I was thinking there are two places you can find out about wheelchair accessibility. One is to contact a service that rents out wheelchairs in the area you're looking to live, such as this one in Costa del Sol: BLUE BADGE MOBILITY sl,WHEELCHAIR HIRE,MOBILITY SCOOTER HIRE, MOBILITY HIRE SPAIN, MOBILITY SALES SPAIN,STAIRLIFTS CURVED&STRAIGHT. The other source of info would be the city hall (ayuntamiento) of the city you're thinking of going to.


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