The general idea of the video clip is quite easy to understand, although if you want to get down to details you'll find Jason's English quite demanding, as he uses lots of name dropping and keeps referring to the New York transport system, which is quite difficult to understand in itself. Anyway, you can find the transcript for the video below.
Get together with the members of your conversation group and discuss these questions:
- What's your reaction to the film?
- How do the physically disabled get around in your city?
- Does the situation change from one means of transport to another?
- Does the situation change from one city to another?
- What about the obstacles these people find when they just 'walk'?
- What's your experience in dealing with the physically disabled?
- Have you ever helped a physically disabled person?
- How could the situation be improved where you live?
Transcript
Hi, my name’s Jason Da Silva. I live in Williamsburgh Brooklyn. In 2005 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. At the time, New York city was my playground. Fast forward to today walking has become tough for me and I use a scooter to get around. And it’s not so easy. There are a lot of places that I can’t get in. My subway entrance has no elevator. So hooping around a 7-block radius becomes old after a while. Even though it’s one stop to get to the city, I can’t get there. Or maybe I just haven’t been trying hard enough. Today, I decided to try an experiment: wheelchair vs no wheelchair. How long does it take to get to Manhattan?
My friend Steve is a good sport, so I ask him to time his trip, my neighbourhood to my favourite coffee shop in Manhattan. It’s three easy stops on the subway. Take the L to First Avenue, to Third Avenue, then Union Square. Here are my options: 1 bus; 2 Access-a-ride; 3 subway; and 4 ferry.
Buses are accessible but in recent years the MTA cancelled the only bus service going from my neighbourhood to Manhattan, so there’s no bus.
I could take New York City service for people with disabilities, Access-a-ride, also known as Stress -a-ride for its tendency to be late and to miss pick-ups altogether. It has one day in advance reservation policy, so if I wanted to take it I would have had to book yesterday. Next option, so I can’t get into my subway stop I can take the B62 bus to the James C stop at Marcy Avenue. I can take the Jay Z to Chamber Street transfer to the six. Oh, wait! The maps shows that 6 train has an elevator but the transfer doesn’t. So that won’t work. Next idea. Take the MDaleFAF, transfer to the 6. Take the 6 up to Union Square. Oh, but wait, there’s no elevator up to the surface from the 6th so that won’t work. Last idea. I’ll take the M to West Forth. Transfer for the ACE, then go to 14th Street, transfer to the L, cut back across. Oh, wait. I can’t tell is the L accessible in Union Square? From the map, I have no idea. The subways have a long way to go before I can call them accessible.
So that leaves me with my last and best option: The ferry. Steve and I set off at the same time. Steve takes the Bedford L subway, down the stairs, a simple way… to Union Square. Back up the stairs and he’s there. 13 minutes and 5 seconds. Meanwhile, I’m just getting on the ferry. It comes every hour. The closest ferry stop to Union Square is 34th Street. So I have to take the ferry up and transfer to the M34 bus. Steve is losing his patience. Then take another bus to Union Square. I arrive in 1 hour and 43 minutes. But the time I arrive Steve’s given up on my experiment. Luckily for me, the return isn’t so bad. There is a brand new service to dispatch an accessible cab, so I take that back to Brooklyn.
So anyways, this is my life. There are a lot of things New York City does well but helping their disabled population get around is not one of them. And while we are waiting for things to change you can find me here, at home in Williamsburgh Brooklyn.
