Rustic disablism

Good to see that, in these difficult times, Britain retains a healhy sense of priorities. The Telegraph has reported that stiles and kissing gates may have to be replaced for fear that they are in breach of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act:

The Act rules that public services should make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to allow disabled access and some councils have interpreted it as meaning that kissing gates - which shut automatically to contain livestock - and stiles obstruct people with disabilities. Suffolk county council is looking at ways to replace the features, which have been part of the British landscape for hundreds of years, with barriers that allow wheelchairs users on paths while keeping livestock secure.

Guy McGregor, the councillor responsible for rights of way, said: ‘We have an obligation to provide access to footpaths for everyone. Many kissing gates are virtually impossible to use if you are in a wheelchair. In consequence there is encouragement that they should not be a methodology to protect land on which farm animals roam. Stiles are also a problem.

Yess!! Obviously thousands of people in wheelchairs, who would otherwise think nothing of bowling along rutted countryside paths studded with tree roots, rocks and boulders, fallen branches, overhanging brambles, mud swamps and other impedimenta to progress which make them such a challenge for the able-bodied, are being stymied by the kissing-gate.

And why stop there? What about dodgem cars? Ice rinks? Bungee jumping? Formation water-skiing? SAS training? How many wheel-chair users can take part in these activities, then, eh?? We should hang our heads in shame.

End rustic disablism now! We need a new methodology of the stile.