Arisia 2008 Stair Club Reminder

[chainkill.livejournal.com]

disclaimer: I am not one of the organizers. Nothing in this post, nor in any of the threads contained herein is official, unless otherwise noted by someone who IS an oganizer. Everything I say here is merely a suggestion in order to reduce congestion in the elevators, and make the world a better place for people for whom the stairs are not a viable option.

Shortly after the end of the con last year, there was discussion of a "StairMaster Club" being organized by able-bodied individuals to allow those for whom the stairs are not an option to take the elevators with greater ease. StairMaster is a copyrighted word, so I will only be using the term "Stair Club".

The original announcement requested that people get in shape over the course of the year, so that for this upcoming Arisia, only those who are inconsiderate and those who are unable to take the stairs will be using the elevators. If you missed the previous announcement, there is still time! Get in shape now, so that everyone can enjoy the con as much as possible!



Once again, as we were reminded when this was originally posted, do NOT make discouraging remarks, comments, looks, or jokes to people who are taking the elevator, even if they appear to be able-bodied. First of all, the number of invisible things that can keep a person from taking a flight of stairs is astronomical, so do not assume. Secondly, the goal of this group is to make the con MORE fun for everyone, not less.

Comments

[chainkill.livejournal.com]

No, everyone's time is equally valuable. That being said, think about the time it took to get to the elevator, and the time it will take to get from the elevator to the destination. The time that the person with a movement disability takes is greater than the time that a person who can move effectively will take, all else being equal. By giving the people with disabilities an edge in line, they will still take longer to get where they are going (most likely), but the total time that it takes each person will be closer to the same.

Do you understand why I am calling it equalizing treatment, in this perspective? I'm not just looking at the elevator, I'm looking at the whole journey.

[sethb.livejournal.com]

The time it took to get to the elevator depends on lots of factors. There are people on crutches who "walk" faster than most fans. People in electric wheelchairs often move faster than most fans walk.

Would you also propose that people going to their rooms on the 14th floor should have priority over people going to their rooms on the 7th floor because it will take them longer to get there? Likewise, people whose rooms are near the elevators go last?

Journey time is not treatment. You propose equalizing journey time by providing preferential treatment.

[chainkill.livejournal.com]

Without a crowd, you are correct that people in wheel chairs and people on crutches can move as fast or faster than people without such aids. In crowds such as those at Arisia, however, someone who takes up less space by being vertically bipedal can move significantly faster. Crowds are a part of the way that a con treats people.

Do you believe in universal healthcare? Do you agree with the idea that your tax dollars be spent on the health insurance of people who can't afford it, even if you already have better health insurance? Because from your arguments, I think this would be a better metaphor than the affirmative action I used towards another commenter.