Bad fans! Bad fans!

[MadaboutWu]

Thanks @pinstripers: and @im4wsu: for sharing these anecdotes. They were quite educational (for lack of a better word) and a good lesson not to rush to judge.

[ShockTalk]

If that is the case, WSU's plan was not well thought out. Some handicapped persons should not be left inside the arena, by themselves, for 20/30+ minutes while their caregiver finds a space and makes the walk back to the arena and again after the game. Likewise, they should not have to go to the game way early to find a closer space to park, only to have to have a long wait prior to the game. This is just not reasonable for all handicapped/disabled persons. Even though this does not affect us, I think I'll email the athletic department for better clarification.

Done.

[ShockTalk]

I received an initial response from ADES:

Thanks for the email...I am forwarding to our parking administrators to share with our ADA coordinator in order to provide them this feedback.

Thanks again!
Eric


I later received the following from Brad Pittman, Associate AD/Facilities and Operations:

Appreciate the feedback. To clarify there are 99 spaces, both marked and unmarked, that we designate as ADA parking on game nights. All of those spaces are located within the lot that surrounds Charles Koch Arena. What we are doing is something that has been successfully implemented at other places such as the Kansas Speedway, Kansas State and Intrust Bank Arena. You can’t judge a book by its cover and in no way do we want to get into deciding who deserves an ADA space more than another person, that simply is not feasible and isn’t fair as there are many disabilities that are hidden from view. Unfortunately there is abuse of the system, but there are also means put in place to ensure the proper people get the spaces, that is why we are asking for photo ID’s and the disabled identification card to go along with either a license plate or hang tag.

To your specific question regarding dropping people off, the process is simple. If you arrive at Koch Arena in time to get a space we will ask for your credentials at the entrance of the lot and if you have the proper ones you will be able to enter the lot to park. If you chose to drop the person off with the disability at the entrance to the arena that is your choice and has zero impact on whether you can park or not as you have already passed the checkpoint we have established. Unfortunately the timeframe for these spaces filling up is typically an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and half before gametime.

Once the ADA spaces within the Koch lot are full the process switches to a drop off only. If you have a disabled person and wish to drop them off your welcome to do that, however, you will have to leave the lot and find a parking space either in your designated lot (if you have a parking pass) or in open parking (if you don’t). We do this as a service and understand the disabled person may have a long wait inside the arena until their party arrives, but it is certainly better than making them walk 5 plus minutes.

There are other ADA spaces marked all around campus, at this time we are not asking for credentials in lots we do not monitor. Our system isn’t perfect, but it was good to know that the folks we allowed to use ADA parking spaces this past Saturday were actually the ones who needed them.

If you have other questions please let me know.

Thanks,
Brad Pittman

[pogo]

Well that was a speedy and informative response. Sounds like they did a little research before they jumped in with "both feet".