Dear Sir,

As a Bermudian living with a disability, I was deeply saddened to hear about an interaction between a member of our community and a service provider — a taxi driver — that highlights a much larger issue surrounding accessibility and awareness in Bermuda.

A wife recently attempted to drop her husband off for a physical therapy appointment and needed to use an accessible parking space. Unfortunately, the space was occupied by a taxi. When she rolled down her window and politely asked: “Excuse me, sir. Can you move your vehicle forward so I can access the accessible parking space?”, the driver responded: “No! I’m not moving! I park here every day!”

There are two aspects of this interaction that I find particularly troubling.

First, the driver's admission that he uses this space every day suggests that this is not an isolated incident. It raises the very real concern that people who genuinely require accessible parking may routinely be prevented from using it.

Second, and perhaps more concerning, is the apparent lack of recognition that occupying an accessible parking space without legitimate need is not simply inconsiderate — it can have serious consequences for someone with a disability.

What is convenient for one person can be unsafe for another.

That distinction is critically important. Accessible parking spaces are not reserved for convenience. They exist because some members of our community require additional space, proximity, and accessibility to safely enter and exit their vehicles, and access essential services.

For someone attending physical therapy, receiving medical care, or managing a disability, or complex health need, an accessible parking space can be the difference between being able to safely access a service and being placed at unnecessary risk.

As someone who was born in Bermuda and lived there until the age of 10 and later returned for high school, this particular interaction speaks to a much larger disconnect that I believe we need to address as a community.

Persons with disabilities are not second-class citizens. We are members of families, workplaces, schools, businesses, and communities, and we deserve the same consideration, dignity, safety, and access as everyone else. Accessibility is not a favour. It is a matter of inclusion, safety, basic respect and a human right.

This is also why awareness and accountability matter. We cannot expect accessibility legislation, designated parking spaces, or policies to make a meaningful difference if people do not understand why they exist, or if violations are routinely overlooked.

I believe change needs to happen at a larger, more fundamental level, but it also begins with our everyday interactions and the choices we make when no one is watching. It begins with understanding that a space designated for accessibility belongs to the people who need it. It begins with asking ourselves whether our own convenience is worth creating an unnecessary barrier or risk for someone else.

Bermuda should be a place where every person can access essential services safely and with dignity. That goal is achievable but only if we are willing to: recognise the problem, listen to those affected and make accessibility a shared responsibility.

How much longer will we continue to ignore this problem?

Let us choose to do better and help make Bermuda a safer, more accessible and more inclusive place for everyone.

ASHLEE BRADY-KELLY

Barre, Vermont