Thanks to the ADA – Gary’s story

Eating at a restaurant. Shopping for clothes. Filling a car with gas. These are daily tasks most people take for granted. But for some people with disabilities, these tasks can be very difficult. 

Gary couldn’t pump his own gas, because of his physical disability. He spent a lot of time trying to get help when he was at the gas station near his home. Occasionally, he even had to ask strangers for help. Finally, Gary made a complaint to the business. 

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities are allowed equal access to public accommodations or commercial facilities like gas stations. Thanks to Gary’s self-advocacy and the ADA, the gas station agreed to provide better information at the gas pump about how a person with a disability can get help to fuel their car. Gary no longer must wait around for a stranger to help. Now he can rely on the gas station employees to fill up his car without trouble. 

Read more about Gary’s experience.