Surface Problems
Have you ever tripped on a cracked footpath? Or rolled your ankle accidentally stepping into a pothole? These are surface problems, and can range from minor inconveniences to significant barriers.
Imagine a wheelchair trying to get over these bumps and cracks? Or someone who is blind/low vision trying not to trip on each one?
There are 7 types of Surface Problems:
Boardwalk
Cobbles
Drain
Gravel
Minor
Moderate
Severe
If the surface problem is not one of the first 4 (such as cobbles or gravel), or look like it was not intended to be like that (such as cracks or lumps in the footpath), then you can subcategorise it as Minor, Moderate or Severe. This will depend on the context of the setting.
Watch the video to learn how to best measure these surface problems so that our users can be best informed.
Some good questions to ask yourself when coming across something that could potentially be a surface problem are:
Could it be a tripping hazard?
Would I have trouble with the surface if I were using a wheelchair or white cane?
Is the path damaged?
Alright! Hopefully you were paying attention!