Red Rock Hotel

Red Rock Hotel has a popular Chinese restaurant at level 2 (first floor). If a wheelchair user goes there, then she must be prepared for a very unfriendly environment.

There is a step ramp in front of the hotel's main entrance. But it was haphazardly built and probably meant more for heavy luggage than for wheelchairs. Further more, it was partially blocked by the bell service table (see video).

As you enter the hotel lobby, you will see that there is a very small lift on the left and a coffee house on the right. A poorly designed toilet for the disabled is located along the corridor next to the coffee house. There is no sign indicating the location of this toilet. I found it by accident the last time I was in the hotel.

It is not easy going to this toilet. First you have to enter the toilet, that means taking a step down. (In the video you will see that I turn my wheelchair around so that I can use the bigger hind wheels to go down. That is a safe way of going down a step.) Then I have to turned a very tight corner, before I can find the toilet for the disabled.

The toilet is rather small and without any extra fittings that are needed by disabled people. To me, it is not a toilet for disabled people. Placing the universal disabled logo on the toilet door is a sere abuse of the logo.

The worst problem comes when a wheelchair user wants to leave the toilet. How to overcome the step at the entrance? My advice to any wheelchair user who wants to use this toilet is to ask two (yes TWO) persons to assist you. You need one person hold the door open from the outside, the other help you to turn the tight corner and tilt your wheelchair so that the front wheels could get on to the step. Then the person behind you needs to help lift up your wheelchair and push you forward on to the higher level. No wheelchair user should go to this toilet all by herself.

(Note: The toilet (I only know the men's toilet) at the Chinese restaurant (at first floor) is hopelessly impossible for wheelchair user.)

Traders Hotel (with translations)

If you go to Traders Hotel by car, please remember that there is no lift at the basement car parks. A wheelchair user has to get down at the car porch in front of the lobby.

There is no car park for disabled driver, but the guard will let you park at the VIP car parks (in front of the hotel) if you request for it.

The step ramp that leads to the lobby is very poorly designed. The slope is very steep and it is also not wide enough. (For more information about step ramp / kerb ramp, please click HERE.) This video below shows the difference between a good and a bad kerb ramp.

When Traders Hotel was first opened in the mid 80s, it was known as Shangri-la Inn. The hotel has not changed much since then.The hotel was probably the first one in Penang to provide a toilet for the disabled. But unfortunately, the toilet remained the same until today. After more than twenty-five years, and with so many new hotels providing better designed disabled people's toilet, I was quite surprised that the management has done nothing to improve it. I think the needs of the disabled are still at the bottom of their priority list.

(如果你驾车或坐车到Traders Hotel，请记住在地下室的停车场没设电梯。 轮椅者需在大厅前的车门廊下车。

这儿没设残障者的停车位，如你有要求看管员将允许你把车子停放在VIP的停车位（在酒店门前）。

通往大厅的斜坡是道非常差劲的设计。通道的斜度非常倾斜和它的广度不够。（为了知道更多关于坡道，请点击这里）这个视频显示好与不好的斜道的差别。

当Traders Hotel第一次在80年中开幕时，它的称号是Shangri-la Inn。这间酒店和以往一样一成不变。它有可能是第一家在槟城提供残障者的厕所。但是，非常不幸倒是这儿的厕所到今天为此依然不变。超过25 年过后，目睹很多酒店都能提供很好的无障碍厕所，我很惊讶为何这儿酒店的管理层并没有做些改善。 我想残障者的基本需求依然被排在优先级列表的最尾端.)

(Jika kamu memandu atau menaiki kereta ke Trader Hotel, sila ingat di sini tempat letak kereta yang berada di bawah tanah tiada lif. Pengguna kerusi roda perlu turun di anjung tempat kereta yang berada di hadapan lobi.

Tiada tempat letak kereta untuk pemandu OKU, tetapi penjaga akan mengizinkan kamu meletak kereta di tempat letak kereta VIP jika kamu ada meminta izin untuk membuat demikian.

Ramp yang menghala ke lobi adalah sangat teruk sekali reka bentuknya. Cerun/slope terlalu curam dan keluasannya tidak mencukupi. ( untuk mengetahui lebih banyak maklumat mengenai step ramp / kerb ramp, sila klik sini.) Rakaman di bawah menunjukkan perbezaan antara kerb ramp yang bagus dan tidak bagus.

Apabila pembukaan Trader Hotel pada pertengahan 80s, ia dikenal sebagai Shangri-la Inn . Hotel ini tidak banyak perubahannya sejak pembinaannya. Hotel ini mungkin merupakan hotel pertama di Pulau Pinang yang menyediakan tandas OKU. Tetapi malangnya tandas di sini masih sama pada hari ini. Selepas lebih daripada 25 tahun, terdapat banyak hotel memperuntukan reka bentuk tandas OKU yang sesuai, saya sangat terkejut bahawa pihak pengurusan di sini tidak mengambil tindakan untuk mengubahsuainya. Saya rasa keperluan utama OKU masih diketepikan atau masih ditinggalkan di bawah senarai keutamaan mereka.)

Kerb Ramp / Step Ramp (with translations)

Kerb Ramp (Step Ramp) is important for wheelchair users. Unfortunately I don't see many well designed kerb ramps around Penang. The two drawings above show examples of bad kerb ramps. The two drawings below show examples of good kerb ramps. Good kerb ramp must have a gentle slope. It must be at least 1000 mm (1 meter) in width. Many kerb ramps do not have enough space for wheelchair clearance. A good kerb ramp must have a minimum clearance space of 1200 mm (1.2 m). The video below shows actual examples of good and bad kerb ramps.

(坡道对轮椅者来说非常重要。不幸的是我没有看到很多设在槟城的坡道在建设和设计方面都符合标准。以上的两张图片显示不正确的坡道。而以小的两张图片显示正确的坡道。正确的坡道的斜度应较缓。它的广度至少1000m （1meter）。很多坡道没有足够的空间容纳轮椅（指的是轮椅和坡道表面上之间的空间）。好的坡道应备有适当的空间至少1200mm （1.2m）。以下的视频显示好与不好的坡道。)

(Kerb Ramp (Step Ramp) adalah sangat penting bagi pengguna kerusi roda. Malangnya saya tidak nampak ramp yang sedia ada di Pulau Pinang adalah sempurna dalam reka bentuk dan pembinaannya. Dua gambar di atas merupakan contoh kerb ramp yang tidak bagus. Dua gambar di bawah merupakan contoh kerb ramp yang bagus. Kerb ramp yang bagus mesti mempunyai cerun/slope yang sempurna. Keluasannya mesti mempunyai sekurang-kurangnya 1000mm (1 meter). Banyak kerb ramp tidak mempunyai ruang yang mencukupi bagi kerusi roda (ruangan antara kerusi roda dengan permukaan kerb ramp). Kerb ramp yang bagus mesti mempunyai ruangan yang sekurang-kurangnya 1200mm (1.2m). Rakaman di bawah menunjukkan contoh kerb ramp yang bagus dan tidak bagus yang wujud.)