7 Very Screwy Curb Cuts That Won’t Help at All


The concept of a curb cut is elegant in its simplicity — it’s just a small ramp inserted at street corners or other logical places to allow wheelchair users, parents with strollers and other people who use wheels the ability to cross the street. Yet, for some reason, sometimes this simple elegant concept gets bungled.

Very bungled.

1. Here we have a ramp that’s clearly marked for use by wheelchair users — but it leads to a wall.

Screwy curb cut

2. There’s just no way this ramp was ever level with the street, that curb looks like it’s been there for years. And even if it was flush with the street, check it out — it leads to a caster-catching grate.

Once upon a time this was a curb cut curb cut

3. Perhaps we’ll come back in the springtime for this one. But we have to wonder. Why bother shoveling the sidewalk if people must push through ice and snow to get to it?

Snow covered curb cut
Photo by Nicolas Steenhout

4. We call this the “something’s come between us” ramp.

Something come between us curb cut

5. Granted, a cut that leads to grass is better than no cut at all. Still, a sidewalk would be nice.

just add sidewalk curb cut

6. Bicyclists and wheelchair users often share trails. For both groups, this may be an abrupt ending to an otherwise pleasant Saturday morning workout.

Curb no cut

7. And here we have a beautifully sloped ramp that is perfectly flush with the street. Too bad about the car parked right smack in front of it.

Blocked curb cut

Have you got any blocked access stories and/or photos you’d like to share?


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terri o
terri o
10 years ago

Love these!
But only for the grimace and frustration factor…thanks and ah, no thanks!

Linda Jaeger
Linda Jaeger
10 years ago

I was hit by a truck while using a curb cut. That’s another screwy curb cut story to add! Broken wheelchair, injured body….what a mess!

Gary Ervin
Gary Ervin
10 years ago

I love (not) the curb cuts where the street severely slopes down to the gutter, the ramp has a lip where it intersects the street and then has those yellow bumps installed which significantly impede pushing up the ramp.

Even with 8″ casters, I’m sure one day they will swivel just right, catch the lip and dump me on my head.