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  "path": "/2026/04/be-selfish-and-make-it-easy-for-them.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-02T04:23:00.006Z",
  "site": "https://blog.mikeriversdale.co.nz",
  "tags": [
    "curb cut effect",
    "universally accessible",
    "(subscribe/RSS)"
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  "textContent": "Years ago I worked at the Ministry of Health based up the top of Molesworth Street, a building with a swanky entrance up a few levels from the footpath. One week they were fixing up the \"disabled\" ramp that allowed people with wheelchairs etc to pass the steps and enter reception.\n\n\n\n\nAll sorted, easy job.\n\n\n\n\nThe following Monday I noticed that courier cyclists were zooming up the ramp. Hah, it wasn't built for them but it certainly made their life a lot easier.\n\n\n\n\nIt is called the 'curb cut effect'\n\n> The curb cut effect is the phenomenon of disability-friendly features being used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they were designed for.\n\nExcellent designers, be they of physical things, processes, or electronic malarkey, know this and by making something universally accessible they make it so much easier for me. Thank you!\n\n\n\n\nI love these other examples:\n\n  * **Closed Captioning (Subtitles)** : Created for the d/Deaf or hard of hearing, they are widely used in noisy public transport or for studying.\n  * **Video game accessibility features** : used by players with no disabilities.\n  * **Text-to-speech applications** : Used by people without visual impairment or mutism. It's common for users to listen to these apps while commuting or multitasking.\n  * **Audible pedestrian crossing signals** : Originally designed for people with visual or hearing impairments but now provide safety and awareness for all.\n  * **Automatic Doors** : Designed for accessibility, they benefit shoppers with heavy bags, parents holding children, and hospital staff.\n  * **Voice Control & Assistants**: Initially for users with motor impairments, these are now standard for hands-free tasks in cars and homes.\n  * **Lever Door Handles** : Designed for individuals with limited dexterity, these are easier for everyone to use (e.g., when your hands are full).\n  * **Audiobooks** : Originally created for blind readers, they are now widely used for commuting and multitasking.\n  * **Text Descriptions (Alt-Text) on Images** : Meant for screen readers, they assist with search engine optimisation (SEO) and slow internet connections.\n  * **Zero Threshold Showers** : Created for wheelchair accessibility, they are now a stylish \"spa-like\" feature in modern homes.\n  * **Electric Toothbrushes** : Originally designed for people with limited grip, they are now common household items.\n  * **Typewriters & Keyboards**: The earliest typing machines were created to help blind individuals write legibly.\n  * **Adjustable Audio Speed** : First added to help people with auditory processing difficulties, \"1.5x\" or \"2x\" playback speeds are now standard for podcast listeners and students looking to consume information faster.\n\n\n\n(subscribe/RSS)",
  "title": "Be Selfish And Make It Easy For Them",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-02T04:23:00.114Z"
}