The fact that you rarely see any of the city’s half a million disabled people in public is a telling sign that Shanghai is not particularly accommodating. Only the newer Metro stations provide lifts, disabled public toilets are scarce, very few roads have ramp access, and only one bus route offers barrier free facilities (926). Despite regulations requiring newly constructed buildings to provide adequate facilities, most neglect to do so, claiming that the infrequency of their usage makes them redundant or at least not worthy of good maintenance. Only in the airports and high-end hotels are you sure to find functioning disabled toilets, for example.

The problem lies in many Chinese people’s self-confessed attitude towards disabled people, who have traditionally been seen as a burden on society. Shanghai’s hosting of the Special Olympics in October 2007 did, however, help a little to change this. The Shanghai Disabled Persons’ Federation, in conjunction with the Shanghai Urban Transport Management Bureau, has pledged to provide at least 30 more buses with wheelchair access, and has already added more than 1,000km of special lanes for the blind (mang dao) to the city’s pavements. Many of the downtown parks now have special Braille maps by their entrances, and in September 2007 30 new taxis with barrier free access were put into operation.