At this stage I would especially like to thank my wife, who consistently takes many great photos without which this blog would never be possible in this way.
The long and winding road that leads to election!!!
I live in Frankfurt/Main near the “Riedhof“ primary school.
Since 2008 I visit these premises regularly for local, federal state and Bundestag elections… (see older blogpost).
The accessibility of the polling place was specially disclosed on my polling card.
For years there was a mobile “do-it-yourself wooden ramp” placed at the right school entrance, which according to my perception slightly exceeded the regulated 6 degrees and bridged two steps of a stairway.
I am asking the electoral assistants since years to forward this deficit to the appropriate positions.
I know that there is a wheeler who has to use this ramp regularly.
On Sunday we citizens were supposed to elect a new mayor in a run-off election. Thus I could undergo the ramp test for a second time this year.
Each election has a certain charm for me, if something might have changed in the meantime. This is a good reason to vote 
2 weeks ago at the first ballot my wife noticed immediately that the ramp on the left entrance had to bridge just one step.
The ramp was somehow different, something had changed…???
Actually there was something different, but somehow it still wasn’t any less steeply, or am I misled???
I asked my wife once again to take photos!
When I compared the ramp pictures with those from a year ago, even I was once speechless.
A real specialist has sawn through the ramp horizontally so that it fitted on the one step of the left entrance of the school.
Have a look yourself, although the ramp is shorter, it is steeper than before.
If the person who shortened the ramp or let it shorten has converted the ramp according to the latest mathematical conclusions which I am not aware of, and if today the angle of 6° is something different than during my schooldays, I don’t know.
Just yesterday I came to the conclusion that nobody can be accused for the steepness of the ramp. Angulations like e.g. calculations with old uncle Pythagoras exceed the subject matters of primary school.
If the city of Frankfurt would be engaged one day in the scientific fundamental research of calculating wheelchair ramps, I am hereby offering my help.
I would immediately provide my old set square free of charge.
Are we going to help the city of Frankfurt together with the calculation of the ramp length???
Word problem for you:
To bridge a 90° steep step of 25 cm height measured from the ground, to allow wheelers the civil right to get to a polling place by themselves, a 1,2 m wide ramp shall be built.
How long does it have to be if the angle of elevation must not exceed 6°?
Please disclose calculation method.
Post your calculations as comment, or as usual to rollinator@eigude.de
Maybe I will forward these calculations directly to the Frankfurt electoral office
Translator BL
