The Traveling Wheelchair

30 Town Wharf Rd.
Plymouth, MA 02360
Phone: 508 746 5354
Website:  http://www.cabbyshack.com/index.htm

Early last night I decided to head back to Cabby Shack to do a review of wheelchair accessibility of the second floor night life at the Cabby shack since I heard so much about how great it is.  I already did a wheelchair accessibility review of Cabby Shack - First Floor. I thought a Saturday night would be a great night to head there.  Tony, Josh and I were well greeted when I arrived.  I got there around 8 pm  thinking that most places by that time would have a band playing. To my surprise I was told that the band would not arrive until 9:30.

When I went to lunch there last week I was told that there was an elevator that would bring me up to the second level. I asked where to find this elevator. I couldn’t believe when I got there what I saw was the most awful of all elevators, “The Freight Elevator”. First of all I had to contact someone to get the keys to operate this piece of machinery and had to maneuver through the crowded place. At the front of the elevator was a table with people eating that was blocking the entrance to the elevator.  I felt bad to have to inconvenience them but I was determined to check out the rave about this place. The staff had to temporarily move their whole table so I could access the elevator.

Once the table was moved I entered this claustrophobic elevator with my friend Tony. It was too small to fit my friend Josh in it with us. Tony helped me operate the elevator. It was very dark inside for it had no lighting at all. It seemed like it took forever just to get to the second level.  I began to think perhaps something was wrong with the fear instilled in me. What if I ever get stuck in a dark place like this with no room to move? We finally got to the second floor and I was thrilled to finally get out. Again, I could not believe that we had to inconvenience yet another couple that was seated at a table right in front of the exit of the elevator. These people were asked to move and then placed back in the same position.

We were finally safely seated at our table by the nicest waiter named Mathew Jeffery. He told me that he was a special education instructor during the week and by weekends a waiter at Cabby Shack. He was very good always addressing me when I ordered and with any requests I had. He kept making sure that everything was good and helped me get my mind off the dreadful elevator ride. The table we sat at was a good height for my wheelchair.

The upstairs was all open to the outdoors with a bar that had flat screen televisions on the walls. The view of the ocean was breathtaking with palm trees all around. I could not help but thinking that I was in Miami. Well, my stay was almost at an end when it dawned on me that I would have to endure another ride on the awful freight elevator. I got back to the elevator and had to try to find someone to get me the key. I asked a waitress to help me find the key to get out of here. She told me that she would find the manager. I waited about 5 minutes and still no one came when finally, Tony spotted the guy who helped us the first time. Again, different people were seated at a table right in front of the elevator.

I would have thought  that since the staff knew that I was  going to eventually need to use the elevator to get my wheelchair down from the second floor, that they  would have left this table unoccupied so I would not have to inconvenience more people by asking them to move. This time, my friend Josh came with me for the ride down.

When we got down to the first level no one came to open the door and I waited in the horrific chamber patiently until someone arrived. Tony came to my rescue knowing that it was taking too long for Josh and  I  to get off and asked if someone could get us out. There again was a table with another couple dining at a table at the front of the elevator. These people were not so nice in having to move this time and didn’t understand the reason why they had to move until they noticed that the door was an elevator and not a rear exit door. It never dawned on me how misleading this door to the elevator could be. When these people finally noticed that I was a person in a wheelchair they made way for me and apologized. I said “Its not your fault. They should never sit anyone at the front of this door”. They agreed!

Oh and I almost forgot to mention that there is no restroom on the second floor. Thankfully, I didn’t need to use the restroom when I was there last night or I would have had to go up and down that horrible elevator a few more times.

 Kenny & Company give this second floor review of the Cabby Shack ONE STAR for wheelchair accessibility. They can earn the other Four Stars  by opening up the pathway to the freight elevator, install a real elevator, do not place tables or seating directly in front of the elevator, install a wheelchair accessible restroom on the second level and assign a staff person to be in charge of elevator to esure all guests who need to use it get out safely. Mathew Jeffery our waiter gets FIVE STARS for sensitivity and making sure all my requests and my time at the Cabby Shack was a good one. Thanks Mathew!