Andrew Graham was diagnosed in 2009 with a rare autoimmune condition called ankylosing spondylitis, or AS.
This disorder primarily affects the bones in his back and causes his vertebrae to, over time, fuse together. For Graham, he has a permanent stoop because parts of his spine have fused together and are now curved forward.
He describes this disorder as incredible painful and knows that it will only get worse. The pain is constant when he stays in one position too long.
His doctors told him that he could no longer work and he is now disabled. Prior to his diagnosis, he was a truck driver. He had been doing this his entire life and loved it.
Since walking around has become difficult, Graham decided to buy an electric golf cart so he can drive around his neighborhood.
He thought this was a good idea since he is 6’4” and getting in and out of cars is difficult task. He would pick up his kids and neighborhood kids in his golf cart. He would even pick them up from the school bus for other parents who were unable to.
Unfortunately, Graham was cited by a police officer because, while on public property, he used an off-road vehicle (his golf cart) in the state of Illinois. Thankfully, the citation was dismissed on October of 2016.
But that wasn’t enough for Graham. He met with the police in his city to ensure there would not be any misunderstandings in the future. He believed that under the Americans with Disabilities Act, his golf cart is considered a mobility device.
Instead of agreeing with Graham, they passed an ordinance that specifically stated that no one can use a golf cart on public property.
Graham only wanted to use his golf cart in his neighborhood to get around and pick up his kids. Should that really be a crime?
Read more about his story here.
