Two Disabled Dudes

Living Beyond Circumstances

Author: The Dudes

The 2DD podcast is about setting sights beyond the challenges in your life and dreaming big, making a plan, and then executing like mad. You are guaranteed an emotional rollercoaster, and practical thoughts that you can apply to your life with this podcast. Hosts Sean and Kyle are both affected by a rare disease called Friedreichs ataxia (FA). FA affects their balance and coordination, significantly limiting their physical abilities. However both dudes have completed several long distance bike rides including The Worlds Toughest Bike Race - Race Across America (RAAM). Their RAAM journey is the subject of an award winning documentary called The Ataxian. Kyle rode his trike to the top of the highest paved road in North America and Sean ran with the Olympic Torch. Join us, subscribe, and tell a friend!
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Language: en

Genres: Business, Education, Non-Profit, Self-Improvement

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

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280 - Is Accessibility Really About Access… or Attitude?
Tuesday, 16 September, 2025

Sean and Kyle reconnect after travel, skipping a planned live stream to actually experience London. Kyle opens with the saga of curb-damage to his new accessible van—weeks of repairs, inspections, and isolation—before the relief of finally getting back on the road. From there, the conversation pivots to travel takeaways: how attitude—not just laws—shapes access. In London (and across the Netherlands and Paris), they encountered a “whatever it takes” mindset: bartenders hauling out awkward ramps with a smile, black cabs universally equipped and drivers eager to problem-solve for two chairs, and even a teenager from Portugal who wordlessly pushed Sean up a long riverside incline. Small gestures, big impact.They contrast that spirit with common U.S. experiences, arguing that readiness plus genuine welcome is the real accessibility flex. Highlights include a boat ride on the Thames, a not-quite-ramp-friendly pub called Walkers, an accessible-on-request Starbucks, and Kyle’s tiered advice for visiting Paris (bring someone—you’ll enjoy it more). Shout-outs close the show: Kyle thanks multilingual community connector Miriam in Belgium; Sean tips his cap to United Airlines for careful wheelchair handling. Listeners chime in from Hawaii to Pennsylvania, and the dudes wrap with a call to subscribe and join the next live session—birthday episode included.