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Rent a wheelchair to visit the Terracotta Warriors without queuing? Reporter's experience: Wheelchairs go through the disabled passage, and no one checks the disability certificate at multiple checkpoints

2024-08-27

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Some netizens posted videos showing that they could rent wheelchairs to visit the Terracotta Warriors for 260 yuan, and there were people pushing them even if they didn't have to queue up. On August 26, the reporter found that the free wheelchairs had been rented out by noon, and the paid wheelchairs could be rented both inside and outside the venue, with prices ranging from 260 yuan to 300 yuan. There were multiple checkpoints for entry, and the passages for ordinary tourists and the disabled were separated. There were few queues in the disabled passages, and they were pushed all the way. The Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum said that it had nothing to do with the museum.

Hot comments from tourists

Rent a wheelchair to visit the Terracotta Warriors without queuing?

“Unfair use of resources”

On August 25, a netizen reported that when visiting the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, he found that wheelchairs could be rented at the entrance without queuing, and there were people pushing them. In the video posted by the tourist, according to the wheelchair rental staff, anyone can rent one, 260 yuan per person, full service, and can be pushed throughout the tour.

The video has sparked heated discussions, and many people in the comments think it is unreasonable. On August 26, a reporter from the Huashang Daily Dafeng News visited the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum. Tourists have different attitudes towards the video of renting wheelchairs to visit the Terracotta Warriors. Some people think that this behavior is occupying facilities for the disabled and is occupying public resources. "If all the wheelchairs are rented out, what if someone is injured and needs them but there are not enough?"

Tourist Ms. Li said that paying to rent a wheelchair without having to queue up can provide convenience for the disabled, the elderly, and children. "But if anyone can enter directly without having to queue up as long as they pay, it's ridiculous and unfair."

Tourist Mr. Wang questioned the legality of this behavior. "Is this a service that is clearly marked with a price? Many unexpected conveniences can be achieved by finding those tour guides at the door. Don't you know that this wheelchair is the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum's own business?"

Some people also said that some tourist venues in other places also have similar services, but they require the presentation of disability certificates. If you want to purchase the service, you have to queue up before entering. Wheelchairs should be used by disabled people. "If you need a service that does not require walking and saves effort, you can use another form. Using a wheelchair is a bit strange."

Journalist consultation

The museum's official free wheelchair rental is sold out

The entrance security guard said that wheelchair companions need to queue up

On August 26, a reporter from the Huashang Daily Dafeng News saw that at the north gate of the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, there was a constant stream of tourists, and tour guides kept coming to solicit customers and sell their interpretation services.

At noon that day, the reporter went to the visitor center to inquire about how to rent a "wheelchair that allows quick entry". The reporter saw that on the public screen at the service desk, the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum provided hot water, wheelchairs, baby carriages, medical assistance and other services, and provided tour guide explanations. The staff said that the wheelchairs had been rented out. It was free to rent a wheelchair in the lobby, but there were no more. The people who rent wheelchairs outside for a fee were not from the museum. "They didn't rent from us, and we didn't know about it."

The reporter asked the security guard at the museum entrance, and the security guard said that only people in wheelchairs can enter directly, while accompanying people cannot enter and have to queue up to enter.

Experience it yourself

Renting a wheelchair with push function ranges from 260 to 300 yuan

Rent a wheelchair to use the disabled access

A male staff member with a work ID from the Terracotta Warriors Museum came up to ask the reporter if he wanted to explain the service. The reporter asked how to rent a wheelchair. The staff member said that you have to go inside to rent one. He can call a wheelchair out. It costs 200 yuan to rent a wheelchair, and 260 yuan for a wheelchair for the whole journey. "There will be someone to push you throughout the journey, but you have to book your ticket online first. There is no such thing as free tickets if you rent a wheelchair."

The reporter made an appointment to buy tickets by scanning the code, and chose the ticket inspection and entry time from 15:31 to 17:00. The reporter also asked another tour guide who was soliciting customers. His work badge said "junior tour guide". She said that finding a tour guide can also quickly enter the venue. If you want to rent a wheelchair, you can rent one for two people. It costs 300 yuan for a wheelchair to be pushed. "There are ways. Another person can also enter with the wheelchair without queuing." The tour guide said, "You can take the convenient passage, otherwise you have to queue at the door, and there is another door to enter. You also have to queue for Pit No. 1. Wheelchairs are pushed here all year round." The tour guide contacted, and a few minutes later, a staff member wearing a "wheelchair service" work badge and a bright vest came over with a wheelchair. "One person gets on the car (wheelchair), and one person follows. We all know each other, so just say hello."

At this time, someone was pushing a wheelchair and asking if I needed to rent one.

At around 1:30 p.m. on August 26, a wheelchair service staff member pushed the reporter into the Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum from the leftmost passage for active military personnel with disabilities.

Go through the museum gates, security checks, etc.

No one asked or checked the disability certificate

At about 1 p.m., when the reporter entered the venue, the line of tourists waiting outside the door was 20 to 30 meters long. The staff pushed the reporter in a wheelchair and took him through the "disabled entrance" without asking or checking the disability certificate. The staff told the security guard "we'll go together", and the reporter who was not in a wheelchair also entered smoothly without queuing. The two reporters had previously booked tickets online and booked tickets for 3:30 p.m., but they entered at 1:30 p.m.

After entering the first gate, you can go through security check and scan your ID card. After entering, many tourists lined up to take the electric car. The staff said: "The electric car can only go to the door, and it costs 5 yuan per person. You can push your wheelchair directly in and don't have to queue up to take the electric car. It's inconvenient for wheelchairs to take the electric car. It's faster to walk." During this process, the reporter saw that there were also wheelchair service personnel in the park pushing wheelchairs to solicit tourists to take them.

After walking for nearly 20 minutes, we arrived at the second gate. The staff still pushed the wheelchair to take the reporter to enter through the policy-based free channel, that is, the entrance for people over 65 years old, active military personnel, and the disabled, saving the queue time. At the entrance gate, you need to swipe your ID card, and the accompanying person needs to queue up to enter. "You can't bring it here."

After entering the site, you can still use the barrier-free passage, skip the queue, and go directly to Pit No. 1 for a visit. "It definitely has certain advantages," said the staff.

During the entire entry process, the guards at each gate did not ask or require to see disability certificates, etc.

Insider

Pushing wheelchairs has been around since 2000

Avoid multiple queues and be faster

During the entire tour, the reporter found that there were indeed young people who chose wheelchair services, and the wheelchair pushers were dressed in uniform. There were also elderly people in wheelchairs, but they were all pushed by their companions. There were two stairs in Pit 1, and wheelchairs could not go up and down. When leaving Pit 3 and before entering Pit 2, you also had to go up the stairs, and there was no wheelchair access. In other words, there were really disabled people in wheelchairs, and they could not pass through conveniently.

A wheelchair service staff member said: "If you encounter a truly disabled person, then there is nothing we can do. Pit No. 1 cannot be seen because there are stairs and the wheelchair cannot be pushed." He said that he has been pushing wheelchairs here for more than 20 years, and wheelchair service has been available since 2000. "You can sit down if you are tired. Tourists come out to walk at 6 or 7 in the morning, but some can't walk in the afternoon. Last time, there was a group of 13 people who all visited while sitting down. Traveling is for fun, and it is not worth it if you are too tired."

The staff said that the wheelchair pushers are divided into two shifts, with 10 people in each shift, for a total of 20 service personnel. There are 30 to 40 wheelchairs, and only these 20 people can push them. The rest of the wheelchairs are rented and have to be pushed by themselves. "There are many people inside, and the road is not easy to walk on. It is not easy for ordinary people to push, and it is very strenuous." When business is good, they can push twice a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and each trip takes more than two hours. "We belong to the museum and have a wheelchair company. We have to pay the museum several hundred yuan every month for pushing wheelchairs here."

Wheelchairs can be rented inside and outside the museum. When I met other tourists in wheelchairs on the way, the staff said, "These are all pushed by our service staff. There are many people sightseeing in wheelchairs. It's nothing strange. In the Terracotta Warriors, wheelchairs are the same as the cable cars going up the mountain. No other cars can enter here, so you can only take this one."

During the entire process, wheelchairs will use barrier-free passages as long as there are barrier-free passages. "It's faster to take our wheelchairs, otherwise the queue at the entrance of Everbright will take at least 20 minutes. We also take the road with fewer people, avoiding crowded places and saving time. Tourists picked up outside the door must be sent out, and tourists picked up inside must finish their journey inside. This is an unwritten rule here." said the staff.

Museum Party and Government Office

Not sure about renting a wheelchair

Not affiliated with the museum

After leaving the museum, a reporter from Huashang Daily News went to the visitor center to inquire about the wheelchair issue. The staff said that a netizen had posted about the matter and that if they wanted to interview him, they needed to contact the Party and Government Office. Afterwards, the staff contacted them by phone and said that a letter was needed to interview him.

The reporter contacted the museum's Party and Government Office by phone, and the staff said that they were not sure about renting wheelchairs. "You should contact the Market Supervision and Administration Bureau in front of the museum. They should be responsible for it." As for the phenomenon that wheelchairs can be pushed directly into the scenic area, the staff said that they should contact the Management Committee in front of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum of the Lintong District People's Government, "It has nothing to do with the museum."

Huashang Daily News reporter She Hui/text She Ying/photo editor Dong Lin