Accessibility

Where we stand

Hayrace Travel wants every reader to move through this gazette as comfortably as through a favorite street. Our target is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.1, at level AA. We describe that target honestly as an aspiration we keep working toward, not a certification we hold. The site is small and hand built, which lets us fix barriers quickly once we know about them. Accessibility on a small site is mostly a matter of habits, and we try to keep good ones. We would rather name a gap than decorate it, and this page is written in that spirit. This statement covers hayracetravel.com and was last reviewed on July 20, 2026.

What is in place today

The following measures are already part of the site, checked by hand on desktop and phone. They are commitments in the design itself, not settings a reader must first discover.

• Semantic HTML: pages use real landmarks, ordered headings, lists, and a proper table for the route listings.
• Color contrast: the ink and paper palette was chosen so body text meets AA contrast against its backgrounds.
• Focus styles: every link, button, and field shows a visible outline when reached with a keyboard.
• Skip link: the first keyboard stop on each page jumps straight to the main content, past the banner and menu.
• Reduced motion: when your system asks for less movement, the site turns its fade effects off and shows everything at once.
• Tap targets: buttons and menu controls keep a minimum size of 44 pixels for touch.
• Alternative text: every image carries an alt description, and purely decorative flourishes are hidden from screen readers.
• Forms: each input uses a single underline with a permanent label above it, and errors are written out in words.

The navigation works with a keyboard alone, including the small screen menu behind the burger button. The burger control announces itself as Open the route map, and its state is reported to assistive technology. Headings follow their order without skips, so a rotor or outline view reads like a table of contents. Text sizes are set in relative units, so enlarging type in your browser keeps the layout readable. Tables in the route listings carry proper headers, so screen readers announce each column by name. Links are underlined or clearly set off, and color never carries a meaning by itself. The site works without a mouse, without sound, and without motion, which covers a lot of ground quietly.

What we check before publishing

Each new article passes a short list before it goes out, and the list rarely shrinks. We tab through the page from the top, watching where focus lands and whether it ever vanishes. We read headings in outline view, confirm alt texts, and load the page at a strong zoom. We run the route listing through a screen reader to hear whether the table still makes sense. None of this replaces a formal audit, but it catches the ordinary stumbles before readers do.

Known limitations

Honesty requires a list of what falls short today, and we keep this list current. The woodcut style illustrations are decorative interpretations, and their alt texts describe each scene only briefly. A reader who skips them loses some atmosphere but no facts, since route details live in the text and the facts box. The decorative route ribbon on the home page is hidden from assistive technology, since it repeats nearby text. Audio versions of articles do not exist yet, and long essays currently offer no summary view. The contact form depends on a delivery service, and a failed send is announced in text with a direct email fallback. No formal third party audit has been completed yet, so barriers we have not noticed may remain. We list these openly so no one spends an afternoon discovering them alone.

Tell us what is not working

If any page, control, or image gets in your way, we want to hear about it plainly. Write to postbox@hayracetravel.com and describe the page, what you tried, and the assistive technology involved. Please mention your browser and device too, since barriers often live in the combination. There is no form to fill for this, because a plain letter is easier for everyone. You can also call +1 (401) 421-5836 during office hours if writing is not convenient. If the barrier blocks you from writing or calling, ask anyone to pass the message along for you. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Eastern Time. We answer within two business days and tell you honestly what we can fix and when. Fixes that require design changes are scheduled openly, and we report back once they ship.

How we review this statement

This statement was last reviewed on July 20, 2026, alongside a page by page pass of the site. We repeat that review whenever the design changes in any meaningful way, and at least twice a year. A note about what changed appears on this page after each review. Reader reports drive the schedule more than the calendar does, which is how we prefer it. Changes made for one reader usually help many, and that is the pattern we count on. The About page describes who does this work and why a small press cares about it.

Contact about this policy

Letters about accessibility go to the main postbox and are read by the editor herself.

• Publisher: Hayrace Media LLC, a registered Rhode Island Limited Liability Company
• Email for this policy: postbox@hayracetravel.com
• Mailing address: 50 Kennedy Plaza, Providence, RI 02903, United States
• Phone: +1 (401) 421-5836
• Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Eastern Time

We reply within two business days, and accessibility letters move to the top of the pile.