Wheelchair users and us!

[Angel]

I was recently in Morrisons (Inverness) which appears to me as the 'I am in a wheelchair, and I am making you aware of it too' centre...
I have nothing against wheelchairs and the occupants, (as several of my family have and had them) so I know what it is like making your way through crowds, but I felt they were puposely making life difficult for all those around...
It first came to my attension going to the loos when one wheelchair turned at right angles in the passage blocking it whilst the occupant read the notices on the free ads board...
The second time (same day) was when 2 chairs, side by side blocked the path of the customers and those delivering food to the tables for over 6 minutes whilst they decided where they were going to eat...
The next one (which prompted me to place this post) was having a phone conversation half in the lift... which incidently caused another wheelchair user to curse (although he did not know the hold-up was another user...
Prior to this last incident I was being totally PC but, listening to the guy in the chair curse and swear made me think, maybe I am being to PC or nice or accepting...

What do you think!

Angel

[TBH]

Did you at any time ask politely for the person/s to move or did you stand there thinking they were doing it deliberately?

[Torvaig]

Angel, you said "Prior to this last incident I was being totally PC but, listening to the guy in the chair curse and swear made me think, maybe I am being to PC or nice or accepting..." and I know what you mean as we always find it upsetting when we realise that disabled people are just like able people in that they can have off days, be naturally rude and grumpy and do swear just like any one else! We don't have to feel sorry for them just because they travel differently and we are being condescending if we treat them as being special and assuming that they all deserve our pity.

They can be unthinking or unaware just the same as the rest of us, e.g. three wifies blethering as they walk on the pavement and others have to swerve to avoid them, mums with prams walking two abreast, packs of schoolkids not realising that they are not the only occupants of this world etc., etc., and they can all swear too!

Instead of being upset, just treat them like any other citizen and ask them politely to excuse you and I'm sure most will. :) They are only human after all......

[Bad Manners]

Speaking as someone who has a disability for the most part we are all normal happy people who can on occasions have off days. I dont use the wheel chair yet but it wont be long. I do know that there are people who wear their disability like a badge and this is not a critisism its just an observation. As a person who has difficulty in walking or changing directions easily I have to be aware who or what is around me when I am out. For the most part I try not to show my disability.
All we ask is for people to be aware and give us space if they can we are in no way special or second class and dont wish to treated as such.
If I have a bad day or upset someone tell me we are just the same as everyone else.

[Angela]

As a person who has difficulty in walking or changing directions easily I have to be aware who or what is around me when I am out. For the most part I try not to show my disability.
All we ask is for people to be aware and give us space if they can we are in no way special or second class and dont wish to treated as such.


I'm like you in that respect, Bad Manners - I have balance problems which can make walking outdoors very tricky, but my disability isn't immediately obvious to folk. I do prefer it that way!

I'm more affected than the average person by people jostling their way past me on the pavement, walking three or four abreast, backing into me with a huge rucksack on their back, cycling on the pavement and so on. They don't give me special treatment because I don't look as if I need it and I certainly don't ask for it unless I absolutely have to.

I would ask people to treat everyone with consideration and courtesy -not just me! :)

[Bad Manners]

[quote=Angela;460756]I'm like you in that respect, Bad Manners - I have balance problems which can make walking outdoors very tricky, but my disability isn't immediately obvious to folk. I do prefer it that way!

I'm more affected than the average person by people jostling their way past me on the pavement, walking three or four abreast, backing into me with a huge rucksack on their back, cycling on the pavement and so on. They don't give me special treatment because I don't look as if I need it and I certainly don't ask for it unless I absolutely have to.

I would ask people to treat everyone with consideration and courtesy -not just me! :)[/quote

It is that in a nut shell we try to keep or problems to ourself as they are our problems and like you I do not like asking for help unless I have no alternative. There are some who have a minor disability and play on it for sympathy that may be their way but it is not mine.
the point I was trying to get over is unless we ask we want to be treated the same as everyone else and good maners shoud extend to all not just the special cases.

[Angela]

I agree with you, Bad Manners! lol maybe your username should be Good Manners! ;)

People with mobility problems are mostly just ordinary people who have difficulty getting about, imo. I've never had to use a wheelchair though, so I haven't experienced that degree of difficulty. Folk I've known who have used wheelchairs have all wanted to be treated as much like anybody else as possible - and like anybody else they do have their off days, especially if their condition is painful.

Down here our easy access buses have one allocated space for a wheelchair user. The situation used to be that a traveller with a baby in a pram could use this space too. Then the rules changed so that a driver would refuse to take anybody with a pram, on the off chance that a wheelchair user might want the space further along on the route, and they had to be given priority. :confused

[Julia]

I had to use a wheelchair in the latter part of my pregnancy for shopping or any walking other than to the car. I found the majority of non-wheelchair users rude and ignorant but that was just my experience, I felt totally invisible and made to feel like I was the one who had to get out of the way, I also realised how difficult is it for someone in a wheelchair to reach things.

[Torvaig]

Julia, that is so sad that you were treated like that. There are a lot of ignorant people out there....but unfortunately I don't think there is any cure for them. "As long as I'm OK" seems to be pretty prevalent these days I'm afraid and it is an easily transimtted disease.:(

[Angel]

I didn't ask excuse me on the way to the loo as this wasn't to much out of the ordinary... so I waited as did others... had this have been the third incident I think I would have spoke.
I just got this feeling that maybe there was an unofficial protest going on or statment being made.
Other users about town were as one would expect...

I accept we all have bad days, I was just wondering if anyone knew or heard anything...

Thank-you for the replys peeps...

Angel

[northener]

You'll get the same ratio of stupid and ignorant people in wheelchairs as you will out of them.

I'm sure everyone has had one of those days where it seems the stupid and ignorant are out in force...sounds like you've met up with the wheeled division of the Stupid Army.:Razz

If I say stupid once more...I'll sound like Chris Eubank.

Thtupid...thtupid.

See, told you.

[Errogie]

If every able bodied person actually tried getting around in a wheel chair for a day, or even experienced a relatively minor injury to a leg they would be absolutely shocked at how their former activity is restricted.

And then there's my ambition to put every motorist on a bicycle for a day....

[joxville]

Ever thought of sticking a whacking great V8 onto the chair and hitting the start button? That'll soon shift them. [lol]

[Fran]

I think prams and pushchairs can be a nuisance in shops. The one thing I hate is when people talk to the person pushing the wheelchair and not the person in it. I feel like saying theres nothing wrong with his brain, just his feet. It is very very rude, and I have even found this in hospitals. When i have been asked about something to do with a person in a wheelchair i always reply " ask them yourself"

[Bazeye]

Id rather be held up for a few minutes by someone in a wheelchair than be in a wheelchair holding someone else up.

[cuddlepop]

There's a young man that frequently goes into the market in Kilmarnock.
I'm sure he goes in for the company and banter.

As there's no disabled access he has to rely on passerbys helping him in.When in there's very little room to move about for an able bodied person much less a wheelchair user.:(

He's an absolute charactor and everyone knows him.You tend to joke that he needs hazard warning lights and a siren to keep clear.

my point is that he hasnt lost his sense of humour.:D

[Bazeye]

And how ironic is it that the disabled toilets are the only ones large enough to run aroun in.......sorry Ill just get my coat:(