Invisible Women

Greatnan you are probably right about confidence and demeanour stopping invisibility. Maybe that's why I became less invisible after proving myself at university.

I'm always the one to stand up and say 'stop it' when young ones are being a nuisance on the commuter train. I'm not invisible then! Mind you, the Yorkshire accent, to Australian ears, sounds very tough.

And I thought I was the only person who told off stroppy strange teenagers! I don't know if I would now on a train or bus in England - too many tales of good Samaritans being stabbed.

I'm told I come over with a ' commanding presence!' so why! When I'm on my mobility scooter do I become invisible?
Is it just because I'm now lower down? I normally stand at about 5' 7" !
Or is it because the obviously disabled are an embarrassment and therefore ignored?

I think you might have hit on the truth, Galen - people are embarrassed because they have to look down at you, physically, in your scooter and also because they sometimes don't know whether they should mention it or not.

Agreed. People don't want to be accused of staring so they don't look at all. Keep the fairy lights on your scooter, galen – preferably flashing when you want attention.

While I was walking with a relative and pushing her son who had severe disabilities in his wheelchair, I could see a couple in their fifties approaching us. I expected that they would move to the side of the path but they just kept on walking. I had to move the wheelchair to the side of the path out of their way because they had no intention of moving for us. My cousin said it happened to her all the time, people seemingly not noticing that it was easier for them to let her pass and not have to move the wheelchair off the footpath. I guess they didn't see there was a wheelchair coming towards them.

I would have just kept on pushing it towards them! One of my pet hates is people that never move to one side, or acknowledge that you have moved for them!

I agree with Ella - why did they move aside? I would have just stood still and forced them to move.

I recently injured my leg and had to resort to using a wheelchair for a couple of weeks and then I felt invisible. Shop assistants asked my husband what I wanted. I politely but firmly pointed out that it was my leg that was not working, my brain and speech were fully functional and that I was the customer. We also experienced people not moving aside, and agree with Ella and Greatnan stand firm and maybe they will learn some manners or get there toes run over by a wheelchair ouch!