Wheelchair users

Yes I do it's horrible and what makes it worse is my husband's deaf and they try to talk to him first. So I often have to quite loudly interject and explain that they need to speak to me so I can make sure he understands.

Gogo84

When I fly to America now to see my DD and family, I order a wheelchair to take me to the waiting lounge as I find it too tiring to walk all the way to the gate. More than once I have been shocked by customs/security staff looking straight over the top of my head to ask the person who was pushing me a question For example "Can she walk?" I may be elderly but I'm quite capable of speech! People who have to use a wheelchair all the time must get the same treatment, which is shocking. I would always address the person to whom the question was posed, be they in the chair or their helper. Have other wheelchair users found this dicrimination?

Yes definitely, it happened every time when I cared for both my late husband and mother. I always said 'ask them not me' but it never appeared to sink in. They were both stroke survivors so slow to understand and speak, but people should give them the time they require and respect them as a person.

It seems to be a real nuisance that staff treat anyone with a physical mobility problem as if they are incapable of answering for themselves.It’s a sort of embarrassment by them presumably but good to hear that many of you don’t put up with that attitude.

Romola

Sorry, but I'm going to have a tiny rant about the users of motorised wheelchairs in shops and supermarkets.
Please don't propel yourselves at wheelchair top speed up and dow the aisles. You really could hurt someone who isn't as nimble as they were. Actually the main offenders are men.

4 miles per hour is the speed limit of these machines on the flat, which is a brisk walking pace not top speed, but I agree this is too fast for many dawdling and wandering around the aisles.

Since COVID , people seem far less aware of those around them, and also less inclined to watch where they are walking and move out of the way of others. I am able to walk, but find it frustrating when I want to shop at a reasonable pace.

I had both mine done in 2022 and sunglasses certainly helped but mine were prescription ones so at least I could read. One thing I did take steps to prevent was not to accidentally touch or rub my eyes by getting one of those big sterile dressings and taping it onto my forehead and chin. Very reassuring overnight and looked rather like a giant eye patch. I’d leave it on whilst I washed my hair in the morning. In fact since then I’ve used an eye mask at night as it helps cut out bits of light in our bedroom and I sleep better.

Hope your operation goes well.

I had to go into a wheelchair for many years in 1988. My health took a nose dive and our children where 4 and 6 months and it was the only way to go out as a family until the children where older. Short distances I used a stick I was 29 and still use a stick at 67.

I didn't realise you become invisible in a wheelchair and in those days people smoked in malls and shops and nearly got burnt 3 times. It was dangerous for children as pushchair faced forward.

People would ask my husband what I wanted he always ask her she can speak. If left alone with the children while my husband paid for something people would stop and watch me as if I would harm my children in anyway.

My husband had wheelchair rage anyone cut infront of us he hit them if they said anything he would have a rant .

2017 had to go back into my wheelchair for hospital visits because I had jaundice and couldn't walk far. Found nothing had changed still invisible.

Disability whether in a chair or walking doesn't mean incapable. And able bodied people need to realise anyone at anytime in their lives can become disabled. I was born disabled and not all disabilities are visible.

I realised from 1988 how difficult it was for my husband to get round some shops as aisles where blocked unfortunately nothing has changed. I think all managers of shops ,designers of shops ,people who time pelican crossings need to spend a week in a wheelchair and see how they manage . Plus walk slower using a stick ,wear a blind fold , headphones so they can't hear . Not at all the same time but to have a feeling what it's like not being able to do things .

I have emailed no end of times about packaging for food and other stuffs. Example Boots changed the lids on there vitamins before I could open them using the handles of my Oxo can opener. Now I end up destroying it levering them off with screwdrivers. At least I kept some easy open tops. I have said time and time again about getting disabled people to test new packaging but all I have ever had back is instructions how to open whatever it is I am complaining about . I do reply saying I am disabled I do understand how to do it as it's written on the product but it is impossible to do . 🤬🤬🤬🤬.

Thankfully I have not had abuse since I moved to the north west . Found across the north people don't see the disability but you as a person the same on a recent holiday in north Wales.

A warning to able bodied people if a person in manual wheelchair that they can move themselves or electric wheelchair never just grab them and push . As this has happened to friends of mine . Would you just grab a buggy or pram and push a child of course you wouldn't so why do you think it's acceptable to do it too a disabled person.

I do appreciate people asking me if I need help and usually say no but thank them very much for offering. I do ask for help when I need it . Disabled people appreciate being asked if they need help and will accept it if needed .

So abled bodied don't stop asking even if your help as been refused as some people need help I do at times.
And appreciate that help .

I did spend some considerable time in a wheelchair following an injury and it was necessary for me to have both legs fully extended. Shopping was a nightmare and I do recall being in one particular shop and very close to a display of ladies clothing………consequently my ‘legs’ were in another customers way. Rather than waiting for me to propel myself backwards, which I was more than happy to do and quite capable of, to give her room to walk past she decided to attempt to CLIMB over my extended legs.

I dont use a wheelchair but ra5her a rollator and I getb6he same talking over As an educated woman with a Scottish temper mybr3sponse ensur3s f9lk only make 5hat mistake once

It would be good if people in general realised that any one of them could be in a wheelchair within a week. A terrible accident can cause someone suddenly to become paraplegic. I know two pilots (light aircraft) who find it annoying when stupid people don’t understand that they can talk normally - and obviously are often more capable mentally than the person addressing them! Both the two I know were involved in bicycle accidents, leaving them in a wheelchair.
I also know people who participate in skiing for the disabled (again with far more skiing ability than the average holiday skier - and definitely a LOT faster!) using specially adapted sit down skis.
The other issue is non-disabled people using disabled spaces. For the aforementioned people with reduced mobility, the fact that they need to access larger spaces by the car door in order to heave their wheelchair out by themselves seems to be beyond the mental capacity of the morons who think it’s acceptable to dive into a vacant disability space when they’re not in possession of a Blue Badge.
Overall, sadly, there’s no legislation against the ignorant and the stupid!

the complete strangers who wheel you out the way to!
I could write a book