Blood on their hands

Thankfully, when my DH had to use a wheelchair and when I was struggling up the underground escalators with it and he was behind me I had lots of offers of help. I ALWAYS let people in wheelchairs go first, and yes, , they are unwieldy, I'm lucky in that I don't have to use one, my DH hated being in one, thankfully his disability disappeared after our wonderful NHS surgeon operated on his spine

Trisher
I'd stop there if I were you.
You're showing yourself up
Think what you like but don't come on here and lecture me on moving wheelchairs and what I should and should not do.
Add to the thread but don't start on my experiences as you're targeting someone who doesn't give a fig what you think.

My 19.06 comment is to Elvive

MY husband wasn't the driver it was my friend's husband.
Does no-one on here ever have their husband/son/daughter etc drop them off at a venue or in your eyes are they all chauffeurs?
He didn't want to see the exhibits and offered to drive so I wouldn't have to find a parking space.
I've read several comments recently where a poster had afternoon tea in a cafe/tea rooms with a companion. Did you negatively comment on their outings and add that Meanwhile thousands sit staring at a wall ?
You are not very nice.

Mmm
Several of us were pushed to tbe back as the wheelchairs were given priority
Then
every one pushes to towards the point of interest and stepping back to avoid ankle bashing isn't always possible unless one chooses to flatten the people behind who have no idea why you want to move.
And
and exits from tea rooms blocked due to careless placement of the wheelchairs sfter users were transferred to dining chairs.
Then
We arrived after the wheelchair users were seated (we ushered them in first) and the problems occurred because the wheelchairs, sans occupants, were blocking our entry and later exit
So basically you shoved in and crowded round the wheelchairs then complained because you got knocked.
But I'm still unclear about the cafe. You couldn't get in then you couldn't get out. It might have been a good idea to move, or ask someone to move, the wheelchairs when you were trying to get in. Of course you may just have climbed over them. Ex ballerinas might be good at that.

Its a very powerful speech. It mirrors the experience of many people.
My husband is disabled and the vast majority of people are very kind and helpful. I think the people who behave less well do tend to stick in the mind though.

or a 'little Welsher' either

On the whole, I think that British people are generally polite and considerate in comparison to some nationalities.

That is not being a 'little Englander', that is from observation and experience.

As for the PIPs assessments, one of our Gransnetters does this, I believe. Her input could be very helpful.

Oh God, of course the ex professional ballerina. Amazing. Not just a few old grannies looking round a gallery.

Lucky old you with a husband who doubles up as a chauffeur , tickets for an exhibition with a tea room, blah blah blah.

Meanwhile thousands sit staring at a wall.

My account hasn't changed in the slightest.
Specsavers should be your next shopping experience.

GabriellaG54 it always amuses me when people change their accounts of an event after it is pointed out to them what an a**e they were being

Elvive
Why make such nasty pronouncements/judgements/ suppositions?
You sound bitter.
I was with a friend, an ex professional ballerina who was recovering from a stroke, walked with a stick and whose husband drove us there and met us for the return journey to Mortimer.
Is that sufficient info to make it clear.

Trisher
Engage brain before opening mouth.
When there is a crowd, as there often is on a tour, every one pushes to towards the point of interest and stepping back to avoid ankle bashing isn't always possible unless one chooses to flatten the people behind who have no idea why you want to move. Many on that particular tour didn't speak English so communication was not easy.
As for the cafe seating scenario.
We arrived after the wheelchair users were seated (we ushered them in first) and the problems occurred because the wheelchairs, sans occupants, were blocking our entry and later exit.
It's not my job to move them it's the job of carers to acknowledge that able-bodied people have as much right as their principals to free (and safe) passage.
If there was a fire...?
FYI, I have pushed a few wheelchairs of all types in my time and have always been aware of H&S and consideration of others.

I have a vision of handbag-wielding women creating havoc at the Terracotta Army Exhibition

Does anyone remember "Does he Take Sugar" which was, I think a radio programme about disabilities years ago.

The Does he take sugar referring to the fact that some people talk to the carer and not to the person in the wheelchair, regardless of the fact that the person in the wheelchair may be perfectly compos mentis, just perhaps unable to walk.

'Twas ever thus, I think, and I am not sure if attitudes in public have got worse, better or no different. Certainly access is better nowadays for wheelchair users to many facilities.
FlexibleFriend, I am shocked that the woman was so rude, although, yes, someone started walking backwards into me not long ago and I held out my good arm and stopped him - he was extremely apologetic.

I suppose one major difference is, after being ever so slightly inconvenienced at the Terracotta Army exhibition, you jumped in a taxi or went home in the car or whatever.

Still , you can't teach somebody empathy can you?

I'm a wheelchair user and mostly the able bodied choose not to see wheelchair users. They push past us to make sure they can get in lifts first because we take up more room. The worst offenders funnily enough are in hospitals wearing uniforms. I've twice been clouted around the head by elderly women swinging their handbags over their shoulder without looking. I had one woman take several steps backwards in the supermarket to see what was on the upper shelves and ended up sitting on my lap and blamed me for it. Never mind she'd landed on my bad knee and I was in agony. So I can quite believe the stories from the cruise. I might say I have never been asked to jump through hoops to receive Pip I have attended reviews and have always been treated with courtesy.

lemongrove could you please tell me where my DIL had some bad experiences? Or is it just a case of you finding that the only thing you have to argue about is something imaginary and I am as usual the focus of your ire?
Still waiting for those who have continuosly supported this government to tell me how the speech on QT was so wrong, or are they at last acknowledging the wrongs that have been done?

I have a friend who has been a wheelchair user for the last 15 years and she tells me that most people are really considerate when they are out and about,She says that now and then you get the odd person making a crass remark ( as if she had special needs and couldn't understand long words) when she is very intelligent and her problems are that she cannot walk at all, or even stand, unaided.
So trisher although your DIL had some bad experiences, that was all down to some people being selfish and nothing to do with governments.

I accompanied my D's ma-in-law to Oz on one occasion and a wheelchair user at the time we had the best seats on the plane near the exit doors where all the room is and the disabled toilet facilities were near where we were------so handy, no queues. We were both treated with the utmost respect, even helping her 2 yards to the toilet if I was having a drink or reading. Well done Qantas and Nigel for his help.

In my experience, I have found people to be very helpful towards people with disabilities. When I had a knee replacement, I went shopping, initially, with a stick to give support. Lot of motorists would stop their car as I crossed the road, doors were held open for me and the stick was always picked for me if I placed it against a counter while sorting out change and it fell over! Maybe I just live in a nice area!

You can blame the government for a culture that fails to recognise the needs of others and that promotes the idea that people on benefits are scroungers, immigrants are just here for benefits and disabled people should be made to jump through hoops to prove they need basic necessities. And that culture permeates through the rest of society.
GabriellaG54* where do you want wheelchair users to go? They are substantially lower than most people and need to be at the front to see. They need to be given priority. As for getting your ankles bashed-take a step back FFS you are far more mobile than any wheelchair user and if you had ever pushed someone in a wheelchair you would know they are very difficult to manoeuvre and need space.
As for in the tea rooms, do as my DSs do when they see someone trying to seat someone with a disability and park a wheelchair offer to park the chair for them. (Pushing my mum and managing a wheelchair has made us all more conscious of the difficulties)
eazybee Staff are employed in a theatre to ensure everyone uses the seat they have paid for and no-one else's regardless of disability.

That was a very powerful speech.

I think another poster on a different thread posted a link to the Full Fact Independent report, link here:
fullfact.org/health/130000-preventable-deaths-austerity/

whitewave your DD was very unfortunate in her experiences on the cruise - whilst I have never been on one in a wheelchair, I have experienced a temporary time in one, and also taken out relatives in wheelchairs and always found that people behaved with the utmost consideration and courtesy. I recently had another injury (was walking but arm in a sling) and found that, once people noticed this (sometimes they did not at first!) they were quick to give me room to pass or to help open doors etc.
I'm sorry your DD had such a bad time.

I do think, however, that not all children are being brought up to show consideration towards others which doesn't bode well for the future either.

I have experienced both types of behaviour: when my mother was in a wheelchair, but also the actions of a group of disabled people at a theatre, when they rearranged the seating, took seats that were not theirs and seated themselves in the gangways (illegal).
The behaviour cited by Whitewave and Gabrielle G is unfortunately believable, but is down to individuals.
You cannot blame the Government for this.

I believe it starts with the poor behaviour that has to be tolerated by schools, witness the recent thread concerning the behaviour of a child who was punished for his bad behaviour, and his mother's reaction.

Or possibly the type of person who condones Jo Brand's style of 'comedy.'

That sounds unwarranted but a bit exaggerated. In the telling, it probably sounds worse than it was.
I remember one occasion, on a tour of London taking in China's Terracotta Army, we were handed earphones and guidebooks and followed the group, a few of whom (and some in the first group ahead of us) were in wheelchairs with carers.
Several of us were pushed to tbe back as the wheelchairs were given priority and several of us had our ankles bashed and exits from tea rooms blocked due to careless placement of the wheelchairs sfter users were transferred to dining chairs.
I'm all for equality but it certainly wasn't in evidence on that day nor at some other events I've attended.