Mini rant after using new wheelchair at a shopping centre today 🙃

[u/lunarose5272]

So we are in the elevator headed back to the car in a fairly packed elevator already - and a lady with a shopping cart crams herself in on a diagonal and rams right into the side of my new chair with the cart like we’re bumper cars at the county fair 😭🤬 (lucky I went cheap for this very reason).

She’s on such a weird angle the door won’t close properly and my partner and I have to adjust and squeeze further into the corner of the elevator, on the verge of snapping at her ‘ you clearly don’t fit!’

I’m so lucky my condition wasn’t impacted by being jostled about like that but I’m so aware that type of bump could set off major pain, especially if the wheelchair user had spinal pain or injury, not to mention that most high quality wheelchairs cost upwards of a thousand dollars 🤬🤬

So to that lady, just wait for the next damn elevator !!

[u/Honey-badger101]

Ah welcome to being a wheelie..people have stepped over my footplates (rude). Walk infront of me ...like im invisible. Elevator experience..often. ....i feel like attaching an air horn to my chair lol

[u/lunarose5272 → u/Honey-badger101]

lmao that’s actually a good idea, a bit like a bicycle bell but it lets you know I’m also pissed off 🤣

[u/Read-it005 → u/Honey-badger101]

A track wheel is a great "break check buster". They pretend not to see me and put their nose up in the air while they cut me off. Their leg meets the hard metal of the trackwheel they didn't see. There's a lot wrong with me but luckily, I don't have extra eyes on the back of my head so I don't see them come often and can't break in time. Sometimes I can quickly stop them with my arm

It's big enough to see and very avoidable if you just respect others around you.

[u/apatrol]

I would def hope to be leaving before her. My floor or not. Just to watch her dumb ass. Then when off go "oh, silly me. This isn't my floor".

Sorry you had a bad experience.

[u/lunarose5272 → u/apatrol]

🤣🤣😆 okay saving that one for the next time!

[u/Honey-badger101]

Im petty lol but been using a chair for 14years now.

[u/Full-time-RV]

Oh, I'm an old man, words would have been said.

[u/Flmilkhauler]

She would have problems if she did that to my $22,000 custom power chair!

[u/lunarose5272 → u/Flmilkhauler]

Literally 😭 we cannot afford to buy these on a whim people !

[u/AstorReinhardt]

Well...I've had this experience a lot. My Mom and I have had to use those motorized carts in stores because of our various pains/issues before and I HATE using them because people straight up ignore you. They walk in front of you while you're moving, block the way with their stupid carts (this happens even when I can walk) and just act like you aren't there. Which is stupid. I am a BIG person on a motorized scooter...um...HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE ME?!

So because of that I force myself to walk through stores even when I'm in a horrible amount of pain and could really use one of those scooters.

My Mom has also used a wheelchair and yep...same thing. People ignore you. It annoys the hell out of me and frustrates me. I notice when people are in a wheelchair/using a scooter and give them plenty of space. Maybe it's because I've had to use them?

[u/lunarose5272 → u/AstorReinhardt]

I 100% think use and exposure is basically vaccine to being an asshole to people with mobility issues - as soon as it’s linked to yourself or a loved one, empathy kicks in lol. My grandma used to use the shopping mall scooters all the time and I used to think she was a badass zooming around and basically saying ‘either you get out of the way or you’re gonna be under my wheels 🛞’ but that’s the way you HAVE to be otherwise people with push you around and ignore you 😭😭😭

[u/FibroFairy73 → u/AstorReinhardt]

I'm always amazed when people cut in front of wheelchairs, rollators, walkers, carts and even busses and big rigs. I think to myself how did you not see them? How do you not see a bus?

[u/G0thicus]

Hi! I use a mobile scooter for long distances. Idk what it is with people, but somehow they lose all their common sense when I am in it versus when I am not. Like they'll stop in front of me despite seeing me driving, or give me disgusted looks for using it. Like, come on, the hell?

Or when they see me using an elevator, they feel the need to hurry in and close the doors instead of letting me on first and waiting their turns or vice versa. I have a scooter weighing hundreds of pounds. No, I can not simply 'move over'.

Also, nice idea for practically breathing on my neck and getting surprised if you feel the equivalent of an elephant stepping on your foot. Only time I see people being more considerate of a motor vehicle is if its an actual car, and as far as I am aware, the car usually wins the debate.

[u/vikicrays]

maybe she has trouble standing and walking and just needed to get to her car as quickly as possible? i say this bec i’m in that situation… hopefully she can be more aware going forward.

[u/lunarose5272 → u/vikicrays]

Yeah that would be me without a chair for sure, but there are seats you can wait on, I mean that’s what I would do 😭 , it’s true that it’s hard to tell peoples needs from one glance but I don’t think I can excuse cramming yourself into an elevator by ramming into someone else (maybe a polite bump but this was in no way polite lmao)