8 replies to this topic

[Lucydog]

Ive had a really mad week. First if anyone else says to me 'you must have strong shoulders....' or words to that effect I think I may have to run over their feet!

I went to give advice to some folks who were opening a B & B for disabled persons. Of course they found me 'fascinating', everything I said was 'fascinating' and they were 'fascinated' to watch me get in and out of the car.
Then I had to hold a meeting amongst the parked cars of Appleby. This is because they whole town is being re-paved and re- surfaced. Someone forgot to put any dropped kerbs around Tourist Information so I couldnt get in, which was my original destination! Ive realised that ABs never think that if you are disabled you might actually have independence. They only ever think in terms of old ladies being pushed around by family.

Ive also realised old people glare at me when I park in disabled spots even though Im displaying my badge as obviously there cant be anything wrong with me.
I have a plethora of medical appts all looming up in June as well. No peace for the wicked .

Finally we tried out a walk around a Hadrians wall site which boasts wheelchair accessible walks. Ha ha ha ha ha...... who surfaced the whole lot in ....GRAVEL!!!!!
Stiff drink anyone?!!

[Joed]

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Ive realised that ABs never think that if you are disabled you might actually have independence. They only ever think in terms of old ladies being pushed around by family

I find this same assumption everywhere too. Where my son plays baseball, there is a gate that has a sign reading "Parking for Handicapped and Authorized Personnel Only Beyond This Point". Beyond that gate there is a steep berm that surrounds the fields that one has to climb. The problem is, this gate is always locked , but even if it wasn't, one would have to get the wheelchair out of the car...open the gate....load the w/c back in....drive to the other side of the gate....unload the w/c once more to close the gate...load it back in...then arrive at the destination to unload again. And all this, assuming that you haven't already trashed yourself going up and down that berm.

The assumption is that if you're disabled, you would always have someone there to assist you. Once again, I had to miss my son's team pictures being taken because I just couldn't navigate the distance.

I've also had older people give me a good reaming for parking in the disabled spots...then chase me down to apologize after seeing me struggling to simply walk into the store. A good lesson for them, I suppose.

[dom]

hi lucydog
i've noticed that old people glare at me when i'm sitting in my car in a disabled parking space it must be a case of when it was taught 'respect your elders'i used to think of older people as innocent and kindly etc but a lot are just selfish
you'd think by now there would be proper consultation between various agencies as to what constitutes wheelchair friendly places but it seems to me that they don't consult the people who really matter and rely on decisions made in some obscure office in town planning
ciao for now

[russ1]

Lucydog, on May 27 2006, 08:54 PM, said:

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Then I had to hold a meeting amongst the parked cars of Appleby. This is because they whole town is being re-paved and re- surfaced. Someone forgot to put any dropped kerbs around Tourist Information so I couldnt get in, which was my original destination!

Did you really have no-one there who could have helped you up the kerb? I must admit that it's something I don't do nearly as much as I should - usually opting to find a dropped kerb but you really should learn the kerb hop - it's really useful when you need it. Watching someone who's good at it you'd never know there was a kerb there, they dont even seem to notice it.

[Lucydog]

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Did you really have no-one there who could have helped you up the kerb? I must admit that it's something I don't do nearly as much as I should - usually opting to find a dropped kerb but you really should learn the kerb hop - it's really useful when you need it. Watching someone who's good at it you'd never know there was a kerb there, they dont even seem to notice it.

With 3 women from tourist info flapping about, getting them to assist didnt seem like a great idea. More indignity all round! The kerb in question was pretty high by most standards, and although I am getting better at hopping, I admit my balance isnt that great, and I have had a recent track record of flipping back and smashing my head. Hence I tend to be a bit more cautious these days!
My main gripe was thet the kerb had beed relaid this week, so I dont think there are many excuses for not sticking a dropped kerb in. B But hey thats my job to moan!

[Scotsgal]

Old people giving you dirty looks ?!!! It's my fella that has SCI but I'm disabled myself and elderly people expect me to give up my seat on the bus for them, espec. if it's one set aside for "elderly & disabled"....not a good idea as although I look OK and can walk I'm really not able to stand on a moving bus !! Sometimes I'll try for a genuinely frail person but too often they demand the courtesy because they're grey haired even if they have gotphysical strength and ability I'd happily trade for my own frailty , ha ha !!!
Do hope next week is a better one for you, Lucydog !....Oh, and was the B&B any good ? Where was it??
Love Scotsgal.

[kanga2433]

You obviously had fun last week, Lucy! You know it's the people who feel they are ebing nice that really get me. Today, for example, a shop person put a large bag of gravel in the back of the car for me, (I was going to it myself), and then proceeded to sya that I was 'very good putting my wheelchair in!'. EEEEEUUUUUUUUUHHH!!!! What did she expect? Someone who has not idea what to do arriving in the middle of the countryside? I try to humour people lek that but I do get very annoyed sometimes like today.

[sjean423]

In regards to the dirty looks ...... My 16 year old daughter drives me around (looking to get driving myself this summer) and we laugh at the number of dirty looks she gets in that brief time between hopping out of the car (and OBVIOUSLY able bodied) and getting my wheelchair out.

[jane]

yep , i get very funny looks when i pull in to disabled spaces, with my two kids - so i get them to get the wheelchair out the boot - people look embarredsed then

on another note, i very bravely said to another driver when getting out my car the othetr day in the disaabled parking on my town street (the short stay parking having been pedestrinised so people now park in disabled instead) that this was disabled parking - she said ' it must have just changed' i said 'yes 18 months ago' and smiled. she moved her car!!!!