Random Observation: Electric Carts
I see many people zipping all over the store... conveniently shopping for their Cajun spices and kitty litter while sitting on these store-provided electric scooters with a shopping basket attached. Unfortunately, I'm dead certain a good number of these people don't really need to use them... they just like to leisurely sit and ride around the store, using the cart while older people who could really use them can't because they're not available.
It's like seeing someone who is obviously not disabled park in a handicapped space simply because they have the license plate or sticker in their window. Someone in the family may be disabled, and I don't have a problem with them being able to park there WHEN they're with the disabled person, but all too often able-bodied people take advantage of the situation.
All I can say is, SHAME ON YOU.
7 comments:
You often see me park in a disabled spot, even though I'm able-bodied, because I've just dropped off my disabled wife at the door, and she is going to hobble to the car when we're ready to go home.
This whole disabled thing has gotten out of hand. Because you can't tell what sort of disability someone has (heart disease doesn't show after all). I get glares when parking in the handicapped space because I leap from the car, clearly agile...until I drag the wheelchair out and carry my mother to it. Then the glares turn to solicitude and the same people who a minute before were assuming I was scamming, now rush up to offer to help. I think you have to give people the benefit of the doubt. Like we do in our legal system: innocent until proven guilty. And if someone is taking advantage, assume karma will get them eventually and stop trying to police the world.
As someone who looks able but can't walk long distances, I do TRY not to use the handicapped spots (I do have sticker) if I can find close-enough parking.
I also use those handy carts. I might be one of those "kids" zipping along in a cart (I do go faster than my mother, but that is because I am more used to the carts)
My partner ended up unable to walk at the age of 28 due to a combination of arthritis and the results of a head on collision - 18 months of PT and she almost has full mobility back. There were no visible signs of her injury except that she moved very slowly and she would often use those carts when shopping. The unnecessary judgements from able bodied individuals who assumed she was just fat and lazy were disheartening. Don't assume that just because they are young they aren't in pain and be thankful that you have no need for such support.
Also, don't get upset when you see someone walk quickly through your store one day, and then a week later they are using the cart. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and when it flares up, I can't walk. I end up not bathing because I can't bend my knees enough to step into the tub. When the flare is over and I'm back to my normal level of mobility, I seem just fine.
You would never know from looking at me on most days that I have severe RA at age 37, and some days I can walk three miles without difficulty, and other days I can't walk up the stairs in my house.
The worst days are the ones I can't predict, when my energy leaves without warning and my joints flare suddenly, so I'm out running errands and I realize I have to take a seat at the grocery store right away, I abandon my cart full of unpaid groceries in some random aisle, and it's all I can do to make it back to the car.
Now they think I have pulmonary hypertension, and even my pulmonologist is having a hard time believing how bad my stress echo results were because I "look so healthy."
So please don't judge.
Our son has autism and bipolar. He is fully able bodied. But when things are bad for him (and this can last months) he is a danger in the parking lot if he bolts. We got a permit for this reason. We've never used it. But I worry that someone who would never give two shits to hold a door for a disabled person will take it upon themselves to remind me what real disability is-the inability to see humanity in others.
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