Why are people so rude and inconsiderate to people in electric scooters or wheelchairs?

Question

Please enlighten me! I was at the mall for about four hours with my mom, who can't walk for very long due to back pain. We got her one of those big scooters with the basket on it (they are hard to ignore). We spent alot of time waiting for people to get out of the way. Then, to add insult to injury at least a dozen people actually walked right into the scooter she was using (seriously, I kid you not they didn't even say "excuse me" to her). As we were trying to get back to the place to take the scooter, people surrounded her and prevented her from moving for a few minutes. My mother was being polite not to run these people down, even though they sure deserved it.
People get out of the way for mothers with strollers but not for wheelchairs, it's just not right. People in wheelchairs aren't in them to get sympathy; they have feelings just like the rest of us. I would like to thank the two young men who knodded, smiled and said "Hi" to my mom. They really made her day!

Just for the record people in wheelchairs and motorized scooter have the right of way before someone with no disability does. It's the law. Just like pedestrians have the right of way before cars do.

For those of you that have had a bad experience from someone in a wheelchair or scooter I am sorry, but try to put yourself in their shoes/ wheelchair. Having to use a scooter or wheelchair really is not fun. Some of those scooters are really a pain to operate and hard to manuver. I had to use one after surgery a couple of times.

Answer 1

in my experience many of the people in scooters are the rude ones!!...when i'm shopping they park their big scooters right in the middle of the aisle so that no-one can get around them, and they don't move for nothin'!!

Answer 2

You should move out of the way for ANYONE trying to get by. You shouldn't move JUST because they are disabled.

In my opinion, disabled people shouldn't get special privledges. Why? Well, most of them are in wheelchairs, which means they aren't really walking or moving much at all, so they can't get tired that easily. Why should they get special parking spots or the right of way? I understand if someone has arthritis (and are not in a wheelchair), or CFS, but only conditions like that should people get special treatment.

People in wheelchairs can be just as rude as people not in them. They run people over (as your mother was kind enough not to do), block things, and don't say sorry!

Answer 3

Tis the season for people to put their own needs ahead of others while on their quest to bring goodwill to mankind.

From what I've observed it's usually the opposite and people will make way for a wheelchair or a scooter. But it seems that now that everyone is in true shopping mode that people become more pushy and many forget their manners.

Answer 4

I'm really surprised people did that!! Usually people are considerate and move out of the way. Your mom should have run them down and then run them down more a couple of more times. I think some people have a superiority complex. In the old days, when there wasn't enough food and we were savages, the old, weak, and crippled were always left behind and left to fend for themselves. I think it's because there wasn't enough food. But we have enough food today and even more, I can't believe people still act like that! Those two guys were really nice, they're definitely not going to hell!! I hope people are nicer, if they aren't then whatever comes to them, they deserve it. You know the saying "What ever comes around goes around." Try reading "The Blessing Stone" by Barbara Wood. The first chapter shows what I mean by people leaving the old, weak, and crippled behind. I hope people aren't such jerks to your mom next time.

Answer 5

As someone who has Rheumatoid Arthritis and uses a cane to walk sometimes, I'd say that some people have hostilities against the disabled because they're so selfish that they're anticipating that the disabled person might need help with something and they don't want to sacrifice (bus seats for example) or help in any way. It's as if they feel put upon before anything - if anything - is asked of them. I also think it's fear. They think of themselves in that same position and freak out.

Answer 6

As for the walking into the scooter, it's entirely possible that the people didn't see her. She's lower than eye level. However, I think an "excuse me" would be appropriate.

In our culture I think we are often trained what not to do with people with disabilities (don't make fun of them; don't stare) but we are often not taught what TO do. I think people might be so afraid of offending that they say nothing.

Answer 7

What the two men did was the right thing to do. Personally i feel bad for your mother D: But other ppl think that if they are different then make them pay D: I often feel bad for elderly. Its really not nice to do what the ppl did to your mother

Answer 8

What your mom needs is a big battering ram on the front of her chair. That'd get folks out of the way! Oh, I know, how about a big fog horn, or one of those loudspeakers that cops use. She could just bullhorn, "Excuse me!" as she runs over the slow walkers! LOL!

Answer 9

that surprises me, because usually people avoid people in wheelchairs like the plague, won't even make eye contact, so having people in your way isn't a problem. Not saying that's okay, I just find these people's upfront behavior unusual.

Answer 10

Some pple on wheel chairs and scooters also think they automatically have right of way!!!!! Do you know how painful it is when these scooter pple hit you with it? AND THEY DONT EVEN SAY SORRY?