Why do people look/stare at some one in a wheelchair and what are they or you thinking?

Question

I have not been in a chair long now and when I do get out some people do tent to look and stare. I'm not mad angry or anything just curious as to what people are thinking or what you think? Thanks.

Answer 1

When I see someone in a wheelchair, I would look and think to myself "I wonder why is that person in the chair? Do they look like they have a preexisting condition or because the had an acquired injury?"
I also will look at the chair and think "What type is it? What colour, model, extra modification or any cool funky feature has it got? is it one of those with tilted wheels?" (I look at chairs like I look at cars! LOL

If you were expecting me to say - Oh that poor man, I pity him, he is so brave or bless him god loves him etc - you will be gravely disappointed.

I have been around people with disability for so long I have a different view on people in wheelchairs. I neither pity them nor think they are brave. I am more interested in looking at them to see why they are in a chair

Answer 2

I think it's just curiosity and people feeling awkward. They may be wondering what's wrong with the person or what happened that put them in a wheelchair or whether they are in pain and they may be feeling sorry for them. Sometimes when someone is different people don't know how to act. They stare without noticing it or look away because they don't want to get caught staring, but instead they are not even acknowledging the person, which I've heard often feels even worse than stares. I think most people don't mean anything bad by doing these things, they just can't help but notice when someone is different and they don't know how to act, so it gets kind of awkward sometimes.

Answer 3

Since I use a scooter or a cane now, and no longer a chair - and am a long time disability advocate - I am usually curious about the chair itself. But I am also often curious as to who the person is - and if it is a person could be a person I have crossed paths with before.

Answer 4

I don't know for real but in my experience I usually find myself staring at someone in crutches its not just once but many times. Later I realized that is because my father has been using cruthces and I instinctive do stare at people with cruthces. Now i do not find myself staring anymore. Don't feel bad. maybe they have relatives that are in wheelchair just like me before with the people using crutches.

Answer 5

First I glance or look. I don't stare as it is rude.

Usually, I do it out of kindness. I make sure the person is o.k. if they could go down the aisle of the store, or if they need assistance with a grocery item. I will even ask politely if they need assistance to unload groceries.
If I make you uneasy or sad, that is the way I was brought up to help people.

Answer 6

I feel irritated for not enjoying my life more. I realize that could be me in that chair in the blink of an eye and it bugs me when I feel sorry for myself. It also bugs me that there's nothing I can do to help or change things. It also comes down to not knowing what to say without sounding like a jerk. I'm pretty good at saying really dumb things at the wrong time. It especially bugs me when it's a young kid. I know they won't get the opportunities to do the things I take for ganted every day.

Answer 7

I used to think they were waiting for me to drool or fall onto the floor in a spastic fit. It's been 23 years for me in the chair and its been a long time since I noticed people looking at me.

Answer 8

i think people look at some1 in a wheelchair and are curious what happened to them because they are different. People always stare at things that seem different to them even though wheelchairs are not that uncommon..

Answer 9

Cathy, your answer is at the bottom of this side note:
Dear weaslewise52, someone on your question “Why do Atheists use Gods name in vain?” reported it as “abuse”, for which I get this a lot. But this is the first time someone actually promised God/Allah/Whatever to explain to Him how He is NOT All-Knowing. Just thought you would like to know.
Oh, the little weasel didn’t email me either.
Turn on your email too.

Here was my answer to your question: HEY! Since the "All-Knowing" knows we are going to do the anything we are going to do when he creates us....then you shouldn't have a complaint about it either! So you reeeeeally think him so stupidly ignorant???????? ************\I think I will go pray now….since the “All-knowing” isn’t as “all-knowing” to already know what I want, need or think without me having to tell him. Dear Reader, my point is “God (allah, whatever) is All-Knowing”. Dear Reader, if you don’t like my point, take notice you are counter pointing “God is All-Knowing, and by your action of using the “report abuse” button, you are promising God, by your action and freewill, to explain to Him HOW He is NOT All-knowing the next time you see Him. Note: This is a promise between you and God. If you prefer not to make this promise, leave the “report abuse” button alone. You may “blow off your steam” by emailing me direct. I have no problem recanting any mistakes I may have had and will cheerfully remove any comment or statement I made that is proven to be illogical.

Cathy, to answer your very good question: People often stare because people are personalizing their own life with the handicapped. They are relating it to their own power-over-their-own-life. In the end, however, these people who stare feel sympathy for these people and know that if they could take the affliction away, they would without hesitating.
The people who don’t stare are either being polite and respecting the person anonimity, or they wouldn’t care if they COULD do something to correct their affliction---making them the most handicapped.

Pardon the intrusion, but weasele52 doesn’t have his email turned on and he truly has the insecurity issues he admits to.

Answer 10

My wife has to be in a wheelchair to go anywhere outside and It really pi$$e$ me off when people stare at her, but I myself have ben guilty of staring at disabled people.It's another case of the blind leading the blind I suppose.