Is this discrimination? (Disability)

[BeyondPreparedForHell]

I already had a thread earlier in detail, this is just for one quick question.

Is it unreasonable to complain about discrimination if a disabled person is not able to access presale tickets for a concert, instead they have to order direct through the venue on release date?

(The way it works for a festival with the same company, is you buy the tickets and then prove you need them after. If you don't, you lose them.)

When I brought it up in complaint, the bloke on the phone spoke to me like I was a fruit loop. Said it is in no way discriminatory.

I'm thinking of sad-facing to the DM...

What do you think? And if I'm right, what do you recommend doing/who should I contact?

Umm, no, your definition of discrimination is wrong

From the dictionary. "the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex."

Treating different categories of people differently.

Raltheraffe
If it was gay people or black people who had some "minor bloody hiccup" buying their concert tickets, everyone would be (rightly) up in arms.

But disabled people are expected to be oh so grateful for the equality they do get, and not rock the boat about the small stuff.

Discrimination card? Dont be so blatantly goady.

Beyond...there there anyway of finding out how many people in total applied for tickets and didnt get them. I bet there are alot of people not requiring carer tickets etc very disappointed tonight. The whole buying tickets online needs sorting i think....isnt easy

That is MY definition of discrimination.

I work in some male dominated environments and get the odd sexist comment. The men are not doing it maliciously, it is just banter and I think they would be very upset if I went running to the MD every time someone said something that I objected to.

I do not like people having to walk on eggshells so not to offend people.

Discrimination can absolutely be unthinking rather than malicious and nasty. I'm not denying the existence of both types but if you are being treated differently becuase of your disability (etc) then it is discrimination regardless whether someone set out to do it deliberately or just didn't realise the implications.

OP, I think it's unfair and the same proportion of accessible seats should be prereleased at same time.

"Discrimination card"?!

You mean...discrimination. Fucks sake.

You are completely wrong, raltheraffe. And your tone is offensive.

I disagree that discrimination is always malicious, it can be merely accidental or an oversight; probably what has happened here.

Doesn't stop it being annoying and upsetting for those on the receiving end. And actually, as a disabled person, I feel I have a duty to point it out when I come across it.

Many perfectly nice, able bodied people are completely oblivious to the day to day physical barriers in place for disabled people. I have able bodied friends who have been quite shocked and righteously indignant on my behalf, when faced with the issues of an average day out with me.

raltherafe. More fool you if you put up with sexist crap. The problem arises when a woman with a bit more backbone gets a job at your place of work, and is expected to put up with it too.

Yy tonkly, even other disabled people can be oblivious.

I have long term severe mh issues and no amount of empathy showed me what it was like to lose mobility til i did, then i had no idea what it was like to use a wheelchair while i was on crutches. And even now, i have no idea what it is like to be unable to leave a wheelchair, or to be blind, or deaf.

*tinkly

Tinklylittlelaugh, you speak sense. I sometimes think everyone should spend a week using a wheelchair, a sort of wife swap arrangement!

Discrimination isn't always malicious at all. I agree with Tinkly it can be completely accidental.

It is not a competition to see who has been treated the worse. Situations like the one the OP has experienced need flagging up, so they can be prevented from happening again thus causing further discrimination.

I'm a wheelchair user OP, so I'm familiar with the situation you're in.
All wheelchair spaces are sold direct by the venue so are not available in the pre-sale. I think this is okay and not discrimination. There might be an issue with the number of wheelchair spaces available though. I imagine though that this is dealt with by local authority licensing however so it's likely that they do have the required number available.

I had an issue with an accessible cabin on a cruise recently. The only wheelchair accessible ones were on the top deck, at the most expensive rate, so a wheelchair user would always have to pay the most and would never get to choose one of the cheaper cabins. Now that is discrimination.

Beyond can I confirm a couple of questions do you need to attend in your wheelchair or just walking sticks. If just walking sticks could you have booked seated tickets on the presales system online. If you are attending in a wheelchair does the place have a set number of wheelchair spaces and were they all already booked when you got through on the phone.

Some pre sale tickets do have a disabled allocation. I got some for large events (V? Stevie wonder?) in the pre sale.
The 02 has a booking line and specific seating so I don't think it's discriminatory.
So yep you are.

A woman with a bit more backbone?

It is not a case that I "put up" with the odd sexist comment, it is a case that it genuinely does not bother me. The guys who do it do not mean offense and if anyone said anything I perceived to be malicious I would tell them to piss off.

And I do not have "a job" at any of the workplaces. I run a contracting firm, so these people are neither my bosses or subordinates.

I can walk very little, would need to get there in wheelchair but could transfer to a seat. Was told by the venue i had to call them to book and they would arrange seating around my needs, so I'm guessing the seating isnt fixed or something? No idea what their number of wheelchair seats is, would love to know how they sort it out. And i guess that the regular seating has stairs or something as when i did look at whether i could book, it said it was non accessible and that you had to ring the venue to talk through access, as above. Then on top of all that, I need a carer to come too.

It surely is discrimination if you are not getting access to a pre-sale discount, simply because you are disabled. If x% of tickets are allocated at a cheaper pre-sale rate, x% of accessible tickets should be sold cheaper direct from the venue. I understand their need to talk to you to ensure they can meet your needs, but at the same time, they should make sure you have the same window to get cheaper tickets. Could the first two days of accessible tickets not be cheaper, maybe? As it stands, it is discriminatory. You can't take advantage of an offer because you are disabled.

I have never known pre sale to be cheaper just what they suggest 'pre' sale.

Damn our multi use of the word sale! No, i didnt mean they were cheaper, same price.

Ah, okay. You can tell I don't go out.

So, all the seats are available at the same price, regardless, and the difference is when they are available. If the pre-sale tickets are a perk for some club, then OP should get the same perk, so still discrimination.

As long as they are providing sufficient accessible seats then no it isn't discrimination because no one has had an advantage over you to a seat that you are able to use. It would only come under discrimination if they are allowing people to book those seats who don't need them due to the number of inaccessible seats being sold on the pre sales.

And even if they are not a perk, everyone should have the same access.

The equality act requires people to make reasonable adjustments, hard to see how the ticketing policy cannot be more flexible.