To be upset when a clean wheelchair trolley is not available when I visit Waitrose with DS?

[Livingtothefull]

At my local Waitrose there is just one wheelchair trolley which I always hope is available when I visit with my DS - sometimes it isn't as another disabled customer may be using it; I have complained already as I think there should be more. It is stored away from the 'regular' trolleys, in an alcove next to the toilets (would you mind your trolleys - used to hold your shopping - being stored there? That is a genuine question).

Yesterday I went to pick up the trolley and found it had rubbish in it. It is by no means the first time this has happened, I regularly find discarded food wrappers, used hankies etc., many people seem to find it appropriate to use the wheelchair trolley as a rubbish bin.

I complained at Customer Services desk but felt fobbed off so complained again to the manager on the shop floor. She apologised and said that she would tell the staff to keep an eye on this. Based on past experience of complaining though, nothing much will change.

AIBU to think that this demonstrates the really rotten attitude that many people have towards the disabled?

AIBU to think that Waitrose service provision for their disabled customers is just not good enough?

I would just like our shopping experience to be much like everyone else's; you come to the supermarket and collect a nice clean trolley (preferably one from a gleaming row of trolleys).

Have to say I think you are being a bit ur.

I rarely have a 'nice clean trolly' and often have to clear out wrappers/bags/receipts and other general rubbish. It's not limited to the disabled trolleys.

And no, I wouldn't mind a trolley I used being stored in an alcove near the toilets.

Trolleys often have rubbish left in them, not just the disabled ones.
Maybe you could try a bigger store where they might have more than one disabled trolley.
As for it being next to the loo, I don't see a problem. Most supermarkets keep them outside.

Trolleys are frequently full of rubbish IME. I think the row of gleaming (wet from the rain probably) trollies would disappoint on close inspection.

It's probably the people using that trolley who are leaving all that rubbish.

Personally in think your main argument should be that they don't have a trolley available. The state of it is exactly the same as those used by everyone and is down to the general public not Waitrose.

But. They should have as many accessible (variety of types) trollies as parking bays. That's just logistics.

Trollies often have rubbish in them. And surely if you'll use a trolley outside with rain / bird poo on it then inside is no problem. By your logic I imagine you sleep "next to a toilet" with no problem?

yanbu
if they only have one, the least they could do is keep it clean.

Trolleys often have rubbish in not just the one you yse i just drop in bin without thinking when i walk past the bin. The storage isnt an issue. Yabu with these too bits. However only one trolley i think you need to bring that up

Wouldnt bother me being stored in alcove next to the toilet - at least it's away from main ones. Unfortunately people chuck rubbish into trolleys, don't think it's a disabled thing. Just ask for carrier bag, then dump rubbish on customer service counter and repeat

They should have more than one wheelchair trolley,most other supermarkets do but I suppose it depends on the size of the store.

As for the rubbish in the trollies,well that's down to the customers.

Well maybe you are right that the main issue is that there are not enough wchr trolleys. I don't agree that the regular trolleys are just as likely to have rubbish in them, yes this happens occasionally but nothing like as frequently. And I don't agree that all the rubbish is left by the users of the trolley….among the rubbish yesterday was a broken handle from a supermarket basket.

what's the problem with it being stored near the loo?
trollies are often full of rubbish and often wet from being outside,
yabu and looking for a reason to be annoyed when there isn't one

I think definitely more the case to ask about having another suitable trolley available rather than worry about the rubbish/toilet issue (which the shop can't do a lot about tbh). Most supermarkets seem happy to meet needs of their regular customers ime - our local Morrison's were helpful when I needed to use a disabled child trolley for DD and there wasn't one available. There are 2 now!

I can't remember the last time I didn't get a trolley that either had rubbish in it or was horribly grubby, so I think you are being a bit U. Blame the mucky public.

It wouldn't happen in asda.

Trolleys often have rubbish in them, screwed up shopping lists, receipts, tissues, empty packets etc. I think the issue is more need to be available, 1 clearly is not enough. It being stored near the toilet, well the others are stored outside for animals (rats etc) to climb over, rain to get on and the dirt and grime from the car park etc so they are hardly dirt and germ free!

I don't think you are being U at all - I work next to a young lady who is disabled and I see how she struggles with stuff the rest of us take for granted and I think that we should all bend over backwards to make life in public - shops, cafes, transport as easy as possible for disabled, who may have massive struggles just to get to the shop etc.
There should be more than one trolley and it should be kept in an easily accessible place where staff can keep an eye on its state

Wouldn't bother me where they kept it and most trolleys have rubbish in.

But they should have more than one trolley which can be used with a wheelchair.

yanbu it's such poor customer service.

just because trolleys are generally shite doesn't make it right. it's a bit like at our nearest Sainsbury's they put the trolleys with child seats out in the rain rather than under cover

There's always rubbish in several of the normal/baby trollies, as there's only one wheelchair trolly it will be more noticeable if there's rubbish in it.

I'd be complaining about there only being one wheelchair trolly rather than rubbish in it or its being stored near the toilets. If it was filthy and covered in muck then I'd complain about it, receipts/bags not so much.

As I said it was a genuine question re the trolleys being sited near the toilets so if you wouldn't mind that's fair enough. I still don't know why they can't be stacked with the other trolleys at the entrance though, so it is easier to find/pick one up.

I know it is mainly the customers doing this but the staff should clean the trolleys up. It may be difficult for disabled users of the trolley to do this.

It is quite a large store, I think there should be at least half a dozen wchr trolleys.

i'm confused as to why people think it's ok generally for trollies to have rubbish in them .

I think the fact it is kept separate is a bonus and no harm in asking them to keep an eye that random things are not dumped in it, but I would be writing or phoning on a weekly basis to head office etc about getting more accessible trolleys.

I don't think people think it is ok, just that that is how it is. I would say it is kept separate so that it is less likely to be used by just anybody, making it more available to some one like you who really needs it.