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).

There should be more than one. The rubbish thing happens with all trolleys so that wouldn't bother me and the location wouldn't worry me as long as it wasn't terribly out of the way and hard to get to.

Dont think the rubbish thing is ok just part of life

The out of the way location probably keeps it safe.

Clearly they should have more than one wheelchair trolley. I think they should also make some effort to keep it clear of rubbish. It's all very well people saying that other trolleys often have rubbish in them, but has it occurred to you that it may be more difficult for disabled people to clear that rubbish? Particularly if there are no bins available near the area where the trolleys are kept?

But no, I can't see any problem with keeping them near the toilets. Most supermarket shopping is wrapped; and people sleep next door to en suite bathrooms without catching dreadful poo germs.

I don't agree with adsy that I am 'looking for a reason to be annoyed when there isn't one'. I am like most people in that I just want to have a reasonably nice time. I don't go out looking to be offended, but sometimes things happen & I get offended despite my best intentions.

I know that I am not being over sensitive here. Maybe I am just plain sensitive though; not sensitive to a fault, just sensitive to when I know that disabled people are being treated like shite. The attitude of some people towards the disabled has to be experienced at first hand to be believed.

You are right DustyCropHopper that I need to complain & hassle to get more trolleys. I do do the best I can but also want to try to raise awareness of some of the issues that disabled people face; hence this post.

I have accepted the feedback from you that most of you would not mind trolleys being stored near the toilets; as the wheelchair trolley is directly outside the toilets however, it is likely that some of the rubbish has come from people leaving the toilets. I have seen what looks like toilet paper on occasion. Can you honestly say that you would have no problem with this?

Is it not kept inside near toilets to keep it drier less likely to have bird poo or rainwater on the seat?

I would definitely complain about there only being one tho.

Lidl trolleys are immaculate and under a roof near ours (but are bloody massive)

I think the chance of a specific ordinary trolley having rubbish in it is just the same as that of a specific wheelchair trolley having rubbish in it. The difference is that there are far more of the ordinary ones so, as a whole, it is more unlikely. I dont think it shows any sort of disregard for the person who requires the wheelchair trolley, it's just more noticeable.

Storing them near the toilets really wouldn't bother me - what do you think is going to happen to them?

I think the issue is that there are not enough of them and the store should provide more than one.

I also think they should consider putting a bin near where the trolley is stored in case people are using the trolley as a bin.

I agree it would be galling but at the same time not the fault ofthe staff

Could you use online shopping and delivery to take this problem out of your life?

Online shopping doesn't solve everything. I do my main shop online but still need "top up shops" occasionally.

You are right that there should be more than one available. But you're acting a bit entitled as to where it is stored and that it should be be clean and litter free. Nearly every time I go to the supermarket I find bits of litter and discarded shopping lists in trollies, it's the other users at fault, not the staff.

YANBU.

From what you have said, it seems quite likely that staff as well as customers have been dropping rubbish in this solitary trolley.

It also seems that it is enough of a pattern that the store should be able to manage it.

I have been directed to the table immediately beside the accessible loo (being used as a storage cupboard) in a restaurant one too many times to think you are being unreasonable. Generally, the table by the toilet would not be my first choice, so I don't see why it would be my friend's first choice either, just because she uses a wheelchair.

Yes agree shopping inline might your answer. My dsis does as its easier than pushing trolley, pushchair and holding onto a toddler.

It doesn't have a seat winewolfhowls, the trolley clips on to the front of the wheelchair. There is no particular need for it to be dry, it is the baby trolleys which actually have seats, which if anything should be kept dry.

I blame the management not the staff who I think do the best they can but need to have awareness training.

God wine what a fabulous idea! I bet that thought has never, ever, crossed her mind. Inspirational. That's what you should do OP, hide away like they did in the olden days.

Life must be difficult enough without playing hunt the trolley, then finding it contains paper than someone has probably wiped their arse on. And as pp said, where do you park DS as you swan off to get rid of all this crap? How does an adult disabled person get the rubbish out of the trolley (maki g sure they have z bag to put it in) transport it to bin, then come back for trolley without feeling a bit pissed off?
You are definitely nbu.

I think it's odd that only the disabled trolley is stored near the toilet, it should be with the other trollies and should be equally easy to access.
I disagree that trollies are usually full of rubbish, I occasionally find a receipt in a trolley, but not loads of sweet wrappers.
YANBU

The best thing to do would be put your complaint in writing, or if you really want a response, tweet it.

Waitrose can afford a few more troll lies, you shouldn't have to do online shopping if you don't want to.

(I have left the auto correct as it's quite funny)

Ignore whoever said you were acting "entitled".

That would be me prodigal
Opinion asked for, and given, op can choose to ignore what she doesn't agree with without prompting I'm sure.

I agree that at times people with disabilities are treated terribly by society in many ways, I just don't think that this is one of them.

My guess is that the trolley is kept there to stop other people using it when they don't need to (bizarrely I have seen this happen) which is actually a good thing. Having a wet trolley is horrible if you are in a wheelchair because the water drips all over your legs, I'd hate to be going round the supermarket with water dripping all over me. So this is an added benefit.

Is the amount of rubbish any worse than in a standard trolley where people just pick it out and bin it? I'd probably just take the rubbish to a staff member and ask them to put it in the bin (thinking about where the loos / customer services are in our store), do it on a regular basis and if it is the staff putting rubbish in there, they will soon stop.

If not it's no different from what everyone else does - although I do still agree that they need more of this type of trolley.

I think you are mistaken that everyone else gets a nice clean trolley! I expect you could find traces of faeces from every trolley handle in the store. Because it is on it's own customers may possibly think it is a rubbish receptacle and the store have told you that if their staff notice they will do something about it. Not sure what else they can do, having a full time member of staff polishing and guarding it obviously isn't practical! If you could suggest another place where it could be stored safely I'm sure they would listen.

A sagacious opinion it was. Properly considered and balanced. Telling someone with a disabled child they are behaving in an "entitled" manner FFS.
It's obviously the word of the moment though, so very original of you.

Gah! Meant to add a to the polishing comment, that came across as nasty! I expect someone has asked for the trolley to be kept inside, I don't think the store would consciously put it apart unless requested.

Supermarket trolleys are filthy things, full stop. So I really don't think hygiene should be a huge concern - just don't put unwrapped groceries in there.

As for getting upset over the wheelchair trolley being kept near the toilets, what exactly would you prefer? That it gets put back any old where, so you have to trawl every single trolley park, inside and out, until you find it?

Sorry OP, but you sound very unreasonable indeed.