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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Disability lift

88 replies

marge26 · 11/09/2015 16:32

lurking for about a year, first time poster.
I bring toddler (2.5) to sports-type activity every Friday afternoon. Baby always come along and watches from her pram. It takes place in a church/school hall building with multiple floors. The particular sports hall we need to get to is on a lower level so each week we use the disability lift to get down.
Today the lift wasn't working so I asked the guy on reception if it was broken. He said it was just turned off so school kids don't mess around with it. He turned it on for us but as he did so he said "it's a disability lift, it's not for prams". I just said that I didn't know how else we would get down. And he said ok and off we went.
But I feel so annoyed that he challenged me on using it. From a purely practical view I'd need to bring toddler down and leave him at the bottom of the stairs alone, then take baby out of pram and leave her down the stairs on her own (on the floor?) and then take pram apart and bring it down (maybe one or two more trips needed). It seems completely unnecessary. We weren't preventing anyone else (with an obvious disability) from using the lift.
I also think he should be aware that not all disabilities are visible and my baby or I could have needed to use the lift for disability-related reasons. (We are lucky that this is not the case).
So AIBU in using the disabled lift each week? (The are a few other mums who also have prams and use it too) and WIBU to complain about the reception guy?
Thanks for reading!

OP posts:
VodkaValiumLattePlease · 11/09/2015 16:36

You're going to complain about someone that said the lift was for disabilities not for prams when you don't have a disability and your using it for a pram?

2ndSopranosRule · 11/09/2015 16:38

I don't think YANBU on anything here. I hate it when instead of dealing with the problem (kids messing) they withdraw something disadvantaging everyone else.

ilovesooty · 11/09/2015 16:39

I can't see that he's done anything justifying you making a complaint about him.

hedgehogsdontbite · 11/09/2015 16:40

YABU

The more people who use it the more chance there is of it being out of action when a disabled person needs it. The place I work has the same rule for this very reason. The lift was in constant use and was always breaking down. Since they locked it it hasn't broken down once and I can get to the floor I need.

VodkaValiumLattePlease · 11/09/2015 16:40

Surely it's the same principle as a disabled toilet? Locked and you have to ask for the key, so that it isn't misused?

CigarsofthePharoahs · 11/09/2015 16:40

I had a similar experience in a local homebase once. Wanted to go up to their mezzanine floor to buy a new bathroom cabinet. I was pg with bad SPD and had a toddler. Went to use the lift so I could take my trolley up as I couldn't lift anything. It was locked and when I eventually found someone to ask I was told very firmly - disabled access only. I didn't count, apparently. It is worth complaining, but don't be surprised if it doesn't get you anywhere.

PurpleDaisies · 11/09/2015 16:42

You're not disabled. You are not entitled to use that lift.

It would obviously better if there was a way for prams to easily reach the upper level-lobby for that by all means but you don't have grounds for a complaint against the receptionist.

WhatTheJeffHasGoneOnHere · 11/09/2015 16:42

Can you carry baby or put her in a sling instead?

TeaAndNoSympathy · 11/09/2015 16:44

YABU.

It's a lift for people with disabilities. You don't have disability. Can you put your baby in a sling?

PausingFlatly · 11/09/2015 16:44

Can't you just bump the pram down and toddler walks, as happened for time immemorial before lifts became common?

Unless you have a disability preventing you from doing that, in which case you are using it as a disability lift.

I really like that disabled access has made things so much better for so many people, disabled and otherwise. But I do wonder how much maintenance costs are proportional to use, and which facilities really should be for those who need rather than just want them.

howabout · 11/09/2015 16:44

YABU When I had a toddler and a baby the baby would not have sat patiently watching in her pram. I would have carried her down and taken advantage of some one on one time with her while her older sister was otherwise occupied (assuming there is space to leave the pram in reception)

wonkylegs · 11/09/2015 16:46

I am an architect and accessibility consultant. Generally I talk about accessibility rather than disability. We provide facilities that are accessible for everyone rather that just providing specific things for disability.
This means that you open facilities up to the biggest 'customer' base and you don't accidentally discriminate, as you say not every disability is visible. Unfortunately many people don't understand this and only comply with the minimum they think is required under the equality act (a lift for people in a wheelchair).
I educate clients in this but not many organisations get people like me involved and those that do tend to already be the more enlightened ones.

wonkylegs · 11/09/2015 16:47

Sorry meant to say - they don't have to let you use the lift but it makes sense to do so.

BarbarianMum · 11/09/2015 16:47

Why not speak to the organisers of the activity and let them sort it out? Pretty strange to run an activity for toddlers somewhere inaccessible to pushchairs. They may be able to negotiate some kind of exception.

LurkingHusband · 11/09/2015 16:50

There is a world of difference between an aid/adaptation which makes something easier for someone when weighed against making something possible for someone.

Devilishpyjamas · 11/09/2015 16:54

Can't you just bump the pram down the stairs? I did that or sling.

Nanny0gg · 11/09/2015 16:57

The world is (slowly) becoming more accessible for people with disabilities, thankfully.

It would be crazy to make it less accessible for people who don't have a disability.

Fix the problem with the schoolchildren.

CigarsofthePharoahs · 11/09/2015 16:58

I have arthritis and can't manage my child in a sling as its just too painful. It annoys me that it's constantly suggested as a solution because quite a few people can't manage using them, especially as the child gets older and you need to carry heavy bags etc. I'm not disabled on a day to day basis, but getting about with my 4 year old and 18 month old - I need my buggy!
It does seem rather short sighted of some shops and businesses to make it hard for buggy users, that's a pretty big customer base they're annoying.

Gileswithachainsaw · 11/09/2015 17:02

Surely in a multi floor building lifts are for people who need them rather than a specific group?

parents with prams
the elderly
staff/customers carrying sporting equipment?

the problem is the school children abusing it, not with people using it fir what it's meant for.

do they expect an elderly man who struggles to walk but isnt in a wheelchair to have to go trekking to reception desks looking fir staff

Crispbutty · 11/09/2015 17:06

It's a lift. It should be there to help people who would otherwise struggle, with or without a disability.

Gileswithachainsaw · 11/09/2015 17:07

how do they make sure they can get back down again if they turn it off when they haven't left?

Spartans · 11/09/2015 17:09

This happened in my multi floor gym. The reason they stopped other people using the lift was because disabled people ended up waiting ages because other people were using it. Usually parents with prams waiting for soccer or baby ballet.

I do see the point that it should be there for everyone, but no one says that about disabled toilets.

LurkingHusband · 11/09/2015 17:09

Fix the problem with the schoolchildren.

Slow boiling in oil might do the trick ?

Our local library was fitted with a £10,000 lift to go up the 3' entrance. So bouquets for the council !!!!! It was vandalised within 3 months, and left unrepairable. No funds for a replacement (and even if they had them, they wouldn't replace it, due to the vandalism).

As MrsLH says. It looks nice inside Sad.

There's a place reserved in a Hell I don't believe in for scum like that.

PausingFlatly · 11/09/2015 17:15

An elderly man who struggles to walk does have a disability!

I think many buildings have only installed lifts because disability legislation demands they do so.

I think it's wonderful that so many people benefit, and really like Wonkylegs' approach. But the lift is usually there to meet the Disability Discrimination Act (or Equalities Act, not sure which one now covers this).

Osolea · 11/09/2015 17:18

Why can't you hold/carry your baby and hold your toddlers hand? Is the pram really that essential?

I think YABU because the man allowed you to use the lift, so I'm not really sure what your problem is. If they've switched it off to stop children playing with it, then it's probably because there's been a problem with children playing with it. Surely it's better that it's not played with and therefore isn't broken when someone with a disability needs to use it?

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