Disabled priority in lifts?

[harshbuttrue1980]

I had a disagreement with a friend this weekend and genuinely want to know if I am BU. My friend can't walk, and uses a mobility scooter. She isn't in any pain at all, and has no other health issues. She has a great job and a really active life.
We went to a shopping centre this weekend, and the lift was full, so we had to wait to use the next lift. She said afterwards that I should have asked the other people already in the lift to get out so she could get in. I said that I didn't agree with this, as she is equally able to wait as everyone else. She was a bit taken aback.
To clarify, if there was someone on crutches, heavily pregnant, a child having an autistic meltdown or someone else who would struggle with waiting, then I think they should have priority.
Am I being unreasonable to think that someone in a scooter shouldn't ask everyone else to vacate a lift so they don't have to sit in their scooter and wait their turn?

[Chippednailvarnish]

Just our of interest, how many flights of stairs are considered an acceptable amount for people to walk up?

[Samcro]

calling a wheelchair of scooter a mobility device is crap.

[Sirzy]

That would depend on the individual surely?

[Marynary]

My blind Grandmother can stand Mary, should she give the escalator a go?

I didn't say that applied to every single person who is not in a wheelchair. I said that if you are not in a wheelchair you can usually stand on an escalator.

[Feelingsolow12345]

me personally think you should give up your space for people in a wheel chair pram crutches pregnant same when using public transport. I've had to wait in the rain several times cause people wouldn't give up the pull down seats on the bus for me, also when I was pregnant (was on my due date I wanted to get our the house) no one gave up their seat for me when you could tell I was ready to drop.

so I think yabu but that's just my opinion

[Marynary]

marynary what a ridiculous comment that just because someone can stand they shouldn't get the lift.

You are the person making ridiculous comments. Where exactly did I say that people who can stand shouldn't get a lift. I said that people who are able bodied or able to use an escalator (if there are escalators) then they should give priority to those in wheelchairs.

[Andrewofgg]

Give up a seat, give up the pull-down seats, move out of the wheelchair buggy zone? Of course.

Get off the bus? Probably not unless I was nearly there, the weather was good, and I was not in a hurry.

[harshbuttrue1980]

Shtoppen, your post pretty much summed up my view.

From being friends, I have seen how hard disabled people can have it. I recently complained on her behalf (she was sick of doing it) about an empty bus that drove past her because the driver couldn't be bothered to put the ramp down. She has the right to use the bus like everyone else. The right to go straight to the front of any queue isn't a right that I think anyone should automatically have unless there is a real need for it. Part of life is waiting to take your turn.

[JuxtapositionRecords]

Regardless anyone who is able bodied or able to stand on an escalator should give priority to those in wheelchairs.

My mother is 'able bodied' but she is blind. Why should she give priority to a wheel chair user? Same with someone who has autism and a whole host of other "able bodied disabilities"

[BishopBrennansArse]

You can't be 'able bodied' and 'disabled'...

Blindness is a disability
Autism is a disability

Both have priority in this kind of situation and do not negate the request that if you have NO NEED for a lift and see someone who does is waiting could you please consider they could have been there for some time.

[MrsJayy]

There is no such thing as able bodied disability

[Libitina]

People are funny about lifts.Sometimes when I'm moving ITU patients around he hospital I ask visitors to get out of the lift so we can use it (usually me, nurse, porter and patient). It isn't good to hang around with an unstable patient and if that is the case I don't want bystanders in the lift either.People get really arsey about it.

I've had that on more than one occasion. Once I had to use my 'Nurse voice' and insist that they got out now! My patient was intubated and extremely poorly. As you say, I do not want random members of the public in the lift staring at my poor patient. Plus I highly doubt they'd like to assist us if the patient had gone off in anyway.

Most people are usually sensible and give us priority anyway.
Re the OP, if your friend was that bothered, should could have asked them herself.

[Marynary]

JuxtapositionRecords Your mother is not "able bodied" if she is blind. She is disabled. What on earth is an "able-bodied disability"?

[JuxtapositionRecords]

I know, hence my " marks.

From disability Sheffield
'Able bodied suggests that all disabilities are physical and ignores unseen disabilities'

[JuxtapositionRecords]

It was what you were implying marynary! That if someone can stand they shouldn't use the lift, ignoring other disabilities were they simply can't use the stairs or escalators

[MrsJayy]

That is perception of disability though which isnt right some people are ignorant of disability and need visual proof like a stick scooter a limp a guide dog they feel justified that they are infact a disabled person and worthy of a seat, lift space to move.

[Marynary]

It was what you were implying marynary! That if someone can stand they shouldn't use the lift, ignoring other disabilities were they simply can't use the stairs or escalators

I wasn't implying that at all. I was "implying" that if people can use escalators or the stairs then they should give priority to those who can't.

[ShtoppenDerFloppen]

Samcro

You said "calling a wheelchair of scooter a mobility device is crap."

What in the actual fuck do you mean? My wheelchair, or my child's, a scooter being used as its occupant cannot travel long distances on foot, crutches, canes, walking sticks... they are all devices intended to provide or improve mobility for a person who requires assistance.

Would you rather I just listed all possible items in that category when responding?

Crawl back under your rock (or, if I choose MN vernacular... ODFOD... or perhaps FOTTFSOFAWYGTFOSM).

[BishopBrennansArse]

Depends if occupant of said 'mobility device' can mobilise independently with it, doesn't it?
They can't always.

[ShtoppenDerFloppen]

DH pushes DD's wheelchair occasionally when she is unable to do it herself. Does that mean it ceases to be a mobility device when an able bodied person is "driving"?

You make no sense.

[JuxtapositionRecords]

Ok I apologise marynary. I took it to mean if people can stand they shouldn't use a lift, with no thought for hidden disability. You would be surprised how many people are this ignorant and it has really affected my mothers confidence in going out, she feels even when she is out with me, friends, her parents etc that she still needs her stick or dog to avoid moments like the op described. So I'm sensitive to it and jumped on you which I apologise for.

[Samcro]

Wow who rattled your gage.
You used a description that is more in line with a walking stick.

A wheelchair is not a mobility aid its a sodding wheelchair