To think people don't have a bloody clue!

[Whatarepeoplethinking]

Have NC as this is very outing.

I seriously hurt my foot, am in a lot of pain, and have had to use crutches for the past two weeks - still not able to put any weight on my foot.

I've had a crash course in how it feels to be, albeit temporarily, disabled. People are so inconsiderate and rude! They'll block the path and refuse to let you pass. They'll walk past you and knock your crutch out from under you. They'll give you funny looks as if you're deliberately taking up more space and walking slower than they're happy with. And using the disabled 'wheelchair shopping cart' thingy in the supermarket...people won't let you pass. You get dirty looks because you're taking up too much space and need to manoeuvre around things.

AIBU in thinking that people are rude, inconsiderate assholes that don't have a bloody clue? My regard and respect for disabled people has trebled in the past two weeks - it's only been two weeks for me - to go through this on a daily basis for months and years must be so difficult . To all the disabled people out there - I salute you.

The number of people who walk straight at them, despite the very visible cane, is shocking.

I would never walk straight at someone with a cane but I have never really been sure if I should move out of the way or not if I'm just generally walking in the same place. I know that sounds ridiculous but hear me out. Obviously if there is loads of room I move out of the way, but where there is less room I'm always worried that it's disconcerting for the person for me to make sudden movements. I'm always worried that they'll see/sense me making a quick movement and it will give them a fright (eg they'll fear being knocked over or think I'm trying to mug them or something), then they'll try to move quickly too and it will all be even more difficult for them. Am I overthinking it?

I was on crutches also due to ankle injury, no complaints. People were great, have up seats, moved outing the way etc.

My son needs a wheelchair on days out. I've found that's ok at theme parks etc because he's cute. But it does make doing something or going somewhere twice as difficult when you can't use stairs. Sometimes it's a mission to find the wheelchair entrance for a ride.
I have an invisible illness. I can collapse when under pressure /too hot/etc. We went onto the disabled platform at a music festival to see the act as have child in wheelchair. I had been pushing him all day and needed to sit down before I fell down. I asked if I could use an empty seat but was told no as they were saving it for someone. I crashed to the floor and DH had to get me up. We have two dc and they don't need to see me on the floor struggling to get up. I was really embarrassed.

I dread the day when I am no longer a person, I’m a “service user”.

God that’s dehumanising. Scary.

I had the opposite experience with a broken wrist, actually. It didn't hurt and was no bother but people were very kind.

I have found people are much more tolerant of ds and his “quirks” when he is in his chair than when he isnt. I think people understand a bit better when they can physically see there is a problem and when someone looks “normal” but isn’t acting it that can really confuse there judgmental little brains them.

I have an invisible disability. Being out and about can be a very scary place.

I used a wheelchair following an injury for 10 weeks and found people to be very kind on the whole.

We drove to an unfamiliar town and I needed the loo urgently. We drove round and round the crowded car park but couldn't find a spot. DH asked the attendant where there was another car park with loos and he directed us to a disabled bay and said to use that. He then stood by the car waiting for us in case anyone challenged us.

Cars parked on pavements was the only big problem we had and DH used to knock on doors looking for the owner.

I was in a wheelchair for six months a few years back. I was looking at some items in an Asda chiller at a really quiet time of day. A man came up and pushed me out of the way. He wouldn’t have physically moved me if I hadn’t been in a wheelchair.

My dh used to walk in front of me when I had an accident and was very wobbly. On crutches a couple of years ago, I walked from Kings Cross to Euston, Jesus, what an eye opener, people power walking straight at me so I had to swerve and nearly go over! Ridiculous! I ended up waving the crutches at people like I was an angry old lady! (I am not old!)

I think it would be interesting to find out whether the differences in behavior is related to location; I'm pretty sure it is. London in general seems to be pretty awful for this, and I get the feeling that it will be the bigger cities where people have greater self-importance where the manners are worst.

Imagine what it's like when someone's disability is not visible.

Try being in a wheelchair for 7 years and you'll soon get used to the stares and comments.
Actually most people are very nice and offer help when it's needed but the other day I was struggling with my bags in Asda and nobody offered to help at all.

When I had clot, the worst of it I was in a wheelchair for 3 weeks. I did feel like an alien on an isolating planet lol. When I was able to walk albeit very slowly people would stare. Unfortunately I have a gob on me and just said 'take a fuckin picture fgs' OH's brother has CP and non verbal and in a wheelchair we were in Cambridge one time and this man walked past him and whilst doing so got right up close to OH's DB and stared in disgust....again he got a telling off . The amount of people that walk into us when we take him to airshows and just have no consideration astounds me.

Mostly my disability is visible. But being in a wheelchair, I could only walk about 2 steps holding on to something, was awful. So many people treat you as if you are thick and sub human. It wasn't people being in a rush so much and pushing past,although that was annoying. It was being talked down to, talked over, having friends with me asked what I wanted, having my change when I had paid, being handed to a friend, and just how hard everything was. I have to admit that I didn't really understand it until it happened.

I was going to say in response to people walking at someone with a visible cane, I am sure some are idiots. But I have done this once when I was day dreaming and not really paying attention to my surroundings.

Earlier this year we went to watch changing the guard while at Windsor castle. Got there early to make sure DS could see, stood at the barrier but didn’t push the chair right up to the barrier to give DS a little bit of leg room but there was only a little bit of space there. I was pretty surprised when a man came and squashed to stand in front of him - he wasn’t impressed when I asked him to move. Part of me wishes I had t asked him to move actually as ds tends to kick out when people get in his space and with his boots on it can be pretty painful!

People in London can be right fuckers. Nobody ever offered me a seat when I was on crutches with a broken foot. When I was 39 weeks pregnant with agonising SPD a man knocked into me running past me up the stairs, almost sent me flying. He hadn't realised DH walking behind was with me...

Locally (in the sticks) people were very good when I had a broken ankle but being in a wheelchair was still a horrid experience, everything was at the wrong level, it was so infantalising. Plus parking was a nightmare, trying to get into a wheelchair in a rammed hospital car park with a broken leg and a 9 months pregnant bump (different pregnancy) is no mean feat.

I just had a very surprising encounter . In the parking lot outside work, the next person had parked so close to me that I wouldn't even have been able to get into my car without crutches. I couldn't get in the passenger side and climb over because of my sore foot. As I stood there pondering how on earth I was going to drive home, a man got out of his car, came over to me and offered to move my car forward so I could get in. I gladly handed over my keys to a complete stranger (but his car had a big logo on lol, so I could track him if he drove off with my car), and he moved my car forward enough for me to get in. How extremely kind . I gave him my parking ticked with almost 2 hours left on it.

All that and more besides OP. I go to my lurgery 3 times a week on a mobility scooter. If it coincides with school leaving time, I am on a narrow path with a grass verge and in front of me are large groups of children walking towards me who until they get quite close make no space for me to pass although reluctantly do so after I come to a halt and sit waiting for them to walk around me. But there's an added treat on some days, same big groups only one or more will be walking backwards, talking to their friends and texting at the same time. They have no clue what's behind them I've tried shouting 'excuse me!', as they come closer all their mates are sniggering. Sometimes they will tell them to move, once the guy hit the front of my scooter and he and mobile went sprawling on the floor. The time it takes to reach the surgery is doubled.

People meandering from one side of the pavement to the other are really irritating. However my biggest and baddest place in hell is reserved for motorists who park on the ramps which we use to cross roads. If they block the ramp you have to go back to previous ramp and then drive in the road past the parked car, which can be really dangerous. I've seriously thought about printing labels explaining how inconsiderate they have been to park there and although tempted to stick it firmly on their windscreen I may get in trouble if they can't peel it off (would love to hide and watch them try

Other areas of delight are shops which pile boxes of stuff at the corners of aisles, meaning you have to do 12 point turns to reach the next aisle; shops which pile up items on tables near the entrance thus preventing access into the store (Waterstones) who when e-mailed replied - shop online. Go elsewhere is my answer.

Hands up how many chair/scooter users have become invisible? Go into shop (Currys) ask assistant for advice on item - the whole conversation consisted of me asking questions and her looking over my head and giving the answers to my friend standing behind me. She didn't make eye contact with me once. I was so bloody mad I wheeled out of the store without another word and my friend couldn't understand why I left - she does now..

Sorry, that turned into a mini rant but I feel better

When I fractured a foot bone I used London transport. I was using a crutch and had my foot in an orthopaedic boot.

People on buses generally offered me a seat.

On the train and tube, I had to ask! People clearly saw me and gawped then looked away but half the time would not offer me a seat. If I asked, I would get an eye roll and a sigh most of the time but they moved with poor grace.

Pretty much the same experience when wearing the Baby on Board badge and the new TFL Please Offer Me a Seat badge.

Occasionally, people are really nice and helpful.

Actually I find the going out in a wheelchair bit the easiest thing about it.
Everything else is so bloody difficult. Having a shower and getting dressed without being able to stand or even sit unaided is hard work. Not being able to get out of bed without help.
The incontinence is the worst thing, I won't go into details...

Even something as mundane as getting in and out of the car takes ages and is difficult even with someone helping.
It's the invisible part of my disability that is the hardest thing to deal with.
Sitting in a wheelchair is the easy bit.

My DD (God rest her soul) was a wheelchair user and had multiple disabilities. Whenever we went to an event where there were activities in an arena, we would be sure to get a space at the front next to the rope so she could see what was happening. You have no idea how many times people would come and push thier way in to stand in front of her or send their children to the front. I of course had no shame in telling them to move!

Until my knees were both replaced i had difficulties commuting to and from work into Central London.
On the whole as soon as people saw me struggling with sticks or crutches I would be given a seat.
Several times I tripped on uneven paving stones but was very kindly helped up each time. It actually restored my faith in human nature

That's just reminded me, we went to the opening of something in the city centre, it was outside and it was raining quite heavily . I was soaked and a nice passer by gave me his umbrella. I was sitting underneath it and the cheeky cow behind me started moaning that I was in her way!
Then my bloody husband instead of telling her to move or piss off made me put the umbrella down!