I wasn't allowed in the shop

[ILikeGlitter]

Should I complain about this or just let it go?

I wanted to go into a shop today with my ds who is 3. The shop is within a shopping center which has a lift and escalators. The escalator leads directly into the shop but before Covid you could also use the lift to enter from the first floor.

I cannot use an escalator as they make me go dizzy and I would need to carry ds. It just wouldn't have been safe for me so we took the lift.

When we got to the top the lady at the door said this is exit only. I needed to go in from the escalator at the bottom. I said I couldn't use the escalator for health reasons. She then went on to ask me what health reasons. I then had to explain to her and she said she will check with her manager if I can go in it was a big exit and no one was even coming out at the time.
She radioed over to them and said I have a lady and child here who don't want to use the escalator can they come in through the exit?
I didn't hear the reply but she then gestured for me to enter.

It made me annoyed probably more than it should have. Would you complain or just leave it at that as after all I did get to go in the shop?

@Cohenlover

SchrodingersImmigrant So if that's what you feel why not just say that, rather than all the vitriolic comments displayed by so many posters.

Well it probably has a lot to do with the fact that title is a lie...

Not just here, on another thread the dizzy-on-an-escalator jokes abound, following a PP here bringing it up. Distasteful.

SchrodingersImmigrant Aren't you being somewhat pedantic? OK she was allowed in after some hassle which as someone with a genuine health condition she found embarrassing. Look at all the posts from people who can't wear masks. They don't get questioned by shop assistants, just a load of hassle from members of the public,like the people on this thread.

I’m really surprised by the comments on here. Yes the title and the post don’t match, which is misleading. But not all disabilities are visible and there are all sort of reasons people might need to use the lift. Asking people to share details of their health condition in order to prove their right to use the lift isn’t on.

Plus wheelchair and buggy users must have been allowed to use it as an exit so it can’t have been a rigid one way system anyway.

I understand how you feel about having to explain your medical issues, I've been struggling with masks due to asthma and was questioned by a shop assistant regarding not wearing one. I agree with you about that.

However, you were allowed in so the title was incorrect and probably what got you a lot of these comments.

To be honest in these situations it is probably worth buying a wrist band or something that says you have a relevant condition like MS or something. No one working the door at a shop will want to argue. It’s like how I bought a radar key off eBay and also say I’m Death to use email for cancelling things like car insurance instead of waiting forever on the phone

I am not saying she shouldn't have been questioned.She should. But her answer that she had a health condition which meant it was dangerous for her to use an escalator, should have been accepted.

They've probably had loads of chancers falsely claiming to not be able to use the escalators so that is why they wanted to know the reason why you had to use the lift. It is not the staff's fault. Blame all of the people who have fibbed. Because of them, people like you who are genuinely telling the truth have to explain your reasons.

LOL

You were allowed in a shop!

Monkeynuts18 Do you really think "loads" of healthy people with no disabilities would all be clamouring to use the lifts as a sort of joy ride, rather than the escalator?

I am not saying she shouldn't have been questioned.She should. But her answer that she had a health condition which meant it was dangerous for her .
But she was allowed in
She told them her condition then was allowed in end of story nothing more to it .
Your the one name calling people, yes one or 2 are having a joke but come on you can see why in the grand scheme of things.
She was allowed in

You saying you had a health condition should have been enough explanation, you shouldn't have had to explain it to her.
However they did let you in, so your title isn't right at all.
Also, why on earth would you carry your 3yo on an escalator? Just hold his hand.

@Cohenlover you are taking this far too personally if it was you and you were asked would you be upset if you were let in ?
I don't think so you may be upset at the name calling on here but then if you start a bizarre thread about not being allowed in and wanting to complain but actually you were allowed in what actually do you expect people to say ? how shocking it is that someone dare ask why .
I'm just baffled that this would bother anyone and even more baffled that you have took this thread personally.
Nobody is calling anyone with disability's .

Yes, complain. How are mobility restricted people supposed to get in? Not a reasonable adjustment, even in Covid.

I think the fact that she was asked to explain her condition, and then the shop assistant radioed over to management and said" I have a lady and child here who don't want to use the escalator can they come in through the exit?" means it was NOT the"end of the story, nothing more to it"
islockdownoveryet.

@Bibijayne my mobility is restricted, I would get in the same way op did. By using the lift then asking to go in the 'exit'.

OP said that she feels dizzy going on an escalator. No mention of any diagnosed disability, yet so many PPs are screaming of ableism and discrimination, as though OP is disabled when she has made so such claim herself. If people start saying all of their issues, for example feeling dizzy on an escalator, are disabilities, don't you think it starts to leave the door open to abuse? I have a hidden disability myself and I'm quite open about it, I have nothing to hide and I'm not ashamed of it, but not everything is a disability or needs to be treated as such. Feeling dizzy on an escalator (with no other symptoms or diagnosis it seems) has now turned into a potentially fatal disability. It's bordering on offensive to be honest.
OP could have used the stairs or the lift (which she did) to get into the shop. As the staff member has been trained to do, following guidance from Shop HQ and the government rather than her own personal made-up rules, she questioned why OP was needing to use the exit. OP explained why, staff member doesn't have the authority to change the rules so she checked with her manager and OP was let in. That's literally what happened. All these cries of a potentially fatal disability being discriminated against and her son nearly dying or being severely injured are getting a little bit silly.

@Cohenlover - I believe @Monkeynuts18 was 'LOLling' at someone else who claimed lots of people would be using the elevator.

So the majority of you think it's ok for people to have to disclose their medical condition to random shop assistants before they're allowed to buy something?

And we wonder why the retail trade is dying...

Maybe there's an opportunity for an entrepreneur out there. Design badges for every possible eventuality and the assistants won't even have to ask - it'll be clear to the world!

Actually it’s quite disabling to not be able to use escalators or use them worriedly with or without help.

I’m amused by the thought of loads of ‘chancers’ so desperate to get in a lift instead of an escalator they would need to be quizzed by a member of staff 😂 of OP had her 3 year old in a buggy she could have gone that way without having to explain her condition

I didn't say she was . I just said implied I did not think it feasible that all these able bodied adults were queuing up to use the escalator for fun.

@PablosHoney

I’m amused by the thought of loads of ‘chancers’ so desperate to get in a lift instead of an escalator they would need to be quizzed by a member of staff 😂 of OP had her 3 year old in a buggy she could have gone that way without having to explain her condition

To be fair. The amount of posts I have seen in social media groups about people getting sunflower lanyards so they don’t have to wear masks nothing would suprise me anymore!

@Bibijayne

Yes, complain. How are mobility restricted people supposed to get in? Not a reasonable adjustment, even in Covid.

Same way like OP did. Use a lift to exit and say you can't use front and why.

This is why I am saying a "disability card" like where I am from thing would be great. No need to say why. Just show a card and you can go/get discount/get assistance. No issues. So much easier