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?

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?

Is it really that big of a deal for staff to follow their own social distancing guidelines? How else are they supposed to enforce them? Any other customer would have been told to use the entrance as opposed to the exit to enter the store. OP explained why she wanted to use the lift and management allowed her in. What’s the issue exactly?

It doesn’t have to be detailed, just say eg Athsma and move on. No one has asked you to divulge more than you are comfortable with before you inevitably attempt to bring up this point

Furthermore no one here said anything about “we wonder why the retail trade is dying...”. Talk about a shitty straw man argument!

Oh I definitely agree about the lanyards but I just don’t think the lift has the same pull especially since the alternative is an escalator and not stairs people would actually have to walk up

Yes she didn't mention any disability it was health reasons not the same .
Like I said I have a dc who is disabled if a member of staff asked why I'd explain . I certainly wouldn't get into a rage unless they refused entry .
The op said health reasons
Honestly save you anger at discrimination for someone who actually deserves it and I'm the first to fight for the vulnerable.
I dislike pisstakers and snowflakes who complain about anything ,
The op said she dislikes elevators and that's fair enough but she had to ask why .
It is that simple .

Well that escalated quickly.

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!

It was horrible! Some people got properly called out on it. It appears that it was a lots of conspiracy theory people getting them.

Well that escalated quickly

what the OP and several PP have highlighted is that a pandemic which caught pretty much the entire world by surprise has had us introducing a lot of ad hoc ways of working and so on that seem, on the face of it to be ok, but deeper examination shows they need tweaking.

So instead of the [llama] title - it would have been better to maybe speak to the manager onsite and ask them to have a little rethink about access bearing in mind that plenty of people can't use an escalator and that the one-way system doesn't cater to that. Bang. Job done.

As for intrusive questioning - well, that would depend. If it went: you can't come in here. I have a medical condition and can't use the escalator. OK I'll check with the manager... OK in you come. That's not intrusive questioning.

if they had asked for your entire medical history and so on, that would have been intrusive and not on.

So not only should we #BeKind we should also maybe use our noggins a bit. We are all in new territory here, it will get better.

islockdownoveryet No I would just say I have Multiple Sclerosis which affects my balance and causes dizziness and expect to be believed. At the moment I can't walk so not relevant. When I begin to recover I will be on crutches so the disability will be visible. When I have recovered enough to walk without crutches, and my disability is invisible, I hope I will be believed without a lot of extra questioning and announcements over radio systems. .

Is it really that big of a deal for staff to follow their own social distancing guidelines? How else are they supposed to enforce them?

It's perfectly easy to follow guidelines and enforce them without demanding personal details of customers' medical history.

@Cohenlover - but you have a diagnosis of MS. OP hasn't said she has a diagnosis of anything (unless there's a massive dripfeed on the way). Feeling dizzy on an escalator, in isolation, and not a symptom of any life-limiting disability or condition, really isn't a potentially fatal disability and for people to be claiming it is is actually rather unhelpful to the many of us who do live with hidden disabilities.

Dizzy using an escalator? Seriously? 🙄

Eh ? @cohenlover Nobody has said they disbelieve you or even the ops condition whatever that is .
You have my sympathy I know some with MS .
I agree I'd be the same if someone disbelieve my dc condition but I don't recall that happening in the op post .

@Cohenlover as pp said you have a medical reason and diagnosis. I have MS too and unfortunately am carrying around a confirmation of diagnosis letter for when I’m not relapsing and look ok 😢

allOhtherewearethen The OP said her condition could be fatal.Maybe she means if she fell..I have a friend with narcolepsy. He can fall to the ground at anytime. I have another friend with epilepsy. Same could happen to her. We don't know for definite about the OP as she hasn't stated her condition.

It's perfectly easy to follow guidelines and enforce them without demanding personal details of customers' medical history.*
They didn't demand they asked and I suspect as the op was very vague with her 'condition' on her op she possibly was with the staff member .
Again I'm not disputing the condition because may it be a illness / condition or even a phobia the shop still needs to ask why . Then she was let in so what that took seconds ?

So you are complaining that the assistant was doing her job and trying to make safe for all by asking you why you needed to go in via the exit

Obv a wheelchair and buggy is obvious why

@Pobblebonk

Is it really that big of a deal for staff to follow their own social distancing guidelines? How else are they supposed to enforce them?

It's perfectly easy to follow guidelines and enforce them without demanding personal details of customers' medical history.

Do you always exaggerate this much? Jesus Christ. Absolute theatrics.

No one “demanded” “personal information” of “medical history”. Again, the shop didn’t ask OP to divulge anything she wasn’t comfortable with nor did they push the point - they accepted it and let her in through the exit as she wished. There was nothing wrong with how the shop handled this.

Frankly I would rather more places enforced social distancing guidelines and face covering usage.

Too right you need to prove a valid reason, otherwise every Tom, Dick and Harry would just do what they want. Why do you think she was there monitoring things. We have choices, if you don't like the rules, don't give them your custom.

@Cohenlover - crossing the road could be fatal. Cycling could be fatal. Swimming could be fatal. If people fall. Comparing feeling dizzy on an escalator to epilepsy, as though the risks and outcomes are the same, is a bit of a stretch isn't it?

Yes OP you are being VVVU. Even though you're special.

Rubbleonthedouble1 I have letters too stating I have MS. Just wish I could use them and go into shops at the moment.

This is getting perfectly ridiculous.

I get dizzy and scared of heights. If I fall it could be fatal. However it most certainly is not a disability and I would never dream of trying to paint it as such @Cohenlover

Sounds like they did everything rght. There's nothing valid for you to complain about. Don't be that person.

ohtherewearethen I am not comparing dizziness to epilepsy. I am just saying we do not know what the Op's condition is. Maybe you are right and it's just dizziness. Maybe it is something more serious.We don't know.