Called. Fu****g C**t today, by a stranger....

[ablueberryaday]

For context before I start the thread, I have a non-visible condition whereby my knee rubs in its joint socket causing swelling and often unbearable pain (awaiting surgery). Although not necessarily visible, it is extremely painful and often hard to walk logically distances and inclines.

Anyway.

Today, I was in the shopping centre waiting for the lift with around 15 others.. most with children and buggies. After around ten minutes of waiting (and the lift visibly going up and down and skipping the floor we were waiting on) it stopped. The family at the front of the queue went in, and there was a small gap to the front of the lift that no other people in the queue could fit into (all with children and buggies)

I was waiting in what would have been 3rd in line with two families ahead of me. One lady with 2 children, a double pram and a man, and one lady and man with three small children and lots of bags..

Nobody else moved for a while to go into the space in the lift, and so I politely walked around the front of the queue and slid into the (very small) space. I apologised as I moved past the people in the queue ahead of me, whereby the family with the three small children smiled, but the ones with the two children and double pram glazed awfully.

As we waited for the lift doors to close, the woman started shouting at me. She called me a selfish 'fucking cunt' for skipping the line and that I'm clearly not disabled and don't have children so why the fuck can't I use the stairs like everyone else. Her husband held her back as she was practically spitting her words at me.

As the doors finally closed, I just burst into tears. I was so so embarrassed. I know my condition may not be noticeable from the outside, but daily I live with excruciating pain and really need the lift today. I always try my best to use the stairs when I can, but today it was just not possible.

Am I being unreasonable?!

Yabu for not getting out and punching her. Bitch.

She sounds like a Mumsnetter.

I've faced so much abuse as a disabled person, more so before I started using a wheelchair. At first I used to panic and tell people about my disabilities, show them my blue badge etc. Now I've gained some confidence and have realised that a random person in a car park or disabled toilet has absolutely no right to question me, so I either completely ignore them, or show them up in some way. They get particularly angry when I'm very nice and polite, but say something along the lines of, "Aww. You're a bit uneducated aren't you? It must be hard to get through life not knowing such basic information like the existence of invisible disabilities..."

This usually makes them either apologise, walk off, or go batshit, which is when I will say, "Ooh, you're classy!" with a pitying look. I get great pleasure nowadays out of humiliating ableists. They will not make me panic again.

Exactly! They’re there for everyone. And one person squeezing in to a spare space doesn’t mean anything is taken from someone who needs a bigger space.

So even if OP didn’t have a disability and just simply wanted to use the lift, it’s not like she is stopping anyone with a pram or in a wheelchair from getting in the lift because the space for her only fits her anyway.

OP another comeback if it were ever to happen again. "My disability is invisible but your stupidity is clear for all to see."

'No, you're right, I don't look disabled. But then again, you don't look stupid so I guess looks can be deceptive'.

Totally their issue and they wouldn’t have fitted in anyway.

There really are some vile people about. How embarrassing and trashy to kick off like that in public. Take no notice. She’s an aggressive cunt. Shameful x

That is sad to hear, and from what I have read, seems fairly common. It is ridiculous that some people think that they have the right to accost someone, because of some perceived notion they have in their head. They have no right, and people should not be expected to have to give a rundown of their medical issues to complete strangers.

Bloody hell some people are demented! Who does that, clearly. One else can fit in the lift except you, so that's a sensible move.
As for hidden disabilities, I also
Suffer issues with knees and can't use stairs, so feel your pain! Use the lift and leave those aggressive people to their own devices ... I may have been inclined to tell her husband to put a
Muzzle on her 😉

She didn't need to say this. The disability is a red herring in this case. If no-one else could fit in the space it makes complete sense for any "singles" in the queue to squeeze in. Any reasonable person would not have minded this at all. You also don't need to have a disability to want to use the lift. Anyone can use them. You don't need a reason.

Wow her behaviour is what you call a fucking cunt don’t give it another thought unfortunately there are some real arseholes in this world …good job I wasn’t in that situation as I would have prised the doors open and confronted the cunt

I know you feel upset and violated but it's her, not you. Single people could be using the lift for any reason (chest pain, back pain, feet hurt, exhaustion, lazy) - who cares, it's their choice and their right. And in this case she didn't miss out on anything because you went in front, since there wasn't room for her family.

Some people just take out their frustration on others unfairly. This time it was you - it was a completely random event.

I've been berated like that for no good reason and it hurts, for sure. But I remind myself that I have the moral high ground since I'd never do the same to anyone else.

No YANBU. How would it have helped anyone to just leave that space empty?
That woman was a c not you.

I would have blown the evil cow a kiss as the doors where closing.

Love it 🤣

Don’t worry about it! I got called an aggressive little bitch for asking somebody politely to move across on the pavement so I could walk past pushing a buggy.
She screamed it again and again, has I not been with my small baby at the time I would have given her a piece of my mind or recorded her and posted in on social media… however I rose above it and said you are the aggressive one here not me and if you swear at me again I’ll call the police! This shut her up and I took pride in being the better person. Plus one day she will swear/go off at someone and they’ll turn around and punch her then she will get what she deserves! It will happen to this lady too OP and she will get her comeuppance eventually.

@ablueberryaday You did the sensible thing in taking that small space that only you could fit in.
How dare she speak to you like that. Ignore her OP, this speaks volumes on the type of person she is that she would curse and behave like this in front of her kids and in public.

Agree with this.
Why would OP have to explain herself to some randoms?
There wasn’t enough space for them in the lift anyway.

What a great example to the kids

Don't give the scumbag another thought

I'm so sorry this happened to you. She sounds like a troubled person and you didn't deserve her wrath. Try not to let it upset you, I look completely able bodied despite blood and heart conditions and have felt the evil stares before in similar situations,

What a horrible woman, you didn't jump the queue as they couldn't have fit in anyways, and actually everyone is free to use a lift if they want to, although indeed by common courtesy, 90% of the time it is people who need it (old age, disability or children).
Don't give it a second thought although it is shocking when someone insults you like that (happened to me once and completely uncalled for, I still think about it sometimes!)

Some people are just so angry!

I drove along a narrow stretch of road in our town today. It was recently changed to have a priority side and a narrower bit at the other end. I knew this but was at the non-priority end and there was a car which looked to be miles away. Either I misjudged things or he was going much too fast - but anyway, we met in the narrow bit.

No big deal. I could have put two wheels onto the pavement if i had really needed to - but it seemed OK. I was looking at our wing mirrors to make sure they didn't touch, and met eyes with the chap driving - he mouthed/shouted 'YOU ABSOLUTE TIT!!' (I'm 60 btw, so actually glad the language wasn't worse....)

Now I admit it may not have been the best driving move I've ever done but it wasn't deliberate - I thought he was further away than he was. I was already mouthing 'sorry' so admitting my error - but we were all doing about 10 mph and there was no big deal. Why are some people just so irate all the time....?????

Sorry you had that OP, I don't know why some people just need to be so unpleasant. Even without a hidden disability, that was just awful for you!