Open door for someone on crutches.

[WasherWoman25]

If you were sat in a waiting room (doctors surgery if relevant) and saw someone on crutches trying to get through a door, assuming no disability / injury yourself, would you stand up and open / hold the door for them?

If not, why not?

YABU - No I wouldn’t
YANBU - Yes, of course I would.

I’m on crutches at the middle, badly sprained ankle and knee. I went to the doctors today and had to go in the upstairs waiting room, which has a closed glass door. I through the door (in and out) four times in then end (went the wrong way once called to the nurses room). Each time there was a different person sat in the chair nearest the door, not one offered to help me, all just watched me try and keep the door open with one crutch and try and move. Now I don’t know that any of them didn’t have their own ailments going on, but all stood and walked independently when their name was called so unlikely they all did. If it was me, I’d have grabbed the door for anyone struggling coming through (wheelchair, pushchair, crutches etc).

If you're youngish it could be your age? Most people are in their own world though, thinking of test results or whatever they are in for. I would just ask in future if you need help, they might not have realised it.

Jesus Christ ! I’m using crutches atm due to a broken tibia and it’s fucking hard work ! A little bit of help from someone wouldn’t go amiss …
it’s like a full body workout being on crutches , to open the door at the same time could overload a person too much and they could fall :( where’s common courtesy gone ?!

You shouldn't need to have to ask. Any decent person would have got up to help you x

Wishing you a good recovery OP from a fellow 3/4 legs!

Been on (single/double) crutches for the last 12 months on and off and it’s been SO disheartening. Thankfully some people on the tube/bus have offered seats, but the scrabble to get onto the bus has been hairy... People refuse to give a bit more space in shops or pavements - I think maybe just glued to phone/oblivious? - and I’ve been tutted at so many times for needing a bit more time to straighten out a backpack or put stuff into pockets whilst juggling crutches, even after trying to remove to the side.
i was on and off crutches as a child and young adult and I can’t recall it being this bad then.

What and not clearly seen she was struggling? Are words really necessary at that point don't be ridiculous

I use crutches all the time. I always think it nice if someone offers to open a door but I also quite like noone noticing me. Because I use crutches all the time I am very capable of opening doors myself. I have strong arms though and obviously have had time to adapt.

It's frustrating for you personally, but I still think the majority of people appreciate kind, polite gestures in general really.

And if it means saying "No thank you, I'm fine", then so be it.

You clearly feel differently and that's ok too.

It's tiring having to use a stick. It took me 20 minutes to make up a freshly laundered bed tonight. Ten minutes just to get the duvet cover on five minutes fitted sheet, five minutes the comforter. I was knackered.

I would have helped you straight away and most people I know would have too. Cunts

I don't know how you juggle crutches. My cane is forever falling over when propped against something.

Well I'm clearly not. if i need help i'll ask.

Ive tied hair bands on the handles so there’s a bit I can move to get purchase on walls to stop them slipping!

But unless you have mobility issues you cant really comment what you would do or the majority of people would. A PP who is a HCP said she's asked people if they need help and people have shushed her away, so I'm not the only one that feels like this. Nothing wrong in asking for help, if you dont you might be waiting a while for people to notice hence what happened here

I injured my knee 6 weeks ago and was on crutches for two weeks. Getting through doors was a nightmare - I couldn't even use one crutch and open the door with the other hand because I would have fallen over (only using one leg at the time)
Of course people should get off their arses and help.

When you're an 'onlooker' and someone on crutches needs to get through a door, there's really only a few things you can do.

1. Sit and watch.
2. Hope that if they need help they'll ask for it - knowing that not everyone likes to ask and will struggle on, hoping someone will offer.
3. Do the decent thing that most of us have been raised to do and offer to help.

I'd rather do the 3rd one even if a few people might get frustrated, as from the reactions over my 56 years on earth, I'd definitely say the vast majority respond positively.

So I can only go with the majority really.

Yes, I would absolutely help, or at least offer, even though I'm not particularly well myself. I was trying to hold doors open for the nurse whilst I was being pushed through them on a trolley on the way to recovery after a fairly traumatic procedure last week, so it's safe to say that I'm physically incapable of not helping!

I would offer assistance (not just do it without asking) if I noticed someone struggling, but I very well may not truly notice even if it looked like I saw. I think we really overestimate how much attention & thought people pay us in public.

But I will say that as someone who has spent cumulative years using walking aids the most important thing I've learned to do is just ask people to help. People are generally oblivious, terrible at anticipating the needs & desires of others, and anxious about getting it wrong, but people also like to feel helpful and it's very rare that I've not had someone happily help when I ask for some specific assistance. My life on crutches/sticks/walkers became immeasurably easier when I got comfortable asking instead of waiting for someone to offer.

Brilliant thanks 👍

I was once in a&e, using a walking stick and trying to hold a pad cover on my bleeding other hand and no one opened any doors for me, including into the X-ray department or room 😂 personally I am disabled and appreciate when others hold doors etc. but there are some people who take offence at it so I sort of understand why some people don’t help with doors.

I totally understand your frustration, but you don't know why those people are in that waiting room. They may appear able bodied but may be going through acute illness, suffer mental/cognitive disabilities and so on. I completely get your frustration but you've no idea why the other patients also found themselves there. I'd be quick to judge too if I was in your position, but an outsiders view gives me the spoons to think of the above.

I’m not judging, I’ve already said in a previous post that I’ve posted to see what the reasons could have been.

You are absolutely right about a number of those reasons.

I think I found it most strange it was all of them rather than one or two.

I've had a rough time on crutches recently, barged into the road by a man steaming towards me oblivious, backed into and nearly floored by another man and certainly nobody has opened any doors for me. But then again im 63 and have to remember I'm invisible now. I'll have to wear head to toe high vis.

I am disabled and mostly use a wheelchair but use crutches if I’m out of it.

about 1 person a year helps, most don’t

Most public buildings have accessible doors now. Incredible that a GP surgery doesn't, that really needs updating.

So many people are just lost in their own world and unless it directly affects them they don’t engage… it is very sad how self absorbed / selfish we have become as a society.

Am a regular user of various mobility aids I am always so grateful if someone gets the door for me… just makes life that tiny bit easier.

it takes so little effort to hold or open a door for anyone regardless of them being disabled, juggling kids and a buggy etc… but basic manners / consideration for others is really a dying thing and it is very sad .

It seems that everyone has their heads buried in their phones and if only people looked up occasionally and engaged with the real world around them rather than the online world - our communities would be much friendlier places.