General Chat

Just spent the day with mum and I find it hard enough with a pram shopping and trying to open shop doors. Mum can't walk very well has a stick and was holding on to me as well. The trouble we had getting in and out of her local shops, the doors are so heavy. Thought they were meant to of sorted things out to give better access for the disabled. Must of looked a sight me opening door, holding it open with a foot getting pushchair out while mum is clinging to my arm then manoeuvring her out.

I thought it was law now, that access had to be made for the disabled.

So did I Roxanne I know its a little town but even so this was a well known shop and if I think about it the one here in our town has heavy doors as well. Theres no way mum can go out on her own and would never of been able to open the doors on her own.

Think everywhere has to be disabled friendly by 2007 or something

Oh good Jess two more years of fighting with big heavy doors.

i know what you mean, i struggled around town with the pram while shop keepers looked on, and in some shops the pram wont fit down the isle, how on earth would a wheelchair? x

mum and dad went to milton keynes yesterday and dad ordered her a buggy. She couldn't believe the number of people that just looked at her and didn't move out the way, dad had to ask them if they could move. Think we need to be more disabled friendly

Hmm, when i was in my wheelchair(broken legs) i was out with my mum in a clothes shop, somebody walked past and needed to be where i was so she wheeled me (without speaking to me) out of her way, i ended up facing the wall, my mum thought it was really funny (the look on my face), but i couldn't believe someone could be so awful. x

I know what you mean - it's an absoulute nightmare withprams thankfully I've just stopped needing her bugy (unless she's ill). Jacquie

Ohh Dawn dont get me going with this one;; there is not that many peeps out there that care about people in wheelchairs let alone shops;; One shop Mark1 it terrible, there is not even a changing room downstairs, so if I want a top manover into corner and strip off, the staff have looked at me funny be never come over I think they know I would bite there heads off; Then just going from shop to shop people just donot move, and some!! with kids just keep walking at you, so hubby manovers round them, but he has bad wrists why sould he;; if I`m with daughters they go straight at them, I get worried in case they catch them with the chair but they say tough, should have more respect;; (thank god I must have done a good job with them somewhere down the line) Babs

As a disabled person who has used a wheelchair or equivalent since birth I feel qualified to talk about this too. Access is improving but very slowly!!!! i have a few small shops in my road and not one who has a step has made any effort to change this. There has been electric doors put on some shops in the town. Whats really gets my goat is people's attitudes. I may not be able to walk, but my brain works perfectly and I do have the same feelings as everyone else. We are Human and deserve to be treated like one. If a child asks someone who is disabled why they are, dont tell them to sssshhhh, let them ask. It is them who will learn. Thanks Fi

I had words in the local co-op last week. They had taken to leaving large stock-shifting cages and pile-em-high displays in the middle of all the aisles. Couldn't get down most with a super lightweight buggy. Someone with a wheel chair, or even a bit wobbly, woudn't have had a chance. Seems to have improved since then.

babs, i agree mark 1 is a nightmare, when i take my daughter(who is wheelchair dependant) there it's like the krypton factor assalt course. i have spent more time picking clothes up off the floor that the wheelchair has knocked down than we do looking at clothes. linda