Handicapped Wheelchairs are Inaccessible in Stores: Problems & Solutions
I am very upset…
…at the inaccessibility of handicapped wheelchairs in stores.
Problems:
1. You have to make your way over to a service desk to obtain a key to use the chair.
2. When you’re done with the chair, you have to return it back to the place where you got it from and walk to key back to the service desk.
3. Most of the wheelchairs are in atrocious condition. The leather seats are cracked. The armrests catch your clothing. They’re very dirty. Many of them make as much noise as a lawnmower.
4. The aisles in the stores are so tight that, in many cases, you can’t get through. Also, the cashiers are so close together it’s difficult to get through, especially in grocery stores.
5. Half of the chairs aren’t charged and you get stuck in the middle of the store with a conked out machine.
6. The instructions are often not clear on how to make the chair work. They all start differently and it’s difficult to figure out. Some of them have long, retractable cords that won’t retract and you have to figure out how to wind it around something – the seat or handlebars…
7. There are times when I come into the store and there are no more handicapped carts available for me to use. Outside in the parking lot, there are a tremendous number of handicapped parking spaces, but only 2 chairs in a store to accomodate these people. Does this make sense? Also, there are times where there are people driving these carts in the store who are visibly not actually handicapped and don’t really need this service, while I’m trying to maneuver my way around the store in pain – or I simply leave the store and go somewhere else.
8. Some stores have a simple wheelchair without a basket that is manual. How in the world could I shop with this? Not only is it difficult to manually push myself around, but I can’t actually shop! I suppose the idea is to have someone else pushing you around. What good is that, though, if you can’t also push a cart at the same time. It’s useless…
9. When you’re ready to cash out, you actually have to get out of the chair and manually load your groceries out of your cart onto the conveyor belt. Couldn’t there be someone there to assist you? I’m not just here for a fun day out. They’re necessities you need and all the while, we’re in pain. All of us don’t always have friends or family available when we’re ready or in need of going shopping.
10. When you finally do get through the aisles and get your stuff paid for, you are not allowed to take the chairs outside to your car to load your bags. You are expected to take your bags and put them in a regular cart. Then, get that wheelchair back to where they belong, then return the key to the service desk, and if you’re alone, hope your groceries you already paid for and have in a cart left by itself are still there. Then, you have to walk that cart outside, usually by yourself, and load those groceries and return that cart to a recepticle.
11. Restrooms in stores do have a handicapped stall, but have you ever tried opening the door to get into the restroom in the first place. It must weigh 50 lbs…Now try maneuvering through it with your chair…come on – put one of those automatic buttons to assist us…
Solutions:
1. At the very least, the chairs should be clean and in perfect repair and charged.
2. The chairs should be where the keys for the machines are instead of a service desk that you have to search for and is further away. In our Niagara Falls, Ontario Wal-Mart, the chairs used to be located at the very back of the store in the layaway section…The service desk is up front…What’s going on here? I have 2 canes I walk with…Try organizing all of that – your purse, canes, wheelchair, keys, and your in pain trying to walk around to collect all of these items to get a chair for yourself.
3. It would be an appreciated courtesy if there was someone at the service desk who would at least ask you if you needed any help getting the wheelchair machine, assisting you with groceries because many of us cannot reach items above chest level seated in this chair, and if we need help transferring groceries into the new cart, loading your vehicle and returning the chair and the keys. “Are you in need of assistance today?” Simple!
4. People who are handicapped, and not just lazy, would have a handicapped sign for their vehicle, at least in Ontario…Bring that in to get y0ur wheelchair and prove that your are, in fact, handicapped. I am tired of having no machine to use and seeing people around the store who do not seem to be handicapped in the least bit using them while I’m hobbling around in pain.
5. Put one of those automatic buttons on the outside of the restroom door that will automatically open up the heavy door for us.
I represent a tremendous percentage of purhasing power among the mobility challenged people in this world. Please, give us some simple and equal consideration and some assistance if you want us to frequent your establishment.
***
I hope you found this Life post interesting on Ingrid Turner Today! Until next time…
Ingrid 
P.S. Need a motorized chair of your own? Check out this really cool model:
Technorati Tags: wheelchair accessibility, handicapped chairs in stores, handicapped chairs, motorized wheelchair for shopping, motorized wheelchair, handicapped bathroom, hadicapped issues, handicapped rant, mobility challenged
Do you enjoy my site? Let me know by sending me a drink I love to keep my fingers buzzing with neat and fresh content.
Breakthroughs in Stem Cell Research
