Taking the piss - mobility scooters

[lizziec]

Since our holiday in Skegness in September I've increasingly noted younger and younger people in mobility scooters who do not appear to need them. Often I cannot confirm this suspicion, but I believe I did so tonight on the way back from the Eurostar IVT thing (we're home btw :D The last simulation ran on time. Still bloody knackered though and only got back about 10 mins ago - another two hour drive :(). Anyway, we were changing trains at East Croydon when a guy on a mobility scooter (and not a small economy model either) wearing a sort of shell suit tracksuit and a hat with lots of badges on it comes along, followed by a guy with a ramp who works for South Eastern or whatever they are this week. The guy in the scooter was youngish and looked like a bit of a waster TBH but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. The train came and he scooted on with the help of the ramp, blocking that whole entrance and parked himself there. Due to the size of his scooter that entrance bay was now unusable for the trip (at rush hour). Clearly at some point during the journey he realised he'd need to get out again so he sets to a million point turn to get the massive scooter pointing the other way. Eventally he backs himself into an impossible situation - he couldn't turn anymore because there wasn't enough space.

He didn't wait for or ask for help.

He got off the scooter and lifted it up and turned it around.

I was left with a dirty taste in my mouth and feeling rather disgusted at what I had witnessed. It's people like him who give people like my Father in Law who uses one because he can't walk a bad name/reputation.

Gragh.

Comments

[barakta]

It may be that this guy has fatigue rather than absolute disability. I'm disinclined to believe that anyone would choose to use a mobility scooter by choice without some reason for it, no matter how marginal because mobility-assistance is such a pain to organise and they are actually annoying wee beasties. Unless he nicked it of course...

A friend of mine had a hired scooter for a BiCon because she had what is now believed to be fibromyalgia. She could walk, but she couldn't stand for any time and couldn't walk far without suffering afterwards. The scooter provided a permanent seat and a reminder to herself and others not to overdo it... It is a lot cheaper to get a scooter than it is to get a proper wheelchair and even a very minor mobility disability can make walking moderate distances very difficult.

[kimble.livejournal.com]

To be fair he could have had a lung problem or something - would be fine with standing, or brief anaerobic excercise, but no walking stamina and therefore a legitimate need for a scooter.

Or even be a perfectly able-bodied person transporting a scooter for some reason, though one would think anyone with a bit of common sense would avoid doing that on a rush hour train.

I try not to judge...

[kimble.livejournal.com]

And, predictably, barakta got there first.

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

I understand that and generally try not to judge, but there was a certain sprightliness in the way he got off the scooter and turned it round that made me doubt he had a genuine problem.

Of course, it's possible that I'm just feeling especially mean spirited because I'm both physically and mentally tired and that makes my depression much worse and makes me much less forgiving.

(With reference to the final point, I know why people buy mobility scooters - my FIL has one because it's cheaper than an electric wheelchair and arthritis in his shoulders is somewhat exacerbated by using his manual one for more than very short distances)

[trappermcintyre.livejournal.com]

Instead of replying with the same thing twice, which would be rather pointless, I instead poke you at my reply to barakta :)

[kimble.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was uttery exhausted after the IVT yesterday (I didn't wake up until 1pm today) and I didn't have a 2-hour drive to contend with, so I can imagine that you're in far from the best of states atm. *hugs*

[bethanthepurple.livejournal.com]

My goat? People on them who ride in pairs really fucking fast on a crowded street. You have to jump out of the way, and they're too big to actually weave!

[barakta]

I'd kick em hard. My mate who has a hardcore electric chair knows the rules about running over my feet - his battery gets it!

[manyfacesofjase.livejournal.com]

Back when I was in year 9 and I first royally screwed up my hips, I had to be on crutches for a few days to take the strain off. A couple of times, having to up and down stairs a lot, I would simply walk down without using the crutches.
People saw this and told me I was a useless faker. This wasn't true as my hips *did* hurt if I walked for too long, but the occasional walk down the stairs (not up) was a lot easier than trying to maneuver the crutches around the hordes of (uncaring) people, and while I was doing that walking, I probably looked perfectly healthy.
So maybe this guy can do the occasional bit of exertion, but otherwise gets incredibly tired/hurt.