Victory at Fresh Market

[Sunshine]

Yesterday I picked up the yogurt no longer sold at Publix, at Fresh Market. Imagine my surprise to see two new motorized cart/scooters! So, calling corporate clearly helped. Not too soon. Not only are my legs dicey , but yesterday was day I got injury on left leg impairing it even more, and yesterday there was a long wait at checkout stand that would've created an impossible job of standing 5-10 minutes,

The downside was a rude and condescending cashier who appeared very put upon when I couldn't roll down the narrow checkout aisle. I smiled and said nothing.

And the placement of the carts made it impossible to access them without moving carts away, and backing up a second scooter. It's hard to explain the geometry of the problem,,,I am able to do that kind of moving of carts, but a more impaired person would not.

I think it will change as more patrons start to use the carts.

[Howie]

Well, you GOT the carts...on to complaint number TWO!

I love my Food Lion. I have NO accessibility issues with them. A great store to shop in.

[agate]

Congratulations on your victory, BBS! Getting the carts supplied is huge!

I'm afraid that part of the picture with any mobility aid is stuff in your way. Most places don't seem set up for walkers or wheelchairs or scooters. Most places need to rethink that, IMHO, but in the meantime...

I never look forward to being out and about with the wheelchair. Doorways that are too narrow don't happen very often but inclines that are too steep often do, and I'm always having to shove furniture out of the way. Sometimes I even ask if that's OK, sometimes I just shove it.

I often have to get out of my chair to move the furniture. This causes stares, and I can see a thought bubble over the heads of some: "Why does she NEED that wheelchair since she can stand and walk?"

They don't know how far I can walk, do they? And anyway, would I be in that wheelchair just for the fun of it? I ENJOY getting my knuckles scraped raw trying to get through doorways?

As they're sitting there with the thought bubbles, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be too much, sometimes, for some of them to lend a helping hand in moving the furniture. So I haven't had such a workout just in my attempt to be there among them.

Another thought bubble might appear over some of their heads: "She could use the exercise."

[Frog42]

People don't seem to understand that there are DEGREES to which someone is disabled. You can either do something just fine or you can't do it at all.

Makes me wonder about their intelligence for sure.

[Sunshine]

I have the same thought bubbles going too! They see me walk from my car into the store and then sit on the scooter.

I will keep my mouth shut at Fresh Market, am grateful they have them now!

And it's interesting to see how people react to scooters. Most are appropriately and respectfully polite. I know pre- attack, I would see the scooter and just be thinking, "I am glad that's not me" . I never thought they were free loading.

Then there are the women who talk to me in that condescending voice some use when talking to children. Oh well, that's not so bad.

But my favorite was last October when I was in Wal Mart trying to find a scooter, a cashier helped me locate thelast one...A 500 pound woman , no exaggeration, walked in the door, saw the cashier walking to the scooter weigh me limping slowly behind her, and there was only one scooter available, and she RAN to the scooter to use it. The cashier was stunned. I said, Don't sorry, I will sit on the bench and wait for one to free up.

[Howie]

I ran into that situation at Food Lion once where all the carts were in use, so I sat on the bench and waited. Finally the guy rolls outside to his car I guess. And I waited for him to return, and waited, and finally got up and looked out, and here's the cart, abandoned about 50 feet out in the parking lot.

So I went out, always a little nervous about walking that far. But I made it, and finally went shopping. I think the store manager noticed me waiting, because there were more carts the next time I went shopping. As for leaving it out in the lot, this person just thinks of themselves. What can you say?

I will take the cart all the way out to my car if I bought a big load, but will ask a cashier or manager first. They have a plaque in each cart "for store use only". So asking first just seems the respectful thing to do. They have never said no.

[jendie]

Then there are the women who talk to me in that condescending voice some use when talking to children. Oh well, that's not so bad.

But my favorite was last October when I was in Wal Mart trying to find a scooter, a cashier helped me locate thelast one...A 500 pound woman , no exaggeration, walked in the door, saw the cashier walking to the scooter weigh me limping slowly behind her, and there was only one scooter available, and she RAN to the scooter to use it. The cashier was stunned. I said, Don't sorry, I will sit on the bench and wait for one to free up.

The condescending talk is what one of the caregivers I had a few years ago was like. I called her supervisor and fired her for treating me that way. I may be short, but I'm not a child.

The Wal-Mart near me rarely has a working scooter available and usually when you see someone using one they are using it because of their weight problem. I'm not knocking overweight people, but there seems to be an epidemic when it comes to places like Wal-mart.

The only places I'm able find a motorized cart on a regular basis is Safeway and Costco, they have have lots of them.

[Howie]

How tall are you shorty? None of my business, just curious.

[Pegakafarmgirl]

Our Walmart is pretty sad about helping the disabled,, they will not let you take the scooter to your car to unload, against their policy,, you can get fined, no one to help take groceries or whatever out,,half the scooters either broke or the battery run down,,sad situation,,

[jendie]

I'm a hiccup more than 5 feet tall. I've been this height since I was 12.

[jendie]

Our Walmart is pretty sad about helping the disabled,, they will not let you take the scooter to your car to unload, against their policy,, you can get fined, no one to help take groceries or whatever out,,half the scooters either broke or the battery run down,,sad situation,,

Luckily, the Walmart I usually go to lets you take the scooter outside... if you were able to find a working one.

[Howie]

As long as you made 5 feet, then I won't call you Shorty. My sister is 5'4", but I'm 6'1, and my brother is 6'2". We grows 'em tall down heer in da South.