I'm surprised no one's said anything about people playing in wheelchairs

[Estil]

Hi, I'm new here and I've been a checker at a local grocery store for a little over two years now. My all-time pet peeve (yes, even more than those customers who try to abuse the express lange) is when people are playing with or otherwise using store wheelchairs or electric scooters when they obviously don't need them (like if they're popping wheelies and such). Now, whenever I see someone do that, I always politely tell them to get out of the chairs and that they are for handicapped or elderly customers only. I'm sorry, but I have a wife who's on permanent disablity and I just think people playing in wheelchairs makes a mockery of the disabled.

In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly, where am I wrong?

[friendofjimmyk]

<snip>
In the famous words of Bill O'Reilly, where am I wrong?

You are not wrong - they are wrong. I don't think it necessarily makes a mockery of the disabled more than it's just very inconsiderate - what if they break the darn things playing on them? Then what will those who need them use?

*EDIT- Please remove unnecessary parts of quoted posts. We have already read the post above and really don't need to read it again. I, for one, am not fond of reruns. ~Ree

[KamenRiderOsaka]

Oh I hate that! My husband has a bad knee, and when it acts up he can barely walk. I mean, hes perfectly capable, but once in awhile, he needs the chair. Well, too bad, because its been taken by this little girl, who cant be older than 12 and weighs a lot more than I do (at LEAST 250-275), and her mom takes one too, and they ride around buying snacks, junk food, pop and candy. And the thing is, no one can tell them they cant use it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

There's also the fact that those people playing with them run the risk of disabling themselves in the process (which would serve them right, but that's beside the point), opening up the store to liability issues....

We used to get a wheelchair for my grandmother at the mall, and it would piss me off too if I saw people playing with them for their own amusement (though at my mall you have to give them your driver's license or other ID for collateral - You get it back when you return the chair).

[Broomjockey]

I have to say, I've never seen anyone do anything like this, and sadly, at first, I was surprised to think anyone would. But yet again humanity steps up to the plate to hit my faith out of the park.

[Drakstern]

We had a problem with that for a while...

However, we also had off duty cops working in the store as security. They didn't take kindly to that. See, we were allowed to ask them to get off the motorized cart if they clearly weren't disabled. They didn't have to get off, and we had to be careful about how we asked, but if they refused, we'd get security...

Let's just say that we had less of a problem with it after this exchange.

<Cop> *To teen on cart* Hey, are you disabled?

<Teen> *Smartass tone* Do I look disabled?

<Cop> No, you don't. Do you wanna be?

Kid got off the cart.

[ToasterQueen]

I ...HATE IT....when the big people who don't need the carts get on the carts and ride them around.

I'm sorry. There are some fat people who actually need it, and it's sad, but they legitimately can't walk very well, so whatever.

It's the ones who aren't -that- obese and are just riding it because they're lazy that get me.

These people also tend to be the SUPREME entitlement whores. Defensive and unpleasant to deal with.

I have a soft spot in my heart for senior citizens, and when I see an old man with a walker that SHOULD have a cart almost get run over by some 300-pound woman with a Razr ordering employees to get stuff off the shelves for her so she doesn't have to get off her tush, it BURNS ME UP.

[Becks]

<Cop> *To teen on cart* Hey, are you disabled?

<Teen> *Smartass tone* Do I look disabled?

<Cop> No, you don't. Do you wanna be?

I love cops sometimes.

[protege]

Grandma just turned 90, and walks with a cane. Even though she gets around OK, it can be difficult, especially on certain surfaces, or in big stores. Usually, it's just easier to put her in a wheelchair. For example, the IKEA here is huge, and she wanted to look around. Rather than risk a fall, I wheeled her around to look at things. However, she hates those motorized things--she's afraid she'll hit someone with it!

[Mighty Girl]

They have, it's just been a while. It ranks up there with parking in handicapped spots.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

<snip>

As soon as she has run down the battery on the cart, she usually leaves<snip>

I. Freaking. Hate. That.

Usually because I am the poor schmuck who has to retrieve the cart when the battery has died and drag it back up to the charger at the front of the store.

Our handicapped carts can only handle about 250 pounds; any more than that and the motor burns out. Then we have to send it in to get fixed and deal with people complaining because the handicapped carts are all gone.

Likewise, the handicapped carts are not meant to be driven outside. We have placed sensormatic stickers on the carts to prevent this, but does it do any good? Nope.

*EDIT- Please remove unnecessary parts of quoted posts. We have already read the post above and really don't need to read it again. I, for one, am not fond of reruns. ~Ree

[zzapp the witch]

*EDIT - Unnecessarily rude comments removed or edited heavily throughout the post~Ree

At one point I couldn't walk around enough to get a minimum of groceries because of a hip injury from the Army, I wasn't even supposed to be able to carry a pregnancy to term (much less three) and on some days I can barely walk, yet I won't set my ass in one of those, I'll brace on the cart and rest a lot. My dad was almost 400 lbs at one point (health problems, now addressed) HE has never used one of those. My 85 yr old grandmother won't admit she NEEDS one, I see elderly/recovering surgery/3rd trimester pregnant and exhausted all over stores that NEED to let themselves have the luxury of shopping with maybe an easement of pain.....but these lazy people are riding around in herds intimidating other customers. WTF?

And yes, I said intimidating, as in threatening to run over, just barreling into, and once, I saw someone PURPOSELY roll on top of a little kid's foot and just sit there. I mean this kid couldn't have been older than 5!! My late husband ran right over and lifted the chair off the kid's foot, and the person had the audacity to cuss him out over it! It wasn't even her kid!

Why are they allowed to use them? I've always been one of those people that thinks: If you don't have a handicapped sticker in your car, or you aren't in obvious physical distress, or have casts, bandages or such, then YOU DON'T NEED ONE!

But please someone answer my question that hasn't been satisfactorily answered for years: Why are they allowed to get away with that crap?

[Ree]

Please don't turn this thread into a debate about whether certain people merit the use of scooters or wheelchairs. That has been done to death on here, usually with a lot of judgmental and rude comments directed at obese people, resulting in a closed thread.

Nobody has to walk a mile in another's shoes, so it's a little difficult to state with absolute certainty that the person in the wheelchair or scooter does not absolutely need to be using it.

There is already an obesity debate over at fratching.com, I believe. If you simply cannot restrain yourself from the need to pass judgment on people and call them nasty names because they are overweight, then head on over there and keep it off of our forums.

This thread is about people who PLAY WITH THE WHEELCHAIRS OR SCOOTERS, with the potential to cause damage to them.
Let's keep the discussions to that issue.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Usually because I am the poor schmuck who has to retrieve the cart when the battery has died and drag it back up to the charger at the front of the store.

Too bad you don't have a towtruck for 'em. A couple weeks ago at work I saw a guy use one motorized pallet jack to tow another motorized pallet jack back to the charger. I laughed when I realized what he was doing and he said it was dead because the 3rd shift runs them down and doesn't recharge them. And he said the one he was using to tow it was getting ready to die too.

[auntiem]

My pet peeve is when the people use them and don't plug them back in to charge. I hate using them, but with a badly broken leg you pretty much have to in the larger stores. Out of the cast now, I alway check them on my way in and out of the store to make sure they are charging and I have no problem calling out kids who are obviously playing with them.
That said, anyone know why these carts don't come with a place to put crutches? It seems like a kinda obvious feature to have on them.