Wheelchair Chronicles #8
Being pushed by loved ones and sometimes strangers can be of help to a person trying to get around in a wheelchair. Getting around in a wheelchair can be difficult depending on one’s skill level as they constantly face challenges trying to get from one place to another.
Sadly, this world really wasn’t designed with disabled people in mind. While there have been some great changes in the past fifty years, other people constantly make clumsy attempts to be “accessible” and wind up failing miserably.
I saw a video recently of an accessible door opening up to a…….stairwell. Ridiculous.
I digress….
I travel with a companion if I’m going to be out in my chair because of the difficulty. It does get tiring pushing a manual chair and I appreciate a push every now and then.
But if this person has no experience dealing with wheelchairs…chaos can ensue.
I have been pushed into people, walls, desks, you name it. It can be quite cumbersome moving a heavy chair through crowds of people, but if you’re pushing someone in a wheelchair, you have to pay attention to where you’re pushing them to.
I had to utilize the hand brakes several times when a friend pushed me through the street because I was dangerously close to attacking the heels of innocent people walking in front of me.
Plus since the person pushing you is BEHIND YOU….they may not be able to hear you screaming as they just miss that open manhole in front of you.
When offering to push a friend in a chair, always be cognizant of your surroundings, especially cracks in the sidewalk, potholes, construction sites, etc. You can be pushing that person into danger…which could cause more issues.
The more I read this blog the more I like it! Keep up the good work SMR!
