Handicap Transportation

[skiingfast]

A long time ago I went with my grandfather to the zoo. I pulled up to the curb in front of the gates. I got his ECV out of the back seat and helped him get on it. I told him I'd be back in 10 or 15 minutes. He asked why? I could park right over there, referring to the handcapped spaces. I told him that those were for handicapped drivers and I could walk from another spot.

The OP hardly alludes to the abuse being by the person in the ECV. But obviously points out the abuse by the people with him/her. This is the real dilemma.

 

[honugirl]

Two teams play baseball, the fans watch. One team wins, the other looses. But the fans who chose to quite playing and only watch are the ones who failed.

What you said is horribly insensitive to the person trying to maintain thier standard of life.

Here's the deal though, at some point, you're NOT maintaining your standard of life. The person who refuses to use a chair/ecv/whatever isn't participating in life, is he? They have chosen to remove themselves from every day life. At some point, you have to give up the ghost and see that it's going to make life better to use a mobility aid. I went from chillin' at the Olympic Training Center learning my craft to unable to go to the grocery store. I had to make the choice to humble myself and use the aids that would let me participate in life no matter how embarrassing it was. Now I can travel and do what I want to do. That in itself is incredibly freeing and makes my life more fulfilling and satisfying. But to each their own...

 

[disneymayz]

To the OP not anyone else,
After 9 trips to the World (Jan 2010) we decided to give the bus system a try since we were staying at a mod. We waited about 45 mins for a bus. And as soon as it pulled up bamm you guessed it a ecv with 7-9 people walked/drove up and got right on. This happend a couple times. Our last trip (May 2010) we rented a car again.
I think,and I beleieve you agree, that they need to get the evc/wheelchairs on first since there is on a few spots for them. Not that they have to get back to the resort faster and get into bed before we can. I think that they can have a better system. My idea..... evc waits up front, bus driver gets off and ask where their party is, if there are 30 people in front of their party then driver says "you'll get the next bus".
Most people in a wheelchair/ecv DO NOT want you to feel sorry for them so I don't. I treat everyone equal, which means they should go through what we do, the 30 min waits. This does not include the rides since there are very limited ride cars that a wheelchair can be placed on. But every bus can handle a wheelchair.
I have seen a group rent a wheelchair and switch people riding in it just to get onto rides. But now that you need to get a pass to use the wheelchair access on rides I have not seen it happen.
And last - do not take what the others are saying personally. You are posting about the abuse and they seem to be taking it that you are posting thinking you are total against it. If they only have 1 or 2 people with them then your post does not reflect them and they made it about them. Hope you have a great day and don't let it be the thing you remember the most from your trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yep...knew where this was going to end up.
You know...no one was bitter or flaming here..well, maybe the OP. We all realize there is some abuse to this system. But, it is what it is. As I said, in 30+ trips to WDW, almost 100% of them using the Disney buses to get around, I have seen only one really large family board with one ECV bound person. Yes, that person did indeed need the ECV. He was very good when it came to boarding the bus with it..very experienced. But, his entire group of 15 got on with him....that irked me. But, everyone else at the stop also got on...so, no harm, no foul.
There are those who think using an ECV is going to get them on an attraction faster. Yes, I have been behind guests who muttered about 'why did they spend the money to rent an ECV if they had to be in the same line as everyone else' while waiting in a line. I have seen guests trying to figure out how to 'drive' an ECV...sometimes they have something obviously wrong with them, but other times it seems that they use it even without any injury involved. Is it right? No, of course not.

I have been run into, beeped at, squashed...more times than I can count..by ECV drivers in the parks. There are too many of them. And they think they have preferance when it comes to moving about. I do wish the system would change, but it isn't.

This thread has gotten out of hand. It has gone down the exact same road as every other 'ECV misuse' thread has gone. The OP starts a thread, complaining about the abuse, others come along and contradict what the OP saw...gets the OP all up in arms. Things get nasty...I have to lock the thread.
Nothing new with this one.