Sick and Tired of Being Attacked by Strollers

[DVCismyhappyplace]

There's a middle ground here - somewhere between chasing down the culprit and beating them and pretending that it didn't occur.

A dear friend of mine actually suffered a serious injury after being struck by an ECV. He needed pins put in his shin bone because he was rammed. There is a real liability on the operator of the ECV or stroller. The same as if you were driving a car. He had to sue the operator of the ECV in order to be compensated. It was not pleasant.

 

[larryz]

As a police officer, being hit with a stroller by accident at a CROWDED tourist destination, I would not take a report. Now if you feel you can chase someone down and illegally detain them, you will have some issues to deal with yourself. These threads get old. We get the point. You have stroller issues.

How exactly would you physically detain another full grown adult? Citizens arrest?

Once the detainor announces "citizens arrest" or similar, detaining is not illegal. An attempt by the detainee to escape is illegal. The detainee can claim excessive force but not illegal detention yet. The detainor can expect to obtain identification to permit suing for damages prior to releasing the detainee, and, depending on how egregious it looked, optionally pressing assault charges.

Wow -- this is just as much fun as watching an episode of Law and Order!

DOINK-DOINK!!!

 

[2binak]

I've gone to WDW 12 times and I've never been hit by a stroller, wheelchair or ECV (knock on wood!). When we want to look at a map, look at a ride or feature, take a break or decide on something, we always move up close to the side of a building, walkway or rope so that we are as far out of the way as possible. We also never get into the middle of after-parade or after-fireworks crowds. We stand back and let everyone else move out first.

I'm not saying that there aren't aggressive people out there, I've witnessed my share of them at WDW (on foot, on & behind wheeled transport), but by being proactive and really being aware of your surroundings, you can cut down on your chances of being injured.

 

[KimK2006]

I admit I have run into people a my stroller a few times over the MANY trips with strollers. I know somtimes it was because the people abruptly stopped right in front of me. I admit one time and it was my fault. I have run into my DH and didn't even know it. It is possible to do it and not realize it. Everytime I have done it, I apologized (even if it wasn't my fault) and moved on. I would have stopped if someone was on the ground. (Thank goodness I have been done with strollers for a while.)

If the person didn't apologize to you, they either didn't know or were just rude. Either way, why in the world would you call Security? Because someone accidentally ran into you/DW? What is Security supposed to do? Tell the stroller pusher not to accidentally run into anyone again? It was an accident! There are SO many rude people in Disney. You just have to get over the lack of an apology.

I am sorry your DW and DS were hurt, but you can't let someone not apologizing ruin your whole trip.

 

[justakrazymom]

While I get that some people are discourteous or just plain inattentive with their strollers, when I read posts from people enumerating all the times they've been "run down" by a stroller I have to wonder if maybe they aren't doing something to make that more likely. Like the guy I watched at Studios who zipped into about 12" of open space in front of a stroller and then proceed to use some very unDisney language in the direction of the stroller driver when his ankle got clipped, or the couple who did the same thing to a wheelchair at Epcot rope drop. I could just imagine those people posting about their experiences with those reckless drivers too!

This.. while I am certain there are times people get "attacked" by a stroller.. it's just as likely the person was not being observant and walked into said stroller. I know my kid shave gotten stepped on, mowed down,burned by cigarettes and slammed into by adults not paying attention. I'm certain I've clipped a few ankles too.. it happens. We were there for 11 days and not one of our group of 21 was "attacked" by a stroller and I think I only clipped one person..but she stepped off the curb and right into my son's stroller on Main Street. Of course she apologized to him because she took responsibility for her actions.

 

[The 6 J's]

Both times caused pain but the 2nd time caused a lot of pain and a cut.

That stinks and would make me mad enough to feel this way too.

At least have the courtesy to stop and see if we are all right!

100% agree. Sorry you had such a bad experience. I took a pretty good whack to the ankle myself on our last trip. Just chalked it up to being in the busiest part of the busiest park on the busiest day of our trip.

As a Dis Commando Stroller Pilot of a fully loaded double stroller travelling at full ive-been-planning-this-trip-for-11-months speed I find that I can avoid running into people by yelling medievel Norwegian battle cries and yodelling as I zip through the parks. I have also (knock on wood) never hit anyone but its probably only a matter of time. Even my ninja-like reflexes will be put to the test with our next trip. If (when) I do hit someone I'll not only stop to make sure they are ok but I think drawing blood probably calls for laying a couple Fastpasses on them as appropriate compensation.

Tip: Shoulder check as if you are in a car any time you are about to stop or start in any given direction. The odd sound you hear and the 100 lb inline Graco double missile of destruction barrelling down on you may be me.

 

[bumbershoot]

But should I really have to walk with one eye looking behind me?

Yes, of course. Why would you think otherwise?

After the 2nd incident this trip, we were very attentive to who was behind us...

And did it happen again once you became attentive to your surroundings?

This is why I never go to Disney without hiring a Brazilian tour group to flank me on all sides. They're great at shock aborption.

Excellent idea.




Although I am not aware of hitting anyone with a stroller, the very few times we've used one at Disney (and that's the only place, other than a brief stint of jogging, that we used one), I'm certain that I have and wasn't aware of it. And if I wasn't aware of it, then someone out there was probably angry with me.

I know that DH has, and that's why he stopped being allowed to use them. He was totally UNaware that he was hitting anyone, except when he hit ME and I made a federal case out of it (I don't like being hurt by anyone). I'm still not sure he believed me; even though he is much taller than me, he just wasn't aware of how close he got to people.

I know I've bumped into people with my own body, and when I have done that I have said "oh gosh, sorry!" Some people don't hear me AT ALL, and either go about their business or glare at me like I haven't spoken (because they can't hear me), others do hear me but still don't care, and others hear me and we all move on.

 

[Art 1]

It would be nice to have at least one stroller free day per month at one of the parks.

 

[DisneyFamily123]

................As a Dis Commando Stroller Pilot of a fully loaded double stroller travelling at full ive-been-planning-this-trip-for-11-months speed I find that I can avoid running into people by yelling medievel Norwegian battle cries and yodelling as I zip through the parks. I have also (knock on wood) never hit anyone but its probably only a matter of time. Even my ninja-like reflexes will be put to the test with our next trip. If (when) I do hit someone I'll not only stop to make sure they are ok but I think drawing blood probably calls for laying a couple Fastpasses on them as appropriate compensation.

Tip: Shoulder check as if you are in a car any time you are about to stop or start in any given direction. The odd sound you hear and the 100 lb inline Graco double missile of destruction barrelling down on you may be me.

You are too funny! Thanks for giving me a laugh. I'll be listening for the Medieval Norwegian battle cries on my next trip!

 

[Bullseye]

I understand your frustration but as a father of 4 who has been pushing a stroller through WDW for the last 10 years, you also need to understand how many times people will suddenly stop dead in their tracks and/or dart in front of you unexpectedly. Many times people are so wrapped up in their own vacation experience that they can ruin someone else's.

This was the point I was going to make. For every rude stroller person there are just as many idiots who come to a dead stop for no reason or run or veer in front of strollers. In all the years I've gone I have been cut off by many strollers but few have actually hit me and none have caused serious harm.

Trying to picture someone actually "running off" afterwards "OMG honey, I hit someone with the stroller....runnnnnn"

 

[SheenaXena21]

I'll admit that this past trip, I knicked a few people, BUT I ALWAYS APOLOGIZED!!!!

In the same trip, we were behind the castle after Wishes, with no one in front of me or beside me on either side, I was MOWED OVER by some random guy pushing a stroller. WITHOUT AN APOLOGY!!!!! And I know he knew he hit me, because he hit me so hard, I lurched forward!!!! And it really hurt!!!

My point is... APOLOGIZE!!!

 

[SheenaXena21]

As a Dis Commando Stroller Pilot of a fully loaded double stroller travelling at full ive-been-planning-this-trip-for-11-months speed I find that I can avoid running into people by yelling medievel Norwegian battle cries and yodelling as I zip through the parks. I have also (knock on wood) never hit anyone but its probably only a matter of time. Even my ninja-like reflexes will be put to the test with our next trip. If (when) I do hit someone I'll not only stop to make sure they are ok but I think drawing blood probably calls for laying a couple Fastpasses on them as appropriate compensation.

 

[seashoreCM]

If the person didn't apologize to you, they either didn't know or were just rude. Either way, why in the world would you call Security? Because someone accidentally ran into you/DW? What is Security supposed to do? Tell the stroller pusher not to accidentally run into anyone again? It was an accident! .

The purpose of summoning Security is to prevent the miscreant from running off without identifying himself and as best as possible maintain a family atmosphere at the moment.

It might be an accident but if you cause damage or injury you are responsible for that.

 

[Wadecool]

This is why I never go to Disney without hiring a Brazilian tour group to flank me on all sides. They're great at shock aborption.

I would think that the great Bill Brasky could just shoo away those wayward strollers with a flick of his thumb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NjgPDIeSXA

 

[kmcford]

There are rude people everywhere. Strollers or no strollers. At the same time we have no idea what is going on in someone's life. So you confront a person to make yourself feel better and find out that that person was distracted because this trip is their last trip ever because they are dying, or their parent just died, or even they are just trying to find a bathroom before their child has an accident is that going to make you feel better? Should they be more careful absolutly but making a scene will do nothing to help the situation at all.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Another bad stroller accident

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

How exactly would you physically detain another full grown adult? Citizens arrest?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efgLHgsBmM

do you suppose the crowds would be yelling "hooray!!"?

 

[Maddies Mama]

I run into my fair share of people with my stroller and I always apologize. My bad for following too closely behind or whatever. I feel badly, apologize and we both move on. However, I don't apologize when it's because they've cut me off by suddenly darting in front of my stroller with no warning. If I see someone walking kind of diagonally and our paths are going to cross, I will slow down or swerve so we don't collide, but when someone is walking next to me with the flow of traffic and they just suddenly cut to the left or right without looking and the wheels collide with their foot, that's their problem.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I'm a little more passive-aggressive than the OP.....maybe I'd follow them, and after they park the offending stroller, hide it in another location of the park

 

[vcgirl925]

I understand your frustration but as a father of 4 who has been pushing a stroller through WDW for the last 10 years, you also need to understand how many times people will suddenly stop dead in their tracks and/or dart in front of you unexpectedly. Many times people are so wrapped up in their own vacation experience that they can ruin someone else's.

I have been on both sides of stroller wrecklessness. I've been the bumper and the bumped. It happens. It's an accident. Yes it's rude for someone to run into you and not apologize. But you can't arrest someone for lack of manners. You just get over it.