Some people just dont get it

[antnee]

Here is the scene, 2 tired adults suffering in the Florida Heat (near Heat Exhaustion) 1 5 year old girl and a 21 month old boy who just did all the rides in Fantasyland. We get to our PS at th Crystal Palace on time and are seated me across from the 5 yo and my GF from the baby. We notice an old man (real name we gave him cannot be printed here) in one of those ECV chairs actually zipping up and down the aisles back and forth to the buffet. When on one of his return trips his wheel catches the end of the high chair the baby is sitting in and pins his arm up against the table. He doesnt back up, or say anything. he just keeps going forward. My GF quickly pulls the table towards her to free the baby and the man at the next table jumps up to help move the aby out of harms way. This man doesnt even aplogize and just goes back to his table. My GF was upset as she realizes that her son's arm could have been broken and goes to see the manager. At the same time I informed the waitress of the situation and she said she saw the whole thing. the manager apologized and the waitress took my GF's meal off the bill as she hardly could eat after this anyway. They put the highchair in between the tables out of the aisle unitl the man left. We have no complaints about the restaurants but they were aware how rude the man was when he entered the place.

 

[Tony-NJ]

kill me. Thank goodness everything turned out OK though!

 

[JAP]

Yep put your buffett eating butt in front of a baby sitting in a high chair any day! What is wrong with people that they cannot apologize?

Very unfortunate I am glad your GF's baby was ok. I would have been upset too.

 

[CathyCanada]

I hope the manager went up to the man and at least asked him to be more careful. It may not have done any good, but at least it would have let him know that people saw what he did and didn't appreciate it.
Jerk!
CC

 

[robinb]

I'm happy to hear that the 1 year old was OK! What a maroon . I would have chased him down and given him a piece of my mind! And it woudn't have been pretty! I'm also glad that they moved the high-chair. It's a difficult situation for them trying to make the aisles wide enough for people with disabilities but also have the kids on the outside for easy character interaction.

I wonder if the guy in the ECV even knew what he did.

 

[PandyPaws]

I understand the need for the ECV's for folk's with disabilities...however, after an experience I also had last week we should remind ourselves when at WDW, that a lot of those who use them at the parks have absolutely NO experience with them!! They rent, get in...and GOOOOOOOO....

I had just entered Epcot by way of the International Gateway. My kids went straight ahead to the water fountain (in hindsite, thank goodness they did) and I went towards the door of the giftshop right there. As I was walking I glanced back at the kids to tell them to come to the shop, when I heard a loud "BANG" that made me jump!! There was a woman on an ECV trying to enter the shop from the left. She was such an angle, going at full speed she could not possibly have made the doorway correctly... she just missed my shins and bashed into the outside of the door. She hit it so hard it smashed and bent it's doorstop underneath the door, and shoving the door almost closed, dragging the doorstop underneath, scraping and gouging the cement. The woman just sat there looking dazed and confused, but she was unhurt. After helping her back it up, I helped the CM to get the door back open.... we both had to put all our weight into it together and give a few hard shoves. The cement in that spot is now cracked, yikes! I kept thinking, had my kids been on my heels like they usually are, they would have been beteewn that ECV and the door

Glad the baby is ok, Antnee.....

 

[Keli]

Wow, that was incredibly rude of the guy on the ecv. I'm glad the baby is ok. I wouldn't have felt like eating after that either.

 

[shep]

Glad the baby is ok....

When my MIL went with us in May we were in the same boat...She was a rookie ECV user and didn't get the concept of speed control and upon leaving Indiana Jones almost ran someone over.. ..Luckily noone was injured the whole week by her poor driving...

 

[Itsanalias]

Dude would have known what he did, and he wouldn't have been too happy when I was done letting him know how I felt.

Glad things worked out for you and the g/f.

 

[WishingStar]

What a jerk! Some people just think they rule the world. The guy had to feel it when he hit the baby. He probably looked at it in a way that he thought you should not have been in his way. I hope his motor over heats and he has to push the thing back.

 

[mhopset]

I ride a scooter too. Most of you probably already know that. What the old man did was was just plain stupid! There is a control on the ECV he should have had it all the way down especially in a restaurant.

Now keep in mind I said he was wrong. One thing to keep in mind is that these things do not stop on a dime. I have people stepping out in front of me all the time. I have never hit anyone yet. I did have a woman fall in my lap once. Because she wasn't looking where she was going. I always try and keep my speed slow and stay to the right of everything. I get so sick and tired of people getting in these things and just thinking they own the rode. Someone should have taken the guys keys away, and told him to slow the hell down.

 

[Towncrier]

I'm so glad that everyone is OK. I have witnessed rookie ECVers at WDW as well. I believe it was on the backlot tour. The man driving the ECV obviously didn't have a clue how it worked. When he cut the corner too sharply, the ECV got hung up on a chain (that was used to block the wheelchair entrance) and the front the the ECV lifted off the ground. And the guy kept on trying to make the blasted thing go forward. The CM was desparately trying to get the man to back off the throttle. I guess that it didn't help that the gentleman in question did not speak any english. They finally managed to get him unwound from the chain.

I guess they should require licenses for ECVs.

 

[antnee]

Chrissy just reminded me that upon him leaving the restaurant he passed our table where the waitress was standing and almost knocked her over as well.

Another ECV inicident was in Fanatsyland where a man who had a child in his lap on an ECV let her get hold of the controls and she took off heading straight for me and the double stroller I was pushing, if not for quick reflexes I would have been in the Emergency room that day.


Also we witnessed several rude people one who cut thru the Goofy character greeting line by blasting her her horn at everyone

 

[Itsanalias]

So, is it illegal to drag rude people off these things and beat the snot out of them?

I guess some people (not all) think that b/c they have a disability, that everyone should get the heck out of their way and they shouldn't have to wait like the "common folk."

I think I'd be exhausted from taking these people to task.

 

[TIdoublegaER]

I guess some people (not all) think that b/c they have a disability, that everyone should get the heck out of their way and they shouldn't have to wait like the "common folk."


You just described my grandmother's second husband! The man was disabled and had to walk with the assistance of leg braces and cruthes. He used an ECV while on trips to the mall, vacation, etc. Any place where extended walking would be difficult for him, which was totally understandable. But when he used it, he acted like he was the only person that mattered and would run into tables in restaurants (some with people eating), make employees move fixtures, tables, etc so he could squeeze through rather than go around. It could be embarassing being out with him because of his sense of entitlement - especially since I knew he could walk from the front of the restaurant to his table. He truly had no respect for others - he continued to drive (his car and ECV) even he was told not to by his doctors and while he was on morphine.

 

[Talking Hands]

If Disney had good sense they would not seat people who are using and ECV where they have to go through aisles of tables. I have actually had them angry with me because I refused to be seated at a table I felt would be difficult for me to get to. Because we were only 2 people they insisted I had to be seated at a table against the wall and manuever my wheelchair parallel to the wall. I refused and then refused a second equally as inappropriate seating arrangement.
There should be no reason in my opinion for a person in a rented ECV to use it in a restaurant. They don't use one in a restaurant at home. Someone with their own wheelchair, scooter or power chair is different. But if they are able enough to not have their own equipment they are probably able enough to transfer to a seat and leave the ECV parked elsewhere.
Sorry about your little one. THat is ridiculous

 

[browneyes]

I remember reading on the boards once where someone posted they knew of someone that used a wheelchair at WDW, not because they had a disability, but because they wanted the attention the wheelchair gave them. I wonder if this guy had a disability?

I'm glad the baby didn't get hurt.

 

[qoe]

I think the drivers of electric convenience vehicles or any other vehicle need to remember the rules--pedestrians have the right of way! Even at very crowded theme parks!
Since when does honking a horn at someone give you the right of way? Does that work in your car on a busy street? Why should it be any different in an ecv at an amusement park????? Does the CM driving the double decker bus down main street get to run down all the people that fail to acknowledge his friendly horn honks and stay in the middle of the street in his way? No way! He has to slow down, maybe even stop! Pedestrians have the right of way!
I am so glad the baby was ok--I know it will take time to get over the emotional injury of that occuring--sometimes physical injuries heal much quicker than emotional ones!
My family has had 3 members injured by ecv drivers on two separate occasions at DL in the past 18 months. If I see an ecv coming, I try my best to give it a wide berth--but, I would have to be able to see it coming! All of these attacks have come from behind us, and last time I checked, we do not have eyes in the back of our heads.

 

[GeorgeG]

Rude people come in all shapes and sizes whether on wheels or afoot. In a perfect world, they would not be the type who would even go to WDW since that is a place for friendly people like us. Well, I can dream...

Maybe we've become so "civilized" we've also become tolerant of bad behavior. Hmmm... I agree with Itsanalias: "...beat the snot out of them." Let's see... where did I leave my stun gun?