Wheelchair battering ram

[Biscuitsmom31]

I've read posts on here in the past about strollers and wheelchairs used as battering rams and I couldn't believe it was true until my own DH's wheelchair was used as a battering ram last Sunday! We were leaving Ohana when my 3 year old (who loves hitching rides with daddy on his wheelchair) decided to take the controller into his own hands when my husband paused to look and something. A poor, unsuspecting woman was walking in front of his chair when biscuit (DS's nickname) pushed the joystick strait ahead. I was walking ahead because I didn't know DH had paused when I heard a commotion and turned around to see a woman falling over DH's chair and for a moment I was terrified she would fall over the railing! DH got DS to let go of the controller and DS was was bawling from all the shock and and yelling. DH was shouting apologies to the woman who scurried away so quickly (not that I blame her) that we don't know if she heard them or not. I'm sure she doesn't read this board, but just in case...WE ARE SOOOO SORRY and hope you weren't hurt in any way. DS hitches rides with dad all of the time and had never grabbed the controller before. I'm sure after this he never will again.

 

[minnie61650]

I am sorry about the incident. How scary for everyone involved!
Thanks for sharing with us. guess little ones need to be kept out
reach of the controllers.
Hope the rest of stay at Disney was lots of fun!
Linda

 

[Hugpug]

I give you credit for coming forward and explaining what happen. Yet there are a lot of people out there who could care less that ram there wheelchairs or strollers into other guest. The worst is the parents with those side by side stollers.I have been bruised many a time from inconsider parents who think they own the walkway with these monsterous contrations. This has to be the worst idea Disney has ever intoduced into the parks. I still stand by my feelings that in order got anyone to reserve a wheelchair at a THEMPARK is with a doctor note.This would prevent the recent problem of abuse of this by those whom don't need one but just get it so they can get to the front of the line. Your incident was truly an accident. I am sure you and your husband felt very badly .

 

[minnie61650]

I give you credit for coming forward and explaining what happen. Yet there are a lot of people out there who could care less that ram there wheelchairs or strollers into other guest. The worst is the parents with those side by side stollers.I have been bruised many a time from inconsider parents who think they own the walkway with these monsterous contrations. This has to be the worst idea Disney has ever intoduced into the parks. I still stand by my feelings that in order got anyone to reserve a wheelchair at a THEMPARK is with a doctor note.This would prevent the recent problem of abuse of this by those whom don't need one but just get it so they can get to the front of the line. Your incident was truly an accident. I am sure you and your husband felt very badly .

There is no front of the line for people in wheelchairs or ECV's.
Most of the lines are mainstreamed and we wait in the same line as other guests. Sometimes there is an alternate entrance to board certain rides in case the CM needs to slow down or stop the ride to allow extra time for
boarding or unloading.
The CM's have to allow only a small number of guests on at a time. If a WC guest needs to wait for a certain vehical such as on the Buzz Lightyear that will accomodte a WC than the wait can be quite a lot longer than for able bodied guests.
So if someone rents a WC or EVC thinking they will get Front of Line they will find out that they have wasted their money.
Here is a thread about a lady who needed to use a WC for a day at Epcot and how she learned how unaware and sometimes rude able bodied guests
were to her.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=15452&highlight=front+line

People are always cutting across in front of me when I am on my EVC. It does not have brakes! When the controller is released it rolls a little before coming to a stop. I have had people walk right into the side of EVC because they did not see me.
An Evc user is offen out of the line of vision of an adult. I understand
sometimes people are not aware I am there so I try to drive extra careful.
If all of us can be a little bit more aware of our surroundings than we can all have a wonderful time at Disney.
Linda

 

[shellybaxter]

I still stand by my feelings that in order got anyone to reserve a wheelchair at a THEMPARK is with a doctor note.This would prevent the recent problem of abuse of this by those whom don't need one but just get it so they can get to the front of the line. .

What an insensitive comment. I'm sure it wasn't intended that way, but it certainly hurt my feelings. Not everyone that needs a wheelchair/ecv can get a doctor's note (not that my medical information is disney's business anyway). The first time I needed an ECV I was at Disneyland with my younger sister. I was in the bathroom, just out of the shower and the phone rang. My sister was still asleep, so I turned quickly to try to answer it before it woke her. I slipped on the wet tile in the bathroom and dislocated my knee cap. I'd done so a few years before so I knew there was no reason to go to the emergency room (nothing they could do). It hurt like the dickens though. I wrapped it in an ace bandage and took off for Disneyland. We went through the gates and I got about half way down mainstreet before I had to sit down due to the pain. That was obviously not going to work. Dsis said we were getting a scooter. She was right, it was the only way I could have done disney that day. The only day we had available by the way.

The thread linked above is also about someone who didn't know before they left that they'd need a wheelchair. This lady was wiped out from food poisoning and didn't have the energy required. Interestingly enough one of the reasons I still use an ecv is that bad knee, which I've dislocated a few more times since then. I don't "need" an ecv as I can walk. However, if I choose to do so, by about day three I am in so much pain from all the extra stress on my joints (especially the bad knee) that I can not get out of bed. Not a fun way to spend a vacation I'll assure you.

So for you to suggest that I get a dr note for a condition that isn't even going to exist until day three of my trip is not reasonable. I know my body better then any dr and I know my limits. It is insulting and hurtful for you to say I don't. I've never once gotten an evc for "front of the line". First of all that doesn't exsist, and second I generally park the ecv and walk the line like everyone else. I'm sure some who see me think I'm abusing the system. I'm not, I simply know how much standing/walking I can do before I hurt really bad. For you to suggest all who can't/don't want to get a dr note are using the ecv to get ahead in the lines is also insulting and hurtful. Please think before making blanket statements that will hurt others. I know from your recent posts that you know what its like to be hurt by someone else, so I can't believe you would want to be hurtful yourself,

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Minnie already said this, but I will say it again:

***A wheelchair/ECV DOES NOT give you front of the line access!!!!!!!!****

Everytime I hear that or see it I want to scream!!! I am a paraplegic. When I am not in my wheelchair I am asleep. I use my wheelchair because I cannot walk AT ALL. You stand me on my feet and I will fall to the floor in a heap. My wheelchair is as personal to me as your legs are.

The misconceptions about having a wheelchair/ECV in the parks amaze me. I have to wait in line just like everyone else, and I don't complain about it. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

The most common reason for people needing wheelchairs (including for such reasons as blisters) but not using them is not wanting to be caught dead in one.

Minnie already said this, but I will say it again:

***A wheelchair/ECV DOES NOT give you front of the line access!!!!!!!!****

!!!!

Some CM's will attempt to make waiting in line and waiting for the handicapped boat or car or chariot to come 'round concurrent as opposed to consecutive, using some exotic method of their own invention. The results are usually far from exact and may result in quicker access.

Other CM's may cut corners and not read a Guest Assistance Card carrefully occasionally resulting in a shorter waitht an anticipated and once in awhile a longer wait.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[cleo]

That was a very kind apology to the woman involved, Biscuitsmom31.

Unfortunately the thread has been hijacked into something far from what I'm sure you had in mind with your respectful apology. It is likely to deteriorate, as this issue comes up often and nearly always becomes extremely...shall we say.....heated.

I'm going to go ahead and lock it but to be fair, I'll keep bumping it back up for day in the hopes the woman might see it. Fair enough?

 

[cleo]

Bump for Biscuitsmom31

 

[cleo]

Bump again............

 

[cleo]

One more quick bump!

 

[cleo]

And one more bump for Biscuitsmom31!

I'm heading out to pick up my husband from the airport so I won't be home to bump again today. I hope if the woman involved reads the DIS she was able to see Biscuitsmom31's apology. She is obviously a woman with a kind heart.