Life on Four Wheels, The Slow Lane

So to those who haven't seen me lately just to let you know I've found myself confined pretty much to a wheelchair. Its not permanent I hope I woke up Monday unable to use my legs below my knees so virtually I cant walk except in small spurts and it takes me about 4 mins to walk about ten yards. That's counting on haveing something to hold myself up on. Ok so this isn't a new update i actually have something to blog about but it has something to do with disabilties. So over the last 4 months I've found myself in a declining state since I tripped over a manhole cover in a Albertsons parking lot. Since then I have started to lose my abilty to walk, and became increasely unstable, causeing more falls. Colemenating with me now useing a wheelchair almost full time. Which has given me a new prespective on the world and I dont mean because im 2 feet shorter now.

I've notice that most people don't give clear thought to the design of their location as far as handicap access, now I understand some old buildings were not built with the handicap in mind, but I'm talk new buildings , for example walmart the scene of my other back injury four years ago, they have a ramp the rides up to the building yet it is insanely steap for those in wheelchairs and even their own electric carts can hardly make it back to the store. Another is place will have a ramp but once you get to the top this some sort of lip or door jam to make it across. Now I'm in so you think it be easy going from there right? wrong! Lanes, doors, checkouts sometimes are way to narrow. Especially if your on a electric cart, and speaking of those, they never keep them charged or they are broken.

Also I never notice how insenstive people are to those in wheelchairs. when im wheeling around the stores people step out in front of me or expect me to get out of their way. it like this thing doesnt turn on a dime, where as they can just side step. Also I've been stared at in the past for my looks, language, and activity, but it doesnt matter if im just sitting there I get people stareing at me as if they had never seen a wheelchair before or as if they are think "what the fuck is he using that for". Though it is fun cause I will call them out if they stare to long. Also good luck finding help in the store, and prepared to be ignore, cause the other half of people who don't stare at you will ignore your existence complety, even if you speak up they just keep turn and pray that you are not talking to them. Now assume you get a person to acknowlege you, this is where they begin to treat you like your retareded, just cause i cant walk doesnt mean I can't think, example Steven Hawkins, I may just start carrying a small bat and knock people in the knees when they mistreat me and then they can spend sometime in my world.

I was really debating bloging on this subject cause I don't like to really bitch about my problems, but it just happens that yesterday I was reading a story of a Florida man who was denied boarding to a United Airlines flight for being to handicaped. Basiclly they felt that in the event of a emergency he would not have been able to assist in his own escape(aka they thought he was to much of a liability) So they denied him board and stranded him the airport . So if this is the case now does that mean that handicap people must now take the train or drive, I mean that more expensive then a plane ticket and sometimes people fly cause they cant drive or the train doesnt go to where they need, so are handicap people just fucked. I think its just lazyness, lets just say I was on a plane and we crashed, no i weigh in at 350lbs and i can get my self off the ground by myself, all it take is one person to help me up if needed and in that kinda of situation you would probally find serveral people would help a disabled person escape a burning plane. I dont see why a person of limited mobility cannot fly. Well the good news is that not all airlines adopt the same limited view as United, the next day the gentleman flew on a competiors plane with no troubles.

Now Im in this world temporaily but most are here permanently, I mean I know i will walk again someday but for these people they will never get around with out assitance but this doesnt make them less of a person so if you see something that you think is mistreating the handicap, like people parking in the handicap spots, service people ignoreing hanicap people, speak up call em out on their shit.
Much love,
TINK