Was she cranky or right- Disabled person in a group

[luddite]

ADA wouldn't apply in a foreign country, and self-assist means just that. I vote cranky.

 

This.

In trumps.

[FireEater]

Cranky.

 

Hell my wife uses a scooter, and all cruises, all cruise lines, have assisted on her getting on and off the ship at ports. They would have 2 guys pushing her up the ramp and asked that I take a break while they did the pushing. They would have 1 guy even pulling on her going down the ramp to make sure she did not go crazy down. I see the same with people in wheelchairs.

 

I give the cruise lines a 10+ on their assistance getting on and off the ships with scooters...

[2specialkidsforme]

I agree she behaved in a cranky manner and that really is unacceptable when staff were really willing to help.

 

I wonder if this crankiness is due to more than meets the eye. Having a child with a disability is hard sometimes. There are so many extra struggles that sometimes wear you down. Always having to advocate for that child. Perhaps she is just stressed beyond belief and sadly she wasn't able to relax and go with the flow on the trip.

 

Again, her behavior was not appropriate but I just wonder if there is a deep rooted cause. I speak from experience as a mom with a child with special needs how after years of fighting the systems just for my son to get what he is entitled to (ie therapies that are supposed to be covered by our insurance but they try to deny, appropriate educational placements, extra financial strains, etc it unfortunately can really take its toll. You love your child so much and you would do anything for them but sometimes you also get so jaded by the fight. Again, please know I'm just looking at what might be the cause her unreasonable behavior - certainly not saying it is okay.

Edited June 9, 2014 by 2specialkidsforme

[dwaterhouse]

Cranky!

[dobiemom]

I am a full time wheelchair user and I vote cranky. She had assistance on the ramp, no reason to complain. People like her make it harder for others to get help when we truly need it.

Exactly!

I vote cranky, but also think of PITA. Y'all know what that means? :D

I was thinking the same thing. ;)

[isaiahsnana]

I use wheelchair at embark and debark and always have crew to assist me. I do, however, arrange for this in advance and when debarking I wait my turn as they are helping a lot of folks in wheelchairs - not everyone can be first!! She is just cranky!

[Rock_ON!!]

I agree she behaved in a cranky manner and that really is unacceptable when staff were really willing to help.

 

I wonder if this crankiness is due to more than meets the eye. Having a child with a disability is hard sometimes. There are so many extra struggles that sometimes wear you down. Always having to advocate for that child. Perhaps she is just stressed beyond belief and sadly she wasn't able to relax and go with the flow on the trip.

 

Again, her behavior was not appropriate but I just wonder if there is a deep rooted cause. I speak from experience as a mom with a child with special needs how after years of fighting the systems just for my son to get what he is entitled to (ie therapies that are supposed to be covered by our insurance but they try to deny, appropriate educational placements, extra financial strains, etc it unfortunately can really take its toll. You love your child so much and you would do anything for them but sometimes you also get so jaded by the fight. Again, please know I'm just looking at what might be the cause her unreasonable behavior - certainly not saying it is okay.

 

 

Well said.

 

 

 

It's just a moment, this time will pass

[SMSACE6]

I also say she was "cranky"!

 

But by her crankiness she was not helping her son who was the person who is dependent on a wheelchair. Regardless of whether the ramp was within her guidelines of acceptability or not, she could have been more civil and would most likely have found that there were more than plenty staff who would and could help her and her son without there having been a "scene".

 

I really feel bad for her son. By her over the top behavior she brought undue attention to him and his disability.

[irishnyc]

Crank. She's wrong in both situations.

 

 

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[adonisr]

At first I thought this person was just being really cranky, but I thought I would post the two situations on the board. A mother was travelling with her son in a wheel chair. I ran into her twice while on a cruise while she was complaining to staff and escalating to management.

 

Situation 1 - At Nassau the angle of the boarding ramp was steep. With in the first two seconds of her pushing the wheelchair up the ramp a crew member offered her assistance and helped her make it up the ramp. When she got in she started loudly complaining that the ramp wasn't ADA compliant. The crew members stated that the port supplies the platforms on the piers and also things like low tide sometimes make the angle steeper. She was not satisfied with this response and demanded to see someone in charge. They referred her to guest services (I sometimes feel really sorry for those folks).

 

Situation 2 - We did self-assist debarkation and again saw her down there complaining that there was no assistance on the self-assist debarkation.

 

At first I thought she was just being a negative person since in both situation the crew were very attentive, however I don't have any relatives who use a wheel chair or disabled so I thought I may be prematurely judging this person, any thoughts?

 

 

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Cranky entitlement mentality.

[golfadj]

yes with falafel :D

 

like

[golfadj]

Guess she doesnt understand the meaning of self assist.

 

People who need help should not get off the ship this way.

 

Find it very annoying that people in wheel chairs who need help from the crew to get off block the halls when people are first getting off the ship.

[wanderingjew]

like

I knew you would get it Stu LOL

[mousey]

Given your observations, I vote Cranky. I feel sorry for her son that you mentioned was accompanying her.:eek:

 

On the last day of our DS's high school, graduation trip to Cabo, I twisted my knee and had to use a wheelchair leaving the hotel the next day for the airport and then at the airport in Mexico and disembarking at LAX. All along the way people were so kind...especially the young man that met me at the plane with a wheelchair at LAX. I think the lady in question was just a very unhappy person.

 

After my experience in a wheelchair, I can understand why (not really...just kidding) people would want to fake it and ride in one. You get treated like royalty...we were bumped to the front of every line we had to get in. At LAX we got to go through customs before anyone else...and there were some really, really, long lines. Also, everyone was so nice. People would rapidly move out of the way and at one point when I was sitting by myself and the DH and DS had gone to the restroom (this was at the airport in Mexico), I had a couple of teen-aged kids come up and tell me they were headed to get something to eat and would I like them to get something for me. I know this does not always happen to people in wheelchairs...but I wish it did.

[elliair]

Cranky.

 

Hell my wife uses a scooter, and all cruises, all cruise lines, have assisted on her getting on and off the ship at ports. They would have 2 guys pushing her up the ramp and asked that I take a break while they did the pushing. They would have 1 guy even pulling on her going down the ramp to make sure she did not go crazy down. I see the same with people in wheelchairs.

 

I give the cruise lines a 10+ on their assistance getting on and off the ships with scooters...

 

 

Scooters scare me! I saw a woman on one in the grocery store. She had her cane sticking out of the basket and she came around a corner in the liquor department and whacked some cases of burgundy wine. She got flustered and swung that scooter around and hit it again with that cane sticking out. I stood there with my mouth open and I was upset over the abuse of alcohol she had created. I did feel sorry for her, but dang lady SLOW DOWN!!!

[misguidedangel]

A friend injured herself on a cruise and was able to stay. They offered the use of a wheelchair and crutches for the rest of the cruise. We got off at San Juan and took the tram to San Cristobal. The tram operator was very accommodating and assisted. When we got to there the entrance had a steep climb up. What did we do, well, three people pushed and we got the wheelchair up and all was well....we never complained......Not to the National Parks service or that the staff at tour desk if it was wheelchair friendly...it is, he just didn't say that there is a big incline to get to the entrance....

 

Perhaps she complained as a way to vent life's miseries......

[IPlayWithString]

Having a child with a disability is hard sometimes. There are so many extra struggles that sometimes wear you down. Always having to advocate for that child. Perhaps she is just stressed beyond belief and sadly she wasn't able to relax and go with the flow on the trip.

 

As the parent of a child with multiple disabilities, including Asperger's, I have to totally agree with this. Sometimes it *can* get terribly wearing, esp on vacation when things don't always go as expected, don't look, sound, smell or taste like you think they'r going to and the routine is upset. DH and I do our best if/when DS decides to melt down, but thankfully the older he gets, the better he seems to be getting about his meltdowns EXCEPT when he's really tired.

[ChaserX]

Given your observations, I vote Cranky. I feel sorry for her son that you mentioned was accompanying her.:eek:

 

On the last day of our DS's high school, graduation trip to Cabo, I twisted my knee and had to use a wheelchair leaving the hotel the next day for the airport and then at the airport in Mexico and disembarking at LAX. All along the way people were so kind...especially the young man that met me at the plane with a wheelchair at LAX. I think the lady in question was just a very unhappy person.

 

After my experience in a wheelchair, I can understand why (not really...just kidding) people would want to fake it and ride in one. You get treated like royalty...we were bumped to the front of every line we had to get in. At LAX we got to go through customs before anyone else...and there were some really, really, long lines. Also, everyone was so nice. People would rapidly move out of the way and at one point when I was sitting by myself and the DH and DS had gone to the restroom (this was at the airport in Mexico), I had a couple of teen-aged kids come up and tell me they were headed to get something to eat and would I like them to get something for me. I know this does not always happen to people in wheelchairs...but I wish it did.

 

Reminded me of this.....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/lucky-old-woman-getting-wheeled-around-airport,33000/

[nomadron]

ADA wouldn't apply in a foreign country, and self-assist means just that. I vote cranky.

 

Add one more to the "agree" column!

[pungo3]

I vote cranky. The self assist debarkation instructions clearly state you MUST be able to handle all your own luggage and be able to get everyone in your party off the ship without assistance. It's unfortunate some people think the rules don't apply to them because they have special circumstances.

Edited June 10, 2014 by pungo3

[skrufy]

I also vote cranky.

[tigercat]

I'm not really sure how to answer it. It sounds like cranky I don't know what else may have happened to her. I use a walker and at the airport and for embarkation and debarkation I use a wheelchair. Going the distance at the airport and the steep ramp going up or down would be almost impossible for me to do. At ports the ramps are still hard but not as bad. Some Carnival ships have been great helping me on and off and others not at all. I do know that either way if I am doing it by myself I have to wait for the ramp to be free and clear of all people. To have to stop on the ramp would be impossible. That means that the line is stopped behind me so that I can take a "run" at it. Some people get mad at me and try and push past me I guess not understanding that I need a clear run in order to get up or down. If I am helped I don't have to do that. I miss the days where it wasn't a problem at all. And just for your information I use my walker all the time on the ship.

At the airport I am escorted to the gate but then am left on my own. I always bring my walker to the gate with me so that if I have to go to the bathroom I can go. I do usually get to board first. I am sure the other passengers would be happy with that because if they were behind me they would be frustrated at the slow pace I go at.

tigercat

[Lisichka]

I vote overwhelmed and frustrated. Can't be easy to travel with a handicapped person. I think some compassion is in order.

[Beachdiva1979]

Cranky

 

 

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[Ehpride]

I'm sure she was overwhelmed. However, it is called self-assist. Just because she made the wrong choice doesn't give her the right to take that frustration out on innocent and very busy crew members.

 

 

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