'He actually needed it': Disabled dude confronted by stranger demanding his mobility scooter

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Dec 8, 2023 7:00 AM EST

A major problem with the social media-fueled "always right" attitude and justice-seeking is that we often are wrong in our own thoughts and perceptions, often because our perception is almost always formed off an incomplete picture. So, in seeking the justice we crave from the people we have incorrectly labeled as antisocial wrong-doers, we ourselves become the antisocial wrong-doers. 

Advertisement

  • Unfortunately, this is something that people with disabilities deal with often—especially those with disabilities that aren't immediately visible to the naked eye. They find themselves targeted for "breaking the rules" and "taking advantage" of services provided for—well, for them and others like them—all because some random person perceived them to be a non-disabled person.

    Just take a look at how inconsistent and often completely wrong eyewitness testimony is, often times the thing someone thinks they see (or that they remember seeing) doesn't at all line up with the reality of the situation. This same thing takes place constantly throughout our everyday lives. So, the next time you're thinking about going on the warpath against someone you've perceived to be flouting the rules… Take a moment to consider that you might be the one who is off base.

  • 01
    r/Entitled People . 1 hr. ago zebthetall r/ A guy followed my buddy around the store to tell him to give up the store's mobility scooter for his mother M I just read a story about somebody dealing with an EP trying to steal their wheelchair, and it reminded me of this story from my best friend. So back in the early 2010s, my best friend (we'll call him Jim) and his family were moving across the state for his dad's work. Now, Jim has a disability that makes him wheelchair-bound. At first glance,
    via zebthetall
  • 02
    should be healthy, but in reality, it is quite the opposite. This is important for later. They had sent their stuff ahead in a truck, but still had a bunch in their van, and Jim's wheelchair had stuff stacked on top of it (the seat was folded, and the chair was fine). While they were traveling, they decided to stop at a grocery store to grab some supplies for the new place, as they were moving someplace rural, and there were no (affordable) grocery stores at their destination. At the time, Jim c
    via zebthetall
  • 03
    help, but at the risk of falling and getting seriously hurt, as he couldn't catch himself, and was over six feet tall. So, when they got to the store, Jim was helped out of the van so he could go inside and cool off, as they were driving through the desert in late August/early September. His folks helped him inside and to one of the available mobility scooters, seeing as his chair was buried. So, off went Jim in this scooter that had the approximate speed of an inebriated snail. He was starting
    via zebthetall
  • 04
    around the store, when he was spotted by a middle aged gentleman (the EP of this tale) who was walking with his elderly mother. She was obviously having some trouble walking, but it just so happened that Jim was in possession of the last functioning scooter, so she wasn't able to use it. Well, seeing Jim in the last functioning scooter, and assuming he was just some teenage kid goofing off, he told Jim to get off and let his mother use the scooter. Now, Jim was used to this kind of interaction,
    via zebthetall
  • 05
    scooter, he actually needed it to get around. Well EP then ranted about how Jim was younger, and EP's mom was in awful pain, so Jim should be respectful of his elders. Jim, naturally, disagreed. He again explained his disability and drove away. Though not very common, this sort of interaction was not his first, but everyone before had been very understanding of the situation. Not so with EP. As Jim perused the wares of the grocery store, EP followed him around, almost shouting at him about how d
    via zebthetall
  • 06
    wrong with Jim, while leaving his mother at the front door. Fun fact about Jim, I have very rarely ever seen him get genuinely angry. I've seen him get upset at a video game, or about the state of the U.S. healthcare system (that's another whole can of worms), but he has a very unique ability to let stupid people and their antics roll off of his back like a duck with water. So Jim did what he does best, and blocked him out (he had practice, being the oldest child).
    via zebthetall
  • 07
    Well, EP kept up his antics, and Jim just pretended he didn't exist. Eventually, Jim found his parents as they were checking out (they had left him to his own devices, as he liked to be as independent as possible), and EP ran back to his mom after seeing Jim's dad (who is not a small person). Jim and his family, just wanting to be done with their travels, bought their supplies and got out of dodge. Every time Jim thinks of that story he says "You know what the worst part was? He followed me and
    via zebthetall
  • 08
    wlfwrtr 50 min. ago Tell Jim next time go to the canned goods aisle and start chucking cans. Might knock some sense into EP. 421 ↓ Reply Fianna9 51 min. ago ● ↑ Share Jim is right, instead of helping him mom or getting home faster the AH has to follow a guy around the store yelling at him. What a looser ↑ 19 ↓ Reply 1 Share
    via zebthetall
  • 09
    curious_gleaning • 33 min. ago ● Mobility carts are a courtesy not a guarantee. They are first come first served. It is irresponsible of EP to bring his mother to the store without assuring her needs can be met. ↑ 12 ↓ Reply Share
    via zebthetall
  • 10
    Cant BelieveThisIsTru 29 min. ago ●. Thank you for posting. I liked the speed of the scooter being as fast as an "inebriated snail!" Well said! I used them when I had more pain, am recently better, so not using them currently, but some are soooo sloooow! Reply Anon_457 20 min. ago I laughed when I read that. I've had to use a mobility scooter once when I pulled a muscle in my leg. I felt so incredibly stupid in it because of how slow it was. 42 Reply ↑ Share Ⓒ + 6 + ↑ Share
    via zebthetall
  • 11
    Careful-Listen2277 · 13 min. ago The logic of some people is amazing ASF. All that time he spent following and trying to bully someone else out of the scooter could've been used to go see if another one was available and finished his shopping. Trying not to downplay her condition, but come on, man! If he ACTUALLY cared about his mother and if she was in as much pain as he claimed, he would've done the latter. 42 凸 Reply ↑ Share
    via zebthetall

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

karens mobility karens in the wild entitled karen entitled people disability
Scroll Down For The Next Article