Today's articulated irritation

[kaberett]

People who literally yank a door out of my hands as I'm partway through it. I know they are trying to be useful and to that extent I am appreciative, but that's overlain by intense exasperation. Because! I am an active chair user and by the point I've got a door open and my other hand on my wheel, I'm planning to use the precise positioning of the door and the positioning of my hand on it to provide momentum critical to my steering. Dragging the door out of my hand undermines my agency and my competence; it disrupts my ability to be competent; and to add on insult I am expected to be grateful.

Social model of disability, y'all.

Comments

[kaberett]

(Which! Is not to say that I always object to people holding doors open for me! Not even slightly: because sometimes I am balancing things awkwardly, and if I haven't got my hands on a door yet it is actually easier for me to have it held for me, though I'm always deeply awkwarded by strangers doing it; but, you know, there are situations and situations. Complexity and nuance: they are things.)

[ofearthandstars]

Thanks for sharing this - I'm going to confess that I've likely done this before (grabbed the door in an attempt to help)... not even thinking that it might create an issue. I've usually thought of it from the walking = constant hip pain perspective and how sometimes it is nice to not have to navigate pushing/pulling a door when things are already flared.

[kaberett]

Not everyone is me, and I'm atypically active! But in general asking is awesome. <3

[azurelunatic]

Hmm, that reminds me that I was grumpeting to myself today about how the cafeteria has zero door-open buttons. It would be awfully nice to have at least one fully accessible entrance in each building, just put the button right next to the card reader so you can do both while you're there...

[kaberett]

HahahahahahahahahahaHA.

My least favourite door on my current alternate route through the buildings to work (BECAUSE THE LIFT I WOULD ORDINARILY USE HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR A WEEK) involves the hideous combination of card-access door that you have to PULL. Up a SLOPE. It is GRIM.

[azurelunatic]

Ughhhhhh.

[untonuggan]

<3

[kaberett]

Thanks, you <3

[alexseanchai]

Sigh.

[silveradept]

I appreciate these posts more than I would have thought, because I'm learning all sorts of things about not assuming. So thanks for these.

[fyreharper]

Yes, this.

[kaberett]

I'm so glad - it means a lot to me that this kind of post is useful to other people as well as being a way for me to let off steam ♥

[kaberett]

You're very welcome! Like I said in my own comment, I Am Not All Wheelchair Users (and in particular, I'm a stroppy sod and always have been), but - thank you, it means a lot to me that this makes sense/is useful.

[sidheag]

I can't help noticing a linguistic point here, and wondering whether it's worth pointing out. Sorry if my doing so is irritating! But: you're labelling the people, not their behaviour, as irritating. Would you, perhaps, suffer less from the irritation if you made an effort to limit the labelling to the behaviour?

[kaberett]

[have been attempting to brain a response to this for several days but one doesn't seem to be forthcoming. In any case, thank you, and sorry for not engaging more!]

[swaldman]

Hmm. This is a very specific (while entirely valid) gripe, although I guess it does fall into the general category of "ask before helping"...

I totally get the problem, but only because in an old job I did a fantastic bit of training as part of disability awareness - simply spent half a day at work using a wheelchair. I recall doors and lifts being the biggest challenges, and I remember my feeling of triumph when I figured out how to get through the spring-loaded pull door at the top of a slope with a high-up combination lock on it... I think that everybody should do training of this sort.