Really? People need to have courtesy?

[MamaMootz]

So, my 10 year old DD sprained her ankle pretty severely almost 2 weeks ago and is on crutches. Yesterday was her follow up doc appointment and we stopped at WalMart on the way home to pick up some stuff.

I cannot believe how rude people are to a kid on crutches! She had nearly 10 people try to run her down with their carts. People on foot were either cutting her off or walking on her butt and huffing because she was in their way.

It was so bad that I actually had to go in front of her to run the gauntlet so that I could whack people with my giant purse who were trying to run her down.

I'm sure it was worse because it was WalMart, but I'm still ticked off and astonished that so many people have zero consideration for a kid on CRUTCHES.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Tell your child that if someone gets too close to her and she feels uncomfortable to start yelling "STRANGER DANGER" That should get them to back off pretty fast.

Also I would've done the same thing as you. Giant purse, angry momma, "GTFO OUTTA THE WAAAAAY." You are an awesome momma.

[Teskeria]

10? Have her yell "Get away from me you pervert!" They will back away nice & quick. (younger than around 10 people will figure they are just yelling a word they don't understand. But by around 10, they have a reasonable idea what a pervert is, at least nowadays they do.)

[Raveni]

Get a motorized cart for her the next time she is there. She can use one of her crutches as a lance and go jousting for pervs.

[MamaMootz]

My one friend told me, "Well, look where you were - duh!" While that may be somewhat true.... the thing is, we went to the doc's office before Walmart. And someone nearly ran us down in the parking lot and then there was a lady in the elevator that was trying to make DD get out of HER way so she could get through.

I think Walmart or not, common courtesy has left the building.

I love the pervert ideas - since she'll be crutching it for the next couple of weeks, I think we'll have to adopt that.

And Raveni, I wanted to put her in a cart, but she wanted to try and use the crutches because she has been laid up for over a week and wants to do everything she can so she can walk again faster. Granted, Walmart was probably not the best place to try that.

[Pagan]

I cannot believe how rude people are to a kid on crutches! She had nearly 10 people try to run her down with their carts. People on foot were either cutting her off or walking on her butt and huffing because she was in their way.

Many moons ago, back in the late 80s, one of the work-study students that worked in my mom's office had a big old knee brace (middle of his thigh down to the middle of his calf) and was on crutches and had people running into him with their carts there. That's who I first heard "shoppers from hell" from.

A couple of years ago I had to go there and get stuff to tape up my obviously badly broken toe (4th, toe, too, not little. Swollen, horrendous bruising all around the toe, broken toenail that was starting to bleed again, and I was walking funny). I had multiple people almost step on or run over it. Being in a lot of pain and facing driving back home (it was my right foot), I yelled at the last asshole....who, naturally, couldn't figure out why I was yelling at him.

[fireheart]

Get a motorized cart for her the next time she is there. She can use one of her crutches as a lance and go jousting for pervs.

The mental image of this made me giggle

[Seshat]

Carts don't help.

People just forget that you can't stop on a dime, and sidestep right in front of you.

[greek_jester]

Carts don't help.

People just forget that you can't stop on a dime, and sidestep right in front of you.

People have done that to my mum when she's shopping. If they try yelling at her, she cheerfully yells back, calling them morons for forgetting the laws of physics.

She once actually started hefting her walking stick & asking one particularly persistent twit if they really want to be arrested for attacking a disabled woman. My mum is never backward about coming forward

[Kristev]

I think what happened in the first post was just terrible.

[Golden Phoenix]

Hubby is on crutches for a similar injury right now (5 weeks of rest, crutches and a brace, fun) and believe me, 10 0r 33, people will act the same.

I've told him, next time someone barges in front of him or knocks a crutch out from under him he should fall heavily and then start yelling and screaming, bet they think twice next time.

[Merriweather]

Hubby is on crutches for a similar injury right now (5 weeks of rest, crutches and a brace, fun) and believe me, 10 0r 33, people will act the same.

I've told him, next time someone barges in front of him or knocks a crutch out from under him he should fall heavily and then start yelling and screaming, bet they think twice next time.

And for best effect on the SC, don't scream for a doctor, scream for a lawyer - that'll put the fear of whatever power they believe in into them

[Kristev]

Scream the truth and shame the SC.

[RealUnimportant]

Carts don't help.

People just forget that you can't stop on a dime, and sidestep right in front of you.

Having one of those carts slam into your calves is the quickest way to be reminded about how inertia works!

[Pixilated]

Get a motorized cart for her the next time she is there. She can use one of her crutches as a lance and go jousting for pervs.

I love this! Ten extra points if she gets somebody who was rude to her or anybody else who's having mobility problems!

People have done that to my mum when she's shopping. If they try yelling at her, she cheerfully yells back, calling them morons for forgetting the laws of physics.

She once actually started hefting her walking stick & asking one particularly persistent twit if they really want to be arrested for attacking a disabled woman. My mum is never backward about coming forward

Your mum sounds awesome!

Something like this happened when my mother and I went to a local store (not WalMart, not that it matters). She was already having mobility problems then and moved verrrrry slowly. There were three or four doors at the store entrance, so they could have gone around us and gotten into the store at their preferred speed, but noooo ... they stayed behind us and then, once we actually got into the store, they charged around us and I heard one of them mutter something like "FINALLY ..."

I wanted to say something truly snotty but I got the impression mom hadn't heard him, and if I laid into him she'd know what had happened and would just be mortified.
I'm counting on karma to even things out in a couple of decades ...