On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 at 14:03:44, Helen Deborah Vecht
wrote:

"Henry" typed


Why is it that to many people, "disabled" means "wheelchair users" and
absolutely nothing else?

Because they are the pushy, awkward aggressive ones!

Also because the sign for "disabled" is a stylised wheelchair.

In fact, since many buses were converted/rearranged to allow someone in
a wheelchair to use them, they've actually been less accessible to those
who, while not using a wheelchair, have walking problems and would
dearly love to be able to get on a bus (be hauled on by the conductor of
a Routemaster, in the olden days, but nobody can help them now), and sit
down almost at once, rather than be nearly knocked down in the scrum and
have to push past the queue at the bottom of the stairs to find a seat.

--
Annabel Smyth
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/index.html
Website updated 8 March 2004