A disabled man has criticised Tesco…For having no disabled access? That’s dreadful, fire up the protest groups and…
Oh. Wait:
… for failing to provide a mobility scooter.Well, that’s a nice thing for them to do, but it’s not a right.
John Noskavich-Smith, 49, of Gorse Walk, Colchester, said most times he had visited the Colchester Hythe store, in Greenstead Road, no scooters were available.Does that placate Mr Noskavich-Smith? Well, what do you think?
Tesco apologised but said one of its scooter had been vandalised and the other was broken.
Mr Noskavich-Smith, who struggles to walk on crutches, said: “It has happened nearly every time I have been in the last three or four months.No, all shops are meant to provide access for disabled people. Which they do.
“I have been paying someone £5 to go with me. I have to pay for a cab there, pay for someone to help me shop and for a cab home. Where have equal rights gone? All shops are meant to cater for disabled people.”
If they go further than that – in an effort to attract customers like Mr Noskavich-Smith, though god alone knows why they bother – that’s nice, but it doesn't make it a right that you can insist on.
Nor is it a setback for equal rights.
A Tesco spokesman said: “We are sorry we were unable to help Mr Noskavich-Smith and have apologised. In the meantime, both mobility scooters have been fixed.”See, all resolved.
So, what’s the problem? Why the need to get your name in the papers whinging? Or where you hoping for compensation too?
13 comments:
Why doesn't he just give a list to the "someone" and the "someone" does the shopping for him?
Because as Julia so rightly points out, if he did that he'd never get hold of the keys to the "Outrage Bus", never get his name in the paper & certainly never be remotely considered for any potential "compo" ..
I live alone and when I had both knees replaced & was unable to drive for 12 weeks after each operation .. I had to rely on friends to do my shopping for me, take me to hospital appointments, the library etc .. and had to be flexible so as to fit in with their schedules too ..
Ahead of my first Op, I bought an extra electric kettle and a mini-fridge so that I could make myself a cuppa upstairs, thus reducing the number of times I had to negotiate the stairs ..
Preparation and Planning Prevent Piss-Poor Performance ..
No comprendo. Why doesn't he have his groceries delivered?
I'm a great fan of the infrastructure improvements which allow the disabled to get about. For example I know an elderly chap who can now totter only a few steps but through the combination of his (own) mobility scooter and the universal drop kerbs all over the borough can now get down to the pub every day to spend time with his mates. I suspect that continued freedom has been a life saver.
But there is a balance to be struck. Making reasonable provision for the disabled and otherwise disadvantaged does not mean completely rebuilding society around their needs. Chummy needs to make the effort to meet people part of the way.
He could hand over a list, or even do his shopping online.
But if it's a social thing (you can grumble to other people as you motor round the store) then online would never do.
Unless you post it on fecesbook, natch.
Of course ordering online and having it delivered would be an abuse of his yuman rights as well wouldn't it?
So would using a different shop if he was unhappy with Tesco.
I don't like Tesco generally, but in this case I'm with them. I hope the judge awards costs against him for this waste of the court's time.
If its anything like our local supermarket then the mobility scooters are in constant use from obese 'its my glands/i just have big bones' working class female gutbuckets.
The Disabled Parking is constantly taken by OAP's who seem to get given Blue Cards just for being old.
v/w chitya
I've worked in a variety of supermarkets as I was getting my education.
And in all of them, if a customer was seen struggling they would be offered help. I've helped people who could barely walk, who couldn't walk, who were blind, etc.
Supermarkets are not government departments, they're not staffed by "order following" psychopaths who couldn't give a shit about the customer. They're staffed by normal people, and normal people are always happy to help someone like Noskavich-Smith.
Unless, of course, he's an arsehole and complains to the paper.
And in that case, if I was him, I definitely wouldn't buy anything off the deli or meat/fish counters...
I made the mistake of reading the Comments on the original article.
One does tire so of the 'Have Compassion with MeeeEEEE' culture or the even more irritating 'Have Compassion With Me For I Eave A Syndrome!!!' culture.
Compassion isn't a human right.
And to return to my original point about the mobility scooters being in constant use by Gutbucket Women...of course I should have compassion with them for it's NOT THEIR FAULT!
It never is.
Not much sympathy for him from Gazette readers one of whom suggests that his next move will be a demand that Tesco supplies a motor scooter to go around town in.
"Why doesn't he just give a list to the "someone" and the "someone" does the shopping for him?"
Exactly! Or as others have pointed out, go online! I suspect the chance to get his name in the papers is indeed the real reason.
"Preparation and Planning Prevent Piss-Poor Performance .."
Spot on!
"I'm a great fan of the infrastructure improvements which allow the disabled to get about."
Me too. Electric doors and escalators/travelators are of great benefit to all, especially if you have awkward shopping loads.
"I've worked in a variety of supermarkets as I was getting my education.
And in all of them, if a customer was seen struggling they would be offered help."
Yup! I've never been in one where the hired help wasn't. Being pretty short, I've never had to struggle to reach anything off the top shelf either!
This is typical of the disability sector... push push push push and more push. That's what you get paid generous benefits for... for taxi rides and someone to accompany if needed... sheeeeesh!
"I have been paying someone £5 to go with me. I have to pay for a cab there, pay for someone to help me shop and for a cab home. Where have equal rights gone?"
By its definition, it would be an equal right when abled and disabled alike could expect this provision.
I'm not so sure this chap's motivating is compensation from the store; more likely the opening gambit for increasing his benefits.
Can't squeeze the veg online. There's no easy way out here, but this one seems like more of a whingeing git than normal. We've all got our problems, mate; fuck off and leave us to 'em, OK?
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