# Fighting a tiny battle for disabled rights? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 9, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153 "2009-10-09T03:30:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/41 "2009-10-12T14:10:42Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > You know, I am surprised at Wegmans! Usually, they (especially the one in Pittsford) bend over backward to please. > > I don’t think we have a local “8 on Your Side” anymore. I tried finding them on line and couldn’t find them. I looked up channel 8 news on wiki and it mentions a _ **former** _ reporter with ‘8 on your side’. Maybe it doesn’t exist anymore. > > I wonder if [this website](http://www.tvonyourside.com/stations.cfm)is legit. What do you guys think? 'Cause I am all about paying the 7.99 to get someone to pick up this story for me. Don’t know how legit it is, but they are missing an entire TV station for CT … and we don’t have that many stations … [sue me, it is a tiny state, about 120 miles by 60 miles more or less …] ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/42 "2009-10-12T15:49:41Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > depends on how you want it hammed … > > And my funny Rochester grocery store story … the Wegmans in Pittsford Plaza, _kosher food aisle_ and a bottle of _pork_ flavored gravy mix. :smack: > Stupid manager just did not seem to be able to understand why it should not be placed there. > > Granted it was only flavored, but to keep kosher it is also the _appearance_ not just the reality [you really can not seeth a chicken in its own milk…no matter how hard you try] When the Wegmans opened in Mechanicsburg, they had the kosher pre-packed meat next to the shellfish, and it was all under a sign that read “Kosher Meat”. They’re an awesome supermarket for even having kosher food, but they fail at displays. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/43 "2009-10-12T16:36:35Z")
[quote=“Nzinga\_Seated, post:1, topic:513153”] The have bars up outside the place so that folks can’t steal the grocery carts. The metal bars are spaced out enough for you to pass through, but not enough for you to steal the carts; and not enough for a wheelchair. QUOTE] I am possibly missing something here but: If a wheelchair can’t pass out, how do they get in? Meanwhile, you carry on with your good work try to get the store to see sense. Like someone said upthread, if you can’t push your cart to your car to unload groceries, I’d fuck that store right off ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/44 "2009-10-12T16:38:53Z")
**Nzinga, Seated** , I did a little looking around on the city of Rochester’s webpage. I can’t find any indication that they have a fire marshall who goes by that title. But [here](http://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589936490) is the contact page for the Fire Department. You might have some luck calling one of the code enforcement numbers. Also, looking at those pics, they could leave the gate unlocked, put up a lintel bar, and have tall poles attached to the shopping carts (taller than the lintel). That’s how the local Sav-on drugstore used to keep people from removing carts from the store. Probably cheaper than refitting all of their carts for proximity locks. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/45 "2009-10-12T17:02:04Z")
> [@chowder](#): > > If a wheelchair can’t pass out, how do they get in? > > Like someone said upthread, if you can’t push your cart to your car to unload groceries, I’d fuck that store right off Shops with this set up are usually (in my experience) in densely populated urban areas where people don’t own cars, or don’t use them for neighborhood chores like shopping (such groceries rarely offer any parking anyway). People only buy what they can carry, or sometimes have a little handcart. As for how in but not out - simple – the entrance and exit are set up differently, and doors open automatically but are unidirectional. The in door will not open automatically for someone who is already in the store, and they are not easy to open manually. The out door is located past the checkout, and from there it is virtually impossible to get back into the store (you’d have to go backwards through the checkout requiring everyone in line to move out of your way) My parents’ grocery store is like that (and has a similar cart blocking exit). ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/46 "2009-10-12T17:25:41Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > Shops with this set up are usually (in my experience) in densely populated urban areas where people don’t own cars, or don’t use them for neighborhood chores like shopping (such groceries rarely offer any parking anyway). People only buy what they can carry, or sometimes have a little handcart. > > As for how in but not out - simple – the entrance and exit are set up differently, and doors open automatically but are unidirectional. The in door will not open automatically for someone who is already in the store, and they are not easy to open manually. The out door is located past the checkout, and from there it is virtually impossible to get back into the store (you’d have to go backwards through the checkout requiring everyone in line to move out of your way) > > My parents’ grocery store is like that (and has a similar cart blocking exit). I wish it were that simple. Actually, the disabled person waits several minutes for someone to notify the manager that there is a disabled person that needs to gain entry. They bring the key, unlock the gate, and then promptly disappear. kaylasdad99, thank you for the numbers, but I get the feeling that the fire department isn’t going to help me with this one. I will try the numbers, but I bet I get the kind of response that Tracy gave me from the 311 number. ETA: Notice they have the 311 number at the bottom of the page in your link. That is the number I called before. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/47 "2009-10-12T22:37:21Z")
[Click me!](http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=fire+marshall+rochester+ny&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/48 "2009-10-12T23:04:14Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I also suggest a call to the local newspaper. Pictures of a person trying to get a wheelchair through a barrier make good stuff. (It wouldn’t have to be a person who actually uses a wheelchair; it could be a rented or borrowed wheelchair used as a test.) You can also pick up a wheelchair for cheap at the Salvation Army/ Thrift stores, if you can’t borrow one. Good on you for doing this. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/49 "2009-10-13T00:16:11Z")
Thank you all for your support in this. It is really keeping me hyped up to follow through. I do appreciate your link, chique, but I gotta say, I’m a bit gunshy with the fire marshall right now. Because of my experience calling there before, I am hesitant to go that route again. I did email them just now, though, using the link at the bottom of kaylassdad99’s page. I am hoping to hear something back. I am really liking the idea of renting a wheelchair and showing how long it takes to get a manager to come and unlock that gate. But, I don’t want to turn this into any kind of spectacle. I just want them to take the lock off. I can’t believe they lose that many damn carts. But, then again, maybe they do. When I was a kid, we took them sometimes to play in. Still, with simple solutions like the aforementioned buzzers available, there is no reason to take the dignity of people that just want to quickly and independantly exit without a big scene. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/50 "2009-10-13T03:45:18Z")
Who is the State Rep for that district? Call their office and explain the problem --tell them you know it is private property, but you just want help in reaching the right people, not that you expect Rep Whoever to personally do anything. They may have an easy number for ADA in the area, or know who to call at the Fire Marshall (not Tracy level but her boss level). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153/51 "2009-10-13T19:14:16Z")
> [@chique](#): > > [Click me!](http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=fire+marshall+rochester+ny&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) [moderating] A request, please, if you will. Every time someone posts a “click me” link with no explanation, I get one or more people reporting it, afraid to click for fear it’s malware or something else inappropriate. Please take just a moment to add a sentence or two of description, or even make the link text itself something descriptive. Thanks. [/moderating] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-a-tiny-battle-for-disabled-rights/513153.md?page=2)