The irony is the fire code is there to ensure that occupants can safely leave the building as efficiently and quickly as possible in the event of a fire. How does removing a paraplegic’s wheelchair and placing it across the room from him create the same safety net for him?
Why didn’t you ask them what you were expected to do in the event of an emergency if the hostess was otherwise prevented from retrieving the wheelchair?
I’m with everyone else that said the restaurant was all kinds of wrong to insist they separate you from your wheelchair.
In this case, I agree, they should not have separated you from your chair. I was puzzled why you weren’t sitting in the chair until you pointed out the restaurant chair was more comfortable in regards to the table, which makes perfect sense. If your folded up chair would have violated fire code I have to wonder if there wasn’t already an issue with the fire code, as able-bodied people might have bags, coats, etc, intruding into the aisles just as your chair did.
If the aisle-width was a problem they should have moved you, as others have said, or rather, let you move yourself to a different table/booth/whatever that worked for everyone, and apologized for the inconvenience.
On the other hand, maybe you could have suggested the move yourself? The able-bodied are often clueless, I’m wondering if the hostess in her ignorance thought she was helping you by getting your unused chair out of the way, the same way she’d offer to hang up someone’s coat. In which case, next time tell her it’s not a coat to be hung up, it’s your legs and you want it within arm’s reach.
Seriously, dude, although in this case I think you’re in the right I have to wonder if your presentation of your needs couldn’t be a little more diplomatic in general.
You should for future reference check out the fire code. Quite a lot of the time restaurant managers, and others, throw out “it’s a safety violation”, “it’s a health code violation”, “it violates the fire code”, etc. when these people often have no freaking idea what the actual law says. They throw out the scare words and hope no one will ever question them.
Not that that will help you win against a restaurant manager who clearly doesn’t want you there, but it’s good ammunition to use when you write an angry letter to the restaurant owner.
Considering the OP has also admitted to pulling himself down an airplane aisle rather than get wheeled down in an aisle chair and to blocking in people who take handicapped parking spaces, I think she made the right decision. I can’t say I blame her–the OP sounds like a throwaway date from a Seinfeld ep.
They shouldn’t have taken your chair, but moved you to another table where it would not have been in the way. However, the above is not a valid argument. It’s actually the same argument people use to justify parking in handicap spots or using handicap stalls…
I am torn. I can see both sides and I do believe both were being a bit stubborn. I suppose restaurant could have tried to find another place to seat you so you could keep your chair, or you could have just agreed to be in the position of waiting for a moment when you wanted to move away from the table. Sometimes in life people have to compromise, yes, even compromise your autonomy.
There are time in everyone’s lives when they just have to shut up and deal with some sort of inconvenience or removal of dignity. Being at a low level job or traveling on an airplane are two that I can think of right now. In those situations SOMEONE ELSE has the right to tell me when I can get up to move around freely and it makes no difference when I DECIDE.
Have you been traveling on a plane with your wheelchair? I know they wont just let you bring it on board and leave it in the aisle next to your seat, there are rules there. Would you cause a scene and refuse to fly if they tried to take your wheelchair away in that situation? Rules are rules, TSA or Fire Code.
You would not have been able to leave the restaurant without paying your check, which would require you to wait till SOMEONE ELSE brought it to you (and you could ask for your wheelchair at the same time.) Is that a removal of your autonomy, being told you have to wait and that you can’t leave till you have paid for your meal? Also, if there was an emergency, do you just expect your date to run off and leave you there? Couldn’t she have gotten you chair for you?
That’s BS. Handicapped parking spaces are reserved BY LAW. Accessible toilet stalls are NOT reserved. Anyone can at any time use an accessible toilet; whereas, only permit holders are legally allowed to use handicapped parking spaces. “It’s empty” is no justification for non-permitted drivers to break the law and block access to permit holders’ legally protected use of the space. “It’s empty” is a perfectly valid reason to use an accessible toilet stall.
A restaurant is required by law to provide accessible restrooms. Aren’t they also required to provide accessibility in their dining room? I think you can argue that if their layout forces them to remove a wheelchair from a patron, they haven’t met that burden.
ETA: What’s he supposed to do when he has to use the restroom in the restaurant? Hold it until the hostess deigns to give him his mobility back?
Can he at least get a little dignity that the able-bodied take for granted? How would you like to be forced into the position of having to ask if you can get up to go the bathroom now while you’re on a date?
So, reading some of the thread referenced, I see the OP has no problem leaving his “legs” behind when flying. I change my mind and say he is just being an asshole about keeping his chair at the restaurant.
(Bolding mine) What? What in the world would make you think the manager would clearly not what him there?
[QUOTE=Brown Eyed Girl]
Handicapped parking spaces are reserved BY LAW. Accessible toilet stalls are NOT reserved. Anyone can at any time use an accessible toilet; whereas, only permit holders are legally allowed to use handicapped parking spaces. “It’s empty” is no justification for non-permitted drivers to break the law and block access to permit holders’ legally protected use of the space. “It’s empty” is a perfectly valid reason to use an accessible toilet stall.
[/quote]
Umm, apparently you haven’t read any of the other threads the OP has been in. I was posting specifically because he doesn’t accept that as a valid reason for parking/shitting, so he should not use it when he does something that may or may not be against rules or laws.
Oh, I saw his response to illegal use of handicap parking spaces, but I wasn’t aware he took issue with the use of accessible stalls. While I support the provision of accessible restrooms, I will personally continue to use them as they are available because I am uncomfortable in most non-accessible stalls. I don’t see a handicapped person waiting for a stall any different than an able-bodied person having to wait.
He can’t have it both ways. I must be treated the same as an able-bodied person…but MY WHEELCHAIR, MY WHEELCHAIR!
What does the OP do when he goes to friends houses that are not wheelchair assessable? Does he whinge and moan and expect them to make major renovations on their own dime to accommodate him? I hope not, I hope he just realizes that sometimes he will have to be inconvenienced. It happens.
Right. I’m 100% certain that the OP behaved like a five-star asshole in this encounter, which is why his date was mortified, and not because she sided with the restaurant’s request to move his chair behind the bar. It’s possible that he politely smiled and asked the waitress that his chair not be removed, but given the OP’s track record, I’d put my money on him behaving like an aggravated child and turning the staff’s (very poor, IMO) request into the Jamie McGarry Show.
Your criticism doesn’t make any sense. It’s hard to make a comparison because a restaurant can’t take a person’s legs, but they certainly wouldn’t ask a person to let them take away with crutches or something like that. jamiemcgarry is asking the restaurant to let him leave the table when he pleases and not have to ask them for permission, which is the same thing an able bodied person would have. I can understand a person who isn’t in a wheelchair not knowing the etiquette of how to deal with a wheelchair, but their insistence on taking his chair was pretty bizarre and they were in the wrong.
Since the OP is asking for opinions – and since there have been several posts on the various laws and regulations that might be involved – I’m going to move this to IMHO.
Please note, however, that even in IMHO, your opinions about another poster as a person are not appropriate. If you have a problem with him, take it to the Pit.