Wheelchair Etiquette
I’m so frustrated with people thinking it’s okay to move my wheelchair without permission.
If I’m not in the wheelchair, I guarantee that it’s strategically placed so that I’ll be able to get back to it, and you shouldn’t move it.
If I am in the wheelchair, moving it for any reason (out of the way, to get my attention, to use it to intimidate or bump into other people, or even just to have fun) is the same as grabbing an able-bodied person and shoving them around.
I’m not always opposed to other people moving my wheelchair. Sometimes it’s really in the way or there’s an actual need for someone to move me, like when we’re dancing. 99% of the time, though, if it needs to be moved, I can and should be the one moving it myself.
If it needs to be moved, just ask — but if I still say no, don’t do it anyway. That’s how people get punched by a cripple.
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![[Image description: A visibly old, used wheelchair made of dark wood and dark cushioning.]
catafalques:
Invalid chair, Europe, 1850-1890: Unlike modern wheelchairs that have four wheels, this chair has three: two large front wheels and one small rear wheel. This means the patient was unable to wheel the chair themselves. They would have had an assistant. The chair is heavy so presumably they would not have gone very far or very fast. This elaborately carved chair dates from the late 1800s. It is made of wood with a sprung padded seat. It was donated to the Wellcome Collections by Liverpool Royal infirmary in 1928.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m95x6uVEvl1rct58lo1_500.png)
