Respect or lack of it

Since I have been using a walking stick for my balance and hip problems, I have noticed that there is a total lack of respect for anyone with disabilities, when you are out and about.

I guess I noticed this two yesrs ago when my balance really started to go, but at this time, I would hardly use my walking stick, perhaps through male pride, and remembering hearing my wife tell the sureon that a walking stick was for old men, but that was after she had a serious road accident in the 1980s.

I have always tried to walk without one, but these days it has become part of me, although I have a habit of kicking it as one foot sticks out at an angle. 

But I noticed that people in general seem to ignore anyone using a walking stick, and in many cases ignore those in wheel chairs, something wich does tend to annoy me. 

I think that this is because people in general are in such a hurry, that they feel everyone else is in their way, so they will get passed us, whatever it takes.

I have been in lifts before trying to exit them in the correct floor, only to be pushed back in by people who cannot be bothered to wait, until others get out. 

For some reason the worst offenders seem to be females, something I just do not understand.

These days we see young people and some older who park in disabled car parking bays at shop, when there is obviously nothing wrong with them. 

As one was heard to say out side Marks ans Spencer's one day, why should the disabled park out side shops, when they can walk, like us. I heard this and just looked in amazement. In the end my wife told me to walk away, before I got into trouble. 

Your balance is wonderful when it works as if should, but when you lose it, you get a real shock, simply because you take it for granted without even thinking about it 

This also affects me in meetings when people move around fast, or dodge you to get past. This is because you feel as if you are going to fall over. 

These days we spend time discussing respect in dementia, yet I do feel that if people cannot respect the disabled, how on earth are people going to respect those with dementia. 

I think we will get there at some stage but it may well take a lot longer than we expect