Yet another example of this unwillingness to help people out. Where has the community spirit gone? I personally think it's gone to the toilet although others may have a better answer.

Hmmm...... I'm not convinced that's the entire story personally.

The bottom line (if that's the right term) is that the UK, like Australia and I daresay most western countries, has laws against discrimination based on disability. I have a few reservations about being forced to hire someone who physically can't climb a ladder or whatever the peculiarity of the job requires, but still, the law is there and the store stuck their necks out.

The expectation that every store should have staff trained to help such customers belongs in the Useless PC Crap bin. I've worked in public areas enough to know people complain because your staff of ten don't among them have people fluent in every known language plus Klingon, every known medical condition, brain surgery and astro-navigation. Asking if they want to bear the cost of staff with such qualifications produces some pretty funny stunned looks.

I have also seen people in wheelchairs do things like declare they have a bomb in the chassis, and create security alerts, then claim they were being discriminated against. So I would like to hear more. The store has apparently admitted an error and suggested she shop with someone who can help her. The woman is independent enough to try to do it on her own, but expecting staff to have expertise on tap in case she visits the shop that day is unrealistic. We've seen the "disabled" car parks that are empty from one day to the next.

In our schoolrooms, we've reached a silly stage where a whole class is disadvantaged because the few available staff are required to attend intensively to "special needs" kids absorbed into the mainstream class. Some of those kids are themselves disruptive and even violent, but we ban "dangerous" games and not violent kids. That's where economics-driven staff levels attempting to fit in PC "above and beyond" demands takes us.

If stores are to take on more, expertly trained staff, the cost will be passed on to all customers, on the silly assumption they can afford it. Or else, lest you think I advocate an uncaring community, put ladies like this one in touch with the various community agencies who do things like accompany people on shopping excursions.

John, you pretty much said what I was going to say.

From the article:

She may not have thought anymore about it, but obviously the other people involved did.

The store does have emergency cords installed in bathrooms, but I'd think those are for ... well, emergencies. In this case, Mrs Curran is not only disabled but appears to have difficulty taking care of her basic needs by herself. So she may have emergency situations come up everyday.

She wants to be independent and have a life, doing things that most people take for granted, which is understandable. The question is to what extent she should be able to rely on either paid store employees or voluntary assistance of members of the community, in order for her to do that.


I tend to agree with that. I think there's more going on here, as to the motivation and mindset of Mrs Curran and/or the store employees or management.

"Set a new course. There's coffee in that nebula." -- Capt. Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager

You lot are very good at changing my opinion, you know

That's good, it means we're teaching you not everything is as black and white as it first appears

It means the rubber hoses, bright lights and pick handles are quite effective. Done with dignity, Hangman!