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sben

I find it very difficult to use public transport, especially buses and trains, because of my health and disabilities.
Bus drivers need to know and learn about different types of disabilities, especially hidden disabilities.
I find it very difficult doing my general shopping in supermarkets, because of my health and disabilities.
I always get pushed and shoved while I am trying to do my shopping, and this shows me that people are very impatient.
We need more help and and assistance in supermarkets, we need a lot more staff in supermarkets, and health, safety, and disabilities really need to be considered.

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Comments

Rosie_Scope

It's not easy @sben. Some bus drivers are great but there are lots that need some better training. It can be a really mixed experience sometimes.

And in the supermarkets, I do think lots of people are quite stressed out at the moment and often don't stop to think about other people who might need more time.

Some supermarkets do relaxed times where they dim the lights and make things easier for those who might find shopping difficult. I think that's a really helpful scheme for some people, but I know not everyone is able to access that.

There's still lots more to be done, I'm sure!

Kimi87

Some supermarkets especially branches on the smaller side have very narrow aisles, cages of stock on the shop floor as staff are restocking shrink the space, oh and staff pushing carts for online orders.

I have very limited energy and so all the time spent waiting for traffic jams in the aisles to clear adds up, once that energy is gone I then don't have it to use on anything else.

Online shopping isn't affordable for my single person household, especially as I prefer to buy the majority of fruit, veg, cleaning products elsewhere.

It's reserved for really bad spells only.

I personally would love them to go back to pandemic ways of working, which was to restock & online pick while the shop was shut. So by the time customers went in, things were much clearer.

OP have you thought about whether a carer to go out with you would alleviate some of your difficulties?

JessieJ

@sben, on the whole, bus drivers do care, if your disability is hidden, just tell them & they should understand. Not all, by any means, even as a wheelchair user I've found that an odd one treats me as if I'm an inconvenience, had one yesterday.

When shopping, if you go to the customer service desk & ask for assistance, they are normally very good & call for someone to go around the store with you to help, they will carry the basket or push the trolley, then take your shopping to your car.

A lot of people are in their own bubble & aren't worried about those around them. It seems our world is gradually getting more selfish & hostile.

sben

I have been told many times, by many bus drivers, that I should not be allowed to use buses, because of my health and disabilities.

Because of this, I now always have to use taxis, especially to get to medical care.

sben

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1100622#Comment_1100622

I find it very difficult shopping in supermarkets.

I have always been refused help, and I do not have a carer.

sben

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1100619#Comment_1100619

I have always been refused help in different types of supermarkets, including Tesco and Asda.

sben

I find it very difficult shopping in supermarkets.

I have always been refused help, and I do not have a carer.

I have always been refused help in different types of supermarkets, including Tesco and Asda.

JessieJ

If that is the case from bus drivers, then report them. There are cameras all around buses & there's a microphone & camera above the driver. I know, as I phoned to complain & was told that it would be looked & listened to & action taken. The lady I spoke to was smashing & disgusted, so I didn't doubt her word.

I don't quite understand why any of the supermarkets won't help you, that is part of customer service. If that is the case too, phone them & complain. Sadly, it's the only way sometimes, to get change. They have wheelchairs & some have trolley scooters if that would help. But, you should gird your loins to make some complaint calls.

JessieJ

I only order for delivery if I'm absolutely desperate, @Chris75_ , as when I used to get them regularly, too many items were changed for something so different & not what I wanted at all. Plus, the pickers obviously hadn't checked the fruit & veg, as some of that was defo out of date, I don't want peppers that I can put my fingers through. I did need to top up my freezer & I actually did an online order with Iceland last week. It saved me hauling it home in the wheelie & it defrosting. That was perfect, everything I had ordered & the prices were too! Just wish it came with someone to pack the freezer! 😆

Kimi87

Minimum order £50, or they charge an additional £5 for orders under this amount.

I know how much the cost of food has risen, but that's definitely not an option regularly for my single person household, as I prefer to buy the majority of fruit & veg, toiletries + cleaning products away from the supermarkets.

For occasions when I'm really ill, or extremely strained on time to go myself yes.

I'd probably use JustEat/Deliveroo etc though to top up as even with the higher prices it's more economical unless I need a full shop.

Kimi87

Not all the fresh food will last two weeks, and I can only fit so much in my freezer. And I know how to pack it in, freezer bags are great 😁

Short use by dates are also an issue with online shopping, I know this from when I was in a two person household. Online grocery shopping was very handy then and with communal food, plus individual stuff for two we easily met the minimum and shopped frequently.

The amount we got refunded though due to the fresh food being short dated and not meeting their minimum guarantee 🙄

OverlyAnxious

Cold storage is definitely an issue for single people who can't get to a shop and live in small flats. It's something I really struggled with when replacing my fridge freezer. Annoyingly all of the smaller appliances have a large fridge section and a small freezer section. I need the opposite of that to last between deliveries. It's also something I'm keeping in mind for any property move, enough kitchen space for a tall fridge freezer.

Kimi87

50/50 or 60/40 fridge freezers do exist, I went for a 50/50 and wouldn't have anything else now.

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1101431#Comment_1101431

60/40 with a larger freezer section? Don't remember seeing like that when I was looking last year. I did end up buying another 50/50. But it's not 50/50 in terms of capacity. The freezer drawers aren't very wide and the bottom drawer is always half depth due to the motor behind it. The fridge capacity is much larger which is a waste for me personally.

A lot of the studio or 1 bed flats I've seen can only fit a maximum of about 4ft tall for a fridge freezer. Some only have one single under-counter space. It's fine for people who can pop to a shop twice a week, but wouldn't work for me now or others who can't get out easily.

MissMarple

It took me ages to find a fridge where the freezer section was larger @OverlyAnxious I had to go for one that needs manual defrosting because the self-defrost models didn't have enough freezer space, or they were huge and wouldn't fit in my tiny kitchen.

MissMarple

The tiny kitchen comes with a tiny apartment @Chris75_ No room to swing a cat, let alone a freezer 😂

JessieJ

I agree with you @Chris75_ , if you can't make it work, then there is online shopping, a godsend for many.

@MissMarple, my nephew has the same problem, or similar, as he can't even fit in a small fridge. We've been looking for a small table top one, but they're not worth it & room is still a problem. A tall thin one would, but they don't make them! 🙃

OverlyAnxious

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1101463#Comment_1101463

Another room? Some of us live in tiny studio flats! 🙁

MissMarple

When I was still able to go out, it was always a hassle to get around in my mobility scooter. @sben Not enough room in shops, ramps too steep, people sometimes not paying attention to their surroundings… I get my groceries delivered now, and it really makes life much easier. I would prefer being able to choose fresh produce or check out the yellow sticker aisle, but it's great that we have online shopping as an option.

@Chris75_ I'll never give up my warm and cosy double bed for a cold-hearted freezer! 😀

MissMarple

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1101600#Comment_1101600

Keep looking @JessieJ I spent weeks looking at different websites and specifications until I found a fridge-freezer that fit into the space in the kitchen. If height is not an issue, there should be a slim fridge out there waiting for their new home. (This sounded like dating, didn't it? Trying to find your soulmate in an ocean of unsuitable candidates 🤣)