Dude in a wheelchair ran my hat over!

[BlindeMan]

Back to rant- On his way back, he cut the corner too sharp, clipped the end of my bag with the back wheel spinning it around and knocking my hat off and then running it over. :rage:
He didn't even bat an eye.

You were there, so you would know better than I - but if they clipped the bag with their back wheel and didn't make any sign that they noticed that they ran over your hat - maybe they didn't notice? It is hard to believe that someone could run over the hat without knowing... did they go over the crown or just the brim?

In either case, in retrospect, a polite "Excuse me?" from you may have been the best solution. If they didn't notice that they ran over your hat, perhaps you would have gotten the apology you deserved. If they did notice and didn't care, they could have gotten the talking to that any person who ran over your hat would deserve - wheelchair or not.

(If it were me, in reality, I probably would have done much the same thing: watch it happen in shock, mumble angrily about it, and complain about it later to my friends. I'm just saying that perhaps it's not the ideal solution.)

 

[ortega76]

Growing up, we had a kid who needed a wheelchair in our neighborhood who went to school with us (when most of the kids in the neighborhood went to public school) and I remember his mom yelling at us (including his older brother) for not including him and treating him different. She (and he) didn't care too much if we teased him for sucking at Super Nintendo and what-not, because that's how kids are. She (and he) did care if we treated him "like some cripple" (to use Mrs. K's words that day she scolded us) or different in any way. I've always remembered that, and so I DO tend to call out rudeness from a dude in a wheelchair because I'd call out anybody who acted like a jerk. I guess I'm equally obnoxious to my fellow man.

 

[suitedcboy]

Now I see why architects put steps on buildings......(if that doesn't fly in the face of PCness, nothing does).

OK, a re-write of hat etiquette needs to be done. Hats belong on heads even indoors. Exceptions can be made for person who carry tripods with hat blocks for hat storage. Exception can also be made for surgeons as the magnifying glass headgear may interfere with hat and life is faintly more precious than a great vintage lid so it is OK to defer to preservation of life.


My tongue and my cheek are sore.......

 

[Drew B]

My tongue and my cheek are sore.......

bwahahaha im going to have to start using that line that's great.

 

[Caity Lynn]

bwahahaha im going to have to start using that line that's great.

sadly not alot of people would get it sigh today's society...

I haven't had a problem with people injuring my hats, or knocking them about and not apologizing, in NYC in a VERY crowded pub my hat got knocked off, and the person handed it back to me with a smile [huh]

I probably would've said something to the guy in the wheelchair...

 

[Magus]

Sadly rudness knows no bounds these days. Sorry you had to experience it.

I work with rambuncious teens and had an 18 year old pull a hat snatch on me. As he turned to show off I gently got a hold of his wrist...and smoothly slipped it into a lock. As he went to his knees I lifted my hat off his head and said simply, "Never touch another man's hat." The look of surprise on his face was priceless. I reversed the wrist and helped him up patted him on the shoulder and asked, "You ok?" His reply was "How'd you do that!?"

We ended up chatting a bit about hats...and wrist locks.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Modern PC often breeds distain for others' rights and property, from those who are its beneficiaries; it seems to provide some protection for the expression of frustration and anger of the person against those seen as unencumbered by their particular disability, whatever it may be; either physical or social. This wheelchair incident is but one more reason to eradicate PC from society and return to the practice of politeness directed toward everyone, regardless of their situation in life. Empowerment brought on by PC is often seen as deferring control instead of sharing it. Everything rude is not illegal, despite that faction in society who would make it so.

I now await the scorn of the PC-infected...

Philosopher Paladin 101.

 

[just_me]

I guess it's possible that he didn't realize what he did, but I would have said, "Excuse me, but you just rolled over my hat." Not nastily, but assertively. I wonder what his response (if he had one) would have been.

BTW, hope your hat was OK.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Was it this guy?

 

[just_me]

Was it this guy?

SNORK!!!!! lol lol lol

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Got em

After scouring the streets and searching high and low I found the offending party:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Subvet642]

Assault upon my hat is an assault upon my person.

I can't imagine anyone snatching my hat from my head. I can imagine my response, though: explosive, shocking and violent. A few years ago, a couple of poker "buddies" hid (as some kind of joke) a very nice Wigens scally cap from me, they are no longer "buddies" of mine. I don't treat people that way, and will not tolerate being treated that way by anyone. [bad] I would consider any such violation as an assault upon my person, and feel perfectly justified in defending myself.

 

[VintageVixie]

My ex was in a wheelchair. I can tell you from experience that a ridiculous amount of people do not think about leaving aisles, doorways, or anything else unimpeded so that chairs can get through. I mean it's ridiculous what people do not think of when it's not them in a situation, which is human nature until something changes that. Carts are left in disabled parking spots, people park crooked into them, thinking they've left enough room without knowing what side the chair has to come out of, a million things.

Therefore, often, people who have no choice but to be in a wheelchair often just say 'screw this' and power on through, despite the obstacles, because they get sick of asking everyone and their brother to please just not block their way.

I'm not saying that this is what you did at all, in fact I am glad you kept your composure, because what would anything else have achieved? If he was in the position of being sick of being blocked and taking it out on your things, he wouldn't have listened anyway.

There may be no excuse for his not batting an eye. However-

I'm just saying maybe take the time to think about why he might have done this in a real logical sense. Maybe even talk to him about it. If you were to say "There was a day in class that my bag and hat were next to me, and you rolled right over it. What was that about?"

After all, he is just another human being, and should be treated as such. You would ask anyone else about it, perhaps not at the moment depending on circumstances. And if he *is* the type to think he has a right to be rude due to his condition, it might do him good to be talked to.

It *is* entirely possible he did not notice due to who knows how many factors, but it also might facilitate a short conversation that will make him realize that you didn't intend to block him and he needs to not see that in everyone, or maybe you will realize you were blocking him even if you did not mean to.

I don't see what PC has to do with anything. There is respecting others, and there's not. You either do or you don't - but what one person thinks is being disrespected might not be what the other person was doing at all. He wasn't respecting you? Maybe there is more to it. Maybe he's really just an ass. But the fact is you don't really know without knowing more.

 

[Gilgamark]

Years ago, when I was in High school, and started wearing hats, sometimes a young co-ed would take it off my head and put it on her own. I considered it a form of flirting, and didn't mind. Now if anyone but a pretty young lady (my wife and daughters fall into that category) did it, I suppose it would bother me. No one ever has though....

This brings up an interesting point. I have a co-worker, another guy, that occasionally walks into my office and puts on my hat - without asking, no less. Each time, I've told him that I consider that to be very rude and asked him not to do it again. He always apologizes, but does it again. This isn't a regular thing. He's done it three times or so. Again, I think it's rude to put on someone's hat, especially without asking. Would you put on any other article of clothing without asking?

Now, this guy also goes into other offices, walks around people's desks, eats food lying out (also without asking), and generally rifles around. We've decided we need to talk to him, but we haven't gotten around to it yet.

Are there many people like this around? I haven't dealt with many.

 

[BigHairyFinn]

After scouring the streets and searching high and low I found the offending party

As I can recognize the post box as one of ours, what can I say... Finns do drink themselves wheelless... err... ummm..

Wearing hats isn't that usual here, but not that uncommon if its some occasion say funerals you see everyone wearing their granddads "Eden", but flat caps or tweed trilbys or even those fake/leather trilbys a la russe is the thing. Wearing a porkpie though gets all the old geezers come talk...

 

[BigHairyFinn]

Years ago, when I was in High school, and started wearing hats, sometimes a young co-ed would take it off my head and put it on her own. I considered it a form of flirting, and didn't mind.

Oh, I need to keep to my hats, I've lost a few that way with females

Now, this guy also goes into other offices, walks around people's desks, eats food lying out (also without asking), and generally rifles around.

And he's still got all his teeth and digits present? Man, you guys are liberal.

 

[nickn5]

Modern PC often breeds distain for others' rights and property, from those who are its beneficiaries; it seems to provide some protection for the expression of frustration and anger of the person against those seen as unencumbered by their particular disability, whatever it may be; either physical or social. This wheelchair incident is but one more reason to eradicate PC from society and return to the practice of politeness directed toward everyone, regardless of their situation in life. Empowerment brought on by PC is often seen as deferring control instead of sharing it. Everything rude is not illegal, despite that faction in society who would make it so.

:arated:

Have to agree - interestingly enough only read today an opinion that stated 'those who claim to be the most liberal (as in PC) are often the most intolerant'.

Sorry to venture slightly off topic.

N.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Years ago, when I was in High school, and started wearing hats, sometimes a young co-ed would take it off my head and put it on her own. I considered it a form of flirting, and didn't mind. Now if anyone but a pretty young lady (my wife and daughters fall into that category) did it, I suppose it would bother me. No one ever has though....

I had this same thing happen to me; though it may have been primarily related to the fact I was in the school's theatre department, and drama students are just crazy.

I remember at first not really minding that some of my friends would grab my hat and wear it, though it did wear on me pretty quickly. Especially when my hat would start flying around the room between hands and heads. I certainly don't hold any ill feelings towards my friends from that time though, it was high school and they were acting like high school kids. Besides, in the long run, my hat wasn't hurt. My friends and fellow students just found it cool to see a different type of hat than a ball cap.

 

[ortega76]

Sadly rudness knows no bounds these days. Sorry you had to experience it.

I work with rambuncious teens and had an 18 year old pull a hat snatch on me. As he turned to show off I gently got a hold of his wrist...and smoothly slipped it into a lock. As he went to his knees I lifted my hat off his head and said simply, "Never touch another man's hat." The look of surprise on his face was priceless. I reversed the wrist and helped him up patted him on the shoulder and asked, "You ok?" His reply was "How'd you do that!?"

We ended up chatting a bit about hats...and wrist locks.

Haven't seen you around in a while, Magus. How ya been?

 

[Slim Portly]

VintageVixie:

I am a regular wheelchair user, and I will simply say this about the issue: it is an absolute bitch. Regardless of the Americans with Disabilities Act, not a single day goes by when I am in my chair that I do not suffer some setback, from a minor inconvenience to a major indignity. I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say my first thought when reading the original post was why wasn't the bag with the hat on it under the table and out of the way? Were I attempting to negotiate a classroom without banging my feet on desks or smashing my hands against table corners I would hope that the able-bodied people in the room would be considerate enough to at least keep their personal possessions safely tucked away.

The combined weight of my body, my chair, and a bag filled with everything that I need to get me through the day rolling over an object made from a 1/8-inch-thick piece of felt, especially after I just miscalculated and banged a table edge for the umpteenth time, might actually go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things. And yet, should I make such a blunder and the owner of the hat were to actually point out what I had done, I would accept full responsibility and do whatever I was able to do to make amends. You did not allow the man in the chair this opportunity and yet you are still angry with him.

Some of the replies here, such as the suggestion to "accidentally" bump into him and spill hot coffee on him, are amazingly rude bordering on the legal definition of assault. Should one think letting "chair dude" meet "angry, white, God-fearing, tax paying southern hat guy'" is an appropriate response, they may just be surprised to meet "man who has had enough crap dumped on him for today and who can get up out of his chair and stand just long enough to drop you on your keister guy."