Ideally, a trip to the grocery store should be uneventful. If the shop has everything you need, you can get in and out without waiting in a long line and you’re on your way home before you know it, that’s a successful trip. But unfortunately, we never know what kinds of people we’ll encounter when shopping. 

One customer recently reached out to the Entitled People subreddit detailing their bizarre experience with a woman who tried to steal their wheelchair at the grocery store. Below, you’ll find the full saga, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.

This person was minding their own business grocery shopping when another customer decided she was entitled to their wheelchair

Image credits: AnnaStills / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

But they certainly weren’t going to give it up without a fight

Image credits: Nashua Volquez-Young / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Rawpixel / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Prostock-studio / Envato Elements (not the actual photo)

Image credits: OtherwiseDrama5374

Later, the OP answered some of the most commonly asked questions from readers

Image credits: Marcus Aurelius / Pexels (not the actual photo)

“People don’t have good public behavior around the disabled; it’s not something our society teaches”

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We reached out to the person who shared this story online in the first place, Reddit user OtherwiseDrama5374, and lucky for us, they were kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. They shared that they were inspired to post about this after hearing another entitled person story on YouTube that reminded them of the experience.

Unfortunately, the OP says this is “absolutely not” the first time they’ve had issues with another customer while using their chair in public. “Using a wheelchair in a public space means constant problems,” they noted. “When I used my chair, I would have difficulty with aisle size, people not wanting to be near me, people crashing into other people to avoid me, people staring, people demanding to know why I need the chair, etc. Most often I try to pivot and just show them my leg braces and let them fill in the blanks and talk about how nice their purse is. Usually if I suddenly refocus on something about them, they stop being so upset about something about me.”

As far as why the woman in the story was so insistent that OtherwiseDrama5374 couldn’t use their personal chair in the store, the OP says, “I had no idea, but a smart human on the original post offered that maybe her spouse/husband had poo-pooed buying her a nice scooter or chair on the basis that it wouldn’t be allowed places? Or maybe her son/daughter. It’s also possible she thinks they’re like roller skates or bicycles?”

We were also curious what the OP thought of the replies to their post. “Most of them were funny and sweet, a few were cranky,” they told Bored Panda. “There are always a few people screaming ‘FAKE,’ and I really hope they never have to be in a wheelchair in public. It’s not ‘rare’ for things like this to happen. It’s rare for them to not happen. People don’t have good public behavior around the disabled. It’s not something our society teaches. So I think it’s weird that folks just assume everyone is as nice/sane/sensible as they are.”

Approximately 39 million people in the United States have mobility disabilities

According to Inclusive City Maker, about 39 million Americans have motor impairments, and physical impairments are actually the most common disabilities to have in the US. 13.7% of adults have difficulties walking, climbing stairs or getting around in general. And as you might expect, we’re more likely to develop disabilities as we age, as the Pew Research Center reports that nearly half of Americans over the age of 75 have a disability.

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Having a disability can impact every aspect of a person’s life, including how much they earn from their job. The US Census Bureau reports that individuals with disabilities earned a median of only $28,438 in 2021, while their peers without any disabilities earned $40,948.

Image credits: Nothing Ahead / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all public spaces must be accessible

When it comes to wheelchair users, such as the person who shared this story on Reddit, they’re likely more common than you realize as well. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1% of the global population, or 80 million individuals, require wheelchairs to get around. 

But Spin The Globe notes that you may not see wheelchair users often simply due to the lack of accessibility many cities have. If they cannot drive, wheelchair users might not live close enough to reliable public transit to take it on their own, and even calling a taxi can be a challenge if there’s no space for their chair.   

In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is supposed to guarantee that all public spaces are welcoming for individuals with disabilities, and it aims to prevent discrimination against those with disabilities in terms of employment, housing, public accommodations, education, transportation, communication, recreation, institutionalization, health services, voting, and access to public services. So a grocery store telling a wheelchair user that they could not bring their personal chair into the shop certainly wouldn’t fly.

Image credits: Márton Novák / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Shoppers are entitled to bring their own chairs and mobility scooters inside stores

Mobility Department notes that there are sometimes restrictions as to the size of mobility scooters allowed inside stores, to ensure that they can maneuver through aisles, and not every store provides their own scooters. But if a customer brings one, they are allowed to take it inside. 

Unfortunately, not every store is perfect when it comes to providing access, however. Apparently, only 80% of grocery stores in the US have accessible parking spaces, and only 35% have accessible shopping carts or baskets for those with mobility challenges. 

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Requiring a wheelchair or mobility scooter should not mean that a person’s trips to the grocery store need to become unnecessarily challenging. And it definitely shouldn’t mean that they might have to deal with random strangers harassing them in the shop. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing similar issues, look no further than right here.  

The OP also provided more information in the comments section

Readers applauded the shopper for standing their ground

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Some even had similar stories of their own to share

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