should i or shouldn't i...

Colorado Bicycler wrote:
My son uses a very large electric wheelchair controlled by a sonar
device in the headrest which he operates by head position (but
fortunately he is not "bound" to it as you were/are - he doesn't take
it to bed with him at night - sorry about your having to sleep with it!
) ) and the etiquette of getting through doors is always a challenge.
I agree - when folks put their hands on his w/c is it as if they are
violating his personal space.

However, we find that most folks are very helpful when they hold the
doors for him, and we/he/his wife accepts their assistance with
pleasure. Same with my bike and doors - although it usually is easier
to do it myself, I accept their assistance as an indication of their
kindness and willingness to help. Sometimes I will just say, "Thanks
so much, but I can do this better by myself." Sometimes, it IS easier
if they hold the door for me.

So, I think both are correct: 1. The person is holding the door out
of courtesy and 2. He/she think the bicyclist needs assistance. Isn't
that neat?

Both are much better, IMHO, than slamming the door in my face, however.


Maybe we are just more mobility advanced up here in Canada, but
commercial buildings, and newer multi-unit residential buildings (and
some older renovated buildings) have automatic doors[1]. When I biked
to the bank last week, I wanted to take my bike inside while using the
bank machine, I used the automatic door, and then walked the bike
through, nice and simple. Leaving was the same deal, push the button,
and go through the now open door. They are not required for single unit
residential buildings, however I assume you could get one. However for
multi-unit buildings they are code, so if your renovating an older
building enough that you need to meet newer building code, they are
required. If the door is not at street level, then a ramp is also
required.

I work for a courier company, and they were required to install one last
year, when they renovated the "store", and although I have only seen two
customers in wheel chairs since then, it's a heavily used feature, it's
much easier to bring a large heavy box up the ramp, and use the
automatic door then, it is to try and open two doors while carrying a
heavy box.

[1] automatic door, there is a button beside the door, you push the
button, it opens the door, waits about 30-60 seconds -- enough time for
a wheelchair to pass through, then allows the door to close normally.

W

Yes, we have a lot of auto doors in the lower 50 also. But stores like
Subway - yes I take my bike in there - and most other restaurants
don't, as don't many medium sized stores such as bike shops, for
example.

Ravi wrote:

one more story for you: i witnessed even recently. Sometimes i ride a
train/trolley with my bike. Once inside the train/trolley, you gotto
lift the bike up and hang it on one wheel. Once, i had just entered and
saw this happening: one lady was trying to lift a heavy mtn bike and was
struggling to get the front wheel hooked - (its kinda tricky to lift the
bike and hook the front wheel) and she is probably new to it or haven't
mastered the art of doing it. One gentleman closer to her offered to
help, but she declined it vehemently and saying "I am an independant
woman!" and then he backed off and she couldn't hang the bike, continued
to hold the bike on the floor of the train/troller until her stop.

I've always wondered - if I'm a sexist pig when I hold a door open for
a woman who's behind me, am I a closet gay when I do it for a guy?

Life is SO confusing these days... ;-)

Mark "equal opportunity door holder" Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Cameron Lewis wrote:
I don't want people holding doors for
me.

Alright then, next time I see a cyclist, I'll just let the door slam right
in his face behind me.


Atta boy!

Or, just at least not start a politeness contest when they say, "Oh, I
got it, thanks, though."

Mark Hickey wrote:

I've always wondered - if I'm a sexist pig when I hold a door open for
a woman who's behind me, am I a closet gay when I do it for a guy?

It's obviously a far-right-wing Christian Fundamentalist Sectarian attempt
at mind and behavior control. Duh!

Bill "that pocket bible you slip 'em is the giveaway" S.

"Ravi" wrote in message
m...
Hi,
ok, i was heading to an exit door. At the same time a cyclist pushing
his bike also was approaching for the same door, i walked a little bit
faster and reached the door quickly and held the door open for the
cyclist. Instead, the cyclist insisted on i go thru the door first, after
two times going back and forth, i had to go thru the door and he exited
after me. He commutes daily by bike, and he knows that i too sometimes
commute by bike. We exchange hellos sometimes. Still puzzling thing was
why he insisted on *not* letting me hold the door open for him. Upon
reflection, i came up with two ways to look at things is:

1. this person is holding the door out of courtesy
2. Or, this person thinks the cyclist needs assistance..

when someone does something like that for me - i think it is #1 and thank
them and accept it. But after this incident, i think #2 is also a
possibility.

I am sure so many of you have been in such situations, how do you react?

may be, i should read some book on social effects of cycling

After following this thread through 15 posts, I've come to the
conclusion that we can complicate just about anything.

It used to be really simple. I was raised to be courteous to people.
All people, male and female, handicapped or able-bodied. I still hold
doors for people, and when someone holds the door for me, I accept it
and say thank you.

If for some reason, them helping would be awkward, I just say thanks,
but I've got it.

I think most people who are handicapped, with it being noticable,
whether a chair, prosthesis, or a limp, go through a period where they
want, if they can, to express there indepedence. I've found with
maturity, it is easier and better for everyone to accept small
courtesys. One reason for this, is blow off someone's help, and they
may ignore the next person, who really needs that help.

The only way Ravi will find out why the guy didn't want the door to be
held, would be to ask him. But, why bother, it was a small thing, that
really doesn't require any thought or analysis.

If a person thinks that the cyclist needs assistance, your number 2,
so what. Why would it be so important to prove that you don't need
help. That would be an issue of insecurity, a need to prove you aren't
helpless.

The bottom line is I will continue to hold doors and be courteous. I
will accept that people have varied reactions to things, and if they
don't make a lot of sense, that is their baggage, not mine.


Life is Good!
Jeff

wrote: (clip) *GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY 'CHAIR*
(clip)
****************
I think it would be presumptuous and rude to take hold of someone's
wheelchair without asking first: "Would you like some help?"

Jeff "life is good" wrote:
....
It used to be really simple. I was raised to be courteous to people.
All people, male and female, handicapped or able-bodied. I still hold
doors for people, and when someone holds the door for me, I accept it
and say thank you....

My own pet peeve (with wheels or not) is the person who thinks that
standing in the doorway, with an arm blocking my passage to hold the
door open, is doing me a favor. I have a knee thing (no more volleyball
sidesteps) so I can't navigate around this, and getting into that
little dance of "who's going which way" can cause additional injury. In
such instances I hang back and wait.

One notable instance caused my "helper" to become angry, and she pulled
the door shut in my face. "Fine, I won't help you!!" It was not worth
explaining ACL and the likelihood of a small wrong movement causing me
pain and injury for days or weeks. (If the sole of my shoe catches on
the floor I can be couch-bound and heating pad-ded for several hours.
Cycling is helpful.

FWIW, I have no visible ADA issue. This is always just common misguided
courtesy.

When someone tried this with the two of us (bike and me), I smiled and
said, thanks, it works better if I do it. (Double door that opens out,
I push it with right arm and it stays open long enough to get the bike
through.) I leave mine in the vestibule of USPS while I run in to my PO
box.

HTH

--Karen D.

I don't want people holding doors for
me.

Alright then, next time I see a cyclist, I'll just let the door slam right
in his face behind me.

am I a closet gay when I do it for a guy?

Do what for a guy?