🚨 Advance warning 🚨 This forum will be closing on 1st May – please see our pinned thread for more information.
Options
Harrassed in M&S today - very upset!
Well today I went into town, went to M&S for a coffee then went with charlie to use the loo (he was in pushchair) I went to use the disabled loo as the baby change unit has no loo in and the main block of loo's would mean i couldn't take Charlie in. Anyway a lady on a mobility scooter came out and as I walked in she started having a go at me saying ' these are for disabled people you can't use these', I explained that i had no other option, she kept going on and on and then turned around and said ' well i'll watch him for you whilst you go to the normal loo's, there was NO WAY in hell I was going to leave my baby with a stranger, and she wouldn't let it drop and kept teling me to leave him with her she then said ' well im not going to run off with him am i? to which I responded 'I don't know that!
Anyway I went to the loo with Charlie and was shaking like a leaf but when i came out she was waiting for me and had another go at me and continued to follow me around the store having a go at which point i was in tears and got a member of staff, who said it was perfectly fine for me to use the disabled loo's with a pushchair. I spoke to the manager and although she was lovely i am going to take it further. Can i also add there was no one waiting for the loo before i wen in or after i came out and if there had of been i would of let them go in front of me! Grrrrrr, im still fuming and slightly shaken up!
Anyway I went to the loo with Charlie and was shaking like a leaf but when i came out she was waiting for me and had another go at me and continued to follow me around the store having a go at which point i was in tears and got a member of staff, who said it was perfectly fine for me to use the disabled loo's with a pushchair. I spoke to the manager and although she was lovely i am going to take it further. Can i also add there was no one waiting for the loo before i wen in or after i came out and if there had of been i would of let them go in front of me! Grrrrrr, im still fuming and slightly shaken up!
0
Replies
I bet she thinks its ok to park in p&c spaces though if the disabled spaces are full!
Hope you are feeling better now
Must have been horrible.
I know the scenario, it's the same when I go to try clothes on in a shop, do they really think you would leave your child outside the door?!!!
xxx
That woman was out of order! Im sorry to anyone but sometimes I think some disabled people think they own the world because of it. Another thing is that a lot of older people on scooters arent disabled they just cant walk for long distances so they would be fine to use an ordinary loo!
How are you taking it further? Did you get the womans details?
xxx
I had a similar comment last week out shopping in a big centre, surprise surprise there are no loos in any of the parent&baby areas. This centre does actually do slightly bigger toilet cubicles in a few of the toilets for mum's with pushchairs, which is great, but I have a double buggy (tandem) so there's no way I fit in anywhere but the disabled loos & like you said I'm definately not leaving my kids to go for a wee!!
I was going in & woman (again on a scooter.!!!) came along behind me as I was halfway in, so I said, "Oh I'll only be a minute"...went & then came out to her & daughter waiting & she said "it DOES say disabled on the door you know!" really sarky, & so I said "I Know but I can't fit anywhere else with my kids" to which she pointed to the baby change & said "why can't you go in there then??" I replied, "I'd love to be able to, but there aren't actually any toilets in there" and walked off to leave her stew!!
It makes you feel crap doesn't it when there is absolutely no need...would they say anything if they had to wait cos someone else disabled was using it, or if someone just used a walking stick perhaps??? Soooooo annoying! (&don't even get me started on parking spaces!!)
Sorry to take over your post with my rant, just wanted to let you know you are not on your own! Do everything you can to follow it up.
xxx
I went to Trentham Monkey Forrest & the queue for the Ladies was huge & I just went in the Disabled one with my buggy as no one was using it - if a disabled person came along & needed it then fair play they can go before me but I hate it when people queue when a functioning loo is going to waste! lol!
In my local ASDA mums & buggies always use the disabled loo - there are two doors to get through to for the Ladies & I can't open them!
I will confess to leaving LO's with strangers in Debenhams in Hanley - their disabled loo was locked & the people I left LO's with were all taking it in turns as they had several buggies & couldn't fit in the loos & I was on my own with the kids! But I wouldn't leave them with a random person - especially a pyscho on a scooter...she deffo has issues, normally everyone coos at bb's...I think she is jealous of your lovely baba.
xxx
frags_jones i love the baby change in m&s in leeds it's so nice, couple of weeks ago i went to my local asda and really need the toilet, couldn't get the pram in the ladies so asked a member of staff to let me in the disabled, and she said no as i'm not disabled i'd just have to leave pippa outside the toilets. I couldn't even get pippa into the toilet area due to the door and no way was i leaving her outside, so just had to wait till i got home, wish now though i had complained as it's not fair or safe, good on you for taking it further
xxx
xx
You poor thing, you really don't need random members of the public giving you grief for no reason (
it makes me sooo mad!!!!!!!
OK, I understand disabled people need bigger loos to get their helpers in, scooters etc... THAT I am totally with and understand and sympathise (I have worked as a help to disabled people) BUT, to not understand that we cant and wont leave our babies unattended even for a few minutes is just mad!!!!!!!!
I agree that you should take it further...absolutely. mark and sparks are very good at this sort of thing and I am sure they will take action.
Disabled loos quite often have the baby change tables in which is great as that means we can use the loo without getting shot down in flames.
There is a need for a larger size cubicle with a toliet, changing table and small basin for little hands... this could be for parents and child only... tho we would understand if a disabled person had the need to use it as we are nice !!!!
BTW I would have punctured her tyres...silly interfering cow. She is lucky is wasnt me as I would have made her very sorry indeed to pick on me when I am shopping with kids as I get very wound up very easily...
Have a cuppa and forget her.....she is in the wrong 100%
d x
I wouldn't have sworn at her or punctured her tyres (though I'd understand if someone did I guess) as that's just stooping to a low level and criminal damage.
I've got to say though the people who get all uppity (for no reason) about their rights as disabled, are usually the ones who are fat and lazy, and LOTS of people claim disability benefits for being just that! Maybe you should take a walk round Telford town centre and you'd see what I mean lol
I would only have sworn at her if she followed me around the shop! I think following people around harrassing them is probably sufficent provocation to swear at some one.
xx