Hey LG, as most know I'm not one for platitudes because IMO they are extremely disrespectful. I think being comfortable around those with disabilities comes from living a life where I encounter a LOT outside the norm. Not like I've travelled to the brothels of thailand and watched countless live donkey porn or anything, but I've worked with those in wheelchairs, mental disabilities, transsexuals, gay and lesbian and just about everything in between.
I mean, like everyone else, you don't make jokes about something in front of the person. For eg: I bet skiier didn't use the term stumpy in regards to that girl with the artificial limb.....
As for holding the door, well, I hold the door for everyone: male, female, in a wheelchair, on crutches, trannies, whatever so if I offend them, TFB.....I'm trying to remember the specifics but I recall working with someone in a wheelchair and I would always get on the elevator first (as you're supposed to) and hold the door open button for them....then when they rolled in I yelped and pretended that they rolled over my toes....the first couple of times they were shocked but then they just laughed and swatted me lol.....
I tell you though, those lazy overweight rubbies in the scooters? I give them NO respect. Especially the ones who think they have the right to motor along on the fricken ROAD. I was down on queen once and the traffic was horrendous. I finally got up to the front and sure enuff, there's this old goat puttering along in the curb lane. I went back that way about 10 minutes later and saw the cops giving her a ticket.
One issue I have is the ppl in electric wheelchairs who zoom along the sidwalk or mall at warp factor 4. I've yelled at them to slow the fuck down because, they may not realize it, but a 300 lbs wheelchair/person moving at 10 or 15 kph could seriously hurt someone if they ran into them. If they hit a small kid they might even kill them.
