Two disabled brothers 'forced to crawl'

[Papewaio]

Well this hit the headlines here last night.

Westfields in Trouble

SHOPPING giant could face a compensation claim after two disabled brothers were ordered out of wheelchairs and one had to crawl to his car.

The family of Ross and Tony Costa, who both have muscular dystrophy, have not ruled out going to the Equal Opportunity Commission.
If they decide to press on with the complaint, Westfield could be ordered to pay compensation, the commission confirmed last night.

Ross Costa, 41, said he felt humiliated as shocked shoppers witnessed the event.

"My sister was trying to carry me to the car but I fell over and had to crawl along the ground," he said.

"There were people getting into their cars who were just staring at me on the ground. I was really embarrassed.

"I felt like I lost my dignity because of a silly rule."
The incident occurred on Sunday when Ross was allegedly told to get out of a hired wheelchair by a security guard at Westfield Fountain Gate, Victoria.

Mr Costa said he was forced to crawl 3m to the car while his brother Tony, 45, was carried by his sister, Sandra.

A senior Westfield representative hand-delivered a written apology to the Costas' home near Mildura late yesterday.

The female guard allegedly told the brothers store policy prevented hired wheelchairs from being taken outside the centre into the car park.

Westfield last night said it would change its wheelchair policy to allow users access to car parks.

Westfield chairman Frank Lowy, one of Australia's richest men, is overseas and his office said: "He's in another time zone and we won't be bothering him now."

Of course it would be totally wrong for someone to lose sleep over finding out that his company is about to take a nosedive due to his Gestapo employees...

[Zalmoxis]

This is just wrong, these people should be made as comfortable as possible seeing as how they can't walk.

[InsaneApache]

Disgusting.

[Ser Clegane]

Words fail me...

[Leet Eriksson]

Shocking, and people should have helped at least instead of standing there staring at them. Its as if they were less than human or something..

[Kagemusha]

[doc_bean]

simply absurd

[R'as al Ghul]

How embarassing.

[Fragony]

Disgusting. How must they have felt having to crawl like animals. The most shocking is that the people around him allowed this to happen. What kind of person walks away from something like this

[R'as al Ghul]

Shocking, and people should have helped at least instead of standing there staring at them. Its as if they were less than human or something..

A few weeks ago, my mother slipped out on wet stones in front of the
catholic hospital. She broke her shoulder on a huge stone beside the way.
She lay there in the rain, in front of the hospital, people were walking by, but
nobody took care of her. Nobody!
She had to crawl into the hospital and when she sat down in the queue, crying, a guy asked the nurses to take care of her first (he didn't have any pain) , they replied that everybody has to wait until it's his or her turn.
I'm still fuming of anger and I'd really like to drive over there and break some shoulders. GAAAAAAAHHH!
/rant off

[Kagemusha]

I think its sad how low we have drifted these days.People talk a lot on their high horses about morals and ethics.But even in a simple situation when they see a fellow human being hurt or humiliated they dont do anything to help them.Thats just plain wrong.

[Fragony]

A few weeks ago, my mother slipped out on wet stones in front of the
catholic hospital. She broke her shoulder on a huge stone beside the way.
She lay there in the rain, in front of the hospital, people were walking by, but
nobody took care of her. Nobody!
She had to crawl into the hospital and when she sat down in the queue, crying, a guy asked the nurses to take care of her first (he didn't have any pain) , they replied that everybody has to wait until it's his or her turn.
I'm still fuming of anger and I'd really like to drive over there and break some shoulders. GAAAAAAAHHH!
/rant off

Some people make me sick

At least there was one decent human being there, still no reason for champagne.

[Vladimir]

The female guard allegedly told the brothers store policy prevented hired wheelchairs from being taken outside the centre into the car park.

Somebody needs a quick education in the letter of the law vs. the spirit of the law. Anyone ever gotten a ticket for going one mph/kph over the speed limit?

[KukriKhan]

When they arrived at the shopping centre, Ms Costa went inside and hired the chairs, which were escorted to the car park by a security guard...

Then the reverse should have occured on their exit from the mall. Sounds like a Security Guard training problem, to me. Those folks are usually out-sourced at $6.50 an hour here, and given minimal guidance, other than "Don't lose any store property, and catch shoplifters".

Hard to imagine myself walking into a mall & seeing 2 guys crawling on the asphalt, and NOT thinking: "Gee, something's wrong here...".

[Devastatin Dave]

My Uncle was confined to a wheel chair till he end of his days. So many times we would go to a store, a mall, etc and there would be no parking because the handicap spots would all be taken. Much of the time it was illegally parked persons or someone that just happen to have a tag even though they walked just fine to/from their car when I saw them. Common courtesy and common snese appearantly has left the majority of man "kind". This is indeed a very sad story but unfortunately a very common incident for so many of people that could use a helping hand.

[Idaho]

My Uncle was confined to a wheel chair till he end of his days. So many times we would go to a store, a mall, etc and there would be no parking because the handicap spots would all be taken. Much of the time it was illegally parked persons or someone that just happen to have a tag even though they walked just fine to/from their car when I saw them. Common courtesy and common snese appearantly has left the majority of man "kind". This is indeed a very sad story but unfortunately a very common incident for so many of people that could use a helping hand.

In England the people who park in the disabled places are 99% of the time driving large expensive cars - SUVs, BMWs or Mercs. People who think that having spent more than the average person on their car they are entitled to more than the average benefits whilst driving it.

[Fragony]

In England the people who park in the disabled places are 99% of the time driving large expensive cars - SUVs, BMWs or Mercs. People who think that having spent more than the average person on their car they are entitled to more than the average benefits whilst driving it.

Which is kind of a handicap

[Devastatin Dave]

Which is kind of a handicap

Mentally.

[Vladimir]

Tennessee (when I was there) had a large problem with fraudulent handicap placards. I think they took some action against it but I don't know the result. Fat people with bad knees and backs (from being fat) were getting the stickers. It seems to me that these people should have to walk farther.

[DemonArchangel]

In England the people who park in the disabled places are 99% of the time driving large expensive cars - SUVs, BMWs or Mercs. People who think that having spent more than the average person on their car they are entitled to more than the average benefits whilst driving it.

That REALLY proves that they're compensating for something. Mircopenis isn't a handicap that makes it harder to drive though.

[Devastatin Dave]

That REALLY proves that they're compensating for something. Mircopenis isn't a handicap that makes it harder to drive though.

Personal experience?

[Dutch_guy]

Disgusting. How must they have felt having to crawl like animals. The most shocking is that the people around him allowed this to happen. What kind of person walks away from something like this

This reminds me of something that I've seen a few times in Holland:

Traffic jams, not just ordinairy traffic jams due to too much cars on a section of road...but jams because there has been an accident ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD which people really like to see... so they slow down.

Imagine having an accident and seeing people actually slow down just to see the carnage and seeing their faces plastered against their windshields.

[zukenft]

Ah, Western country at its best : people minding their own business while others needs some help...

[Tribesman]

In England the people who park in the disabled places are 99% of the time driving large expensive cars - SUVs, BMWs or Mercs. People who think that having spent more than the average person on their car they are entitled to more than the average benefits whilst driving it.

There is a thriving market in London for disabled parking discs . A friend of mine has had her car broken into 5 times recently , the only thing taken has been the disabled driver badge .

[KukriKhan]

This reminds me of something that I've seen a few times in Holland:

Traffic jams, not just ordinairy traffic jams due to too much cars on a section of road...but jams because there has been an accident ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD which people really like to see... so they slow down.

Imagine having an accident and seeing people actually slow down just to see the carnage and seeing their faces plastered against their windshields.

Here in the Land of the Freeway, we call that "Lookie-Lou Syndrome". Happens every day on Interstate 15 (goes from San Diego to Las Vegas). Often resulting in another crash on the other side of the freeway. I wonder why the highway cops don't start erecting temporary 'privacy screens' on the medians, to prevent such gawking and further accidents..

People. One despairs, sometimes.

[Major Robert Dump]

And on a similar note, I saw an ambulance take about 4 minutes to get through an intersection because people weren't getting out of the way. It was borad daylight and 70 degrees, which meant windows down.

I also frequently see people not pull to side of road despite everyone in front of them doing it, and using the others' pulling over as a chance to get in front of the line. So they speed past all of us, pull over at the very last second at the front of the line, then bolt off as soon as the ambulance passes.

I've also noticed this is done withj ambulances more than firetrucks, and never with police.

[Strike For The South]

I've also noticed this is done withj ambulances more than firetrucks, and never with police.

Well the police have guns and could harm you, besides there probably on there way to beat some minorty or white trash. Who cares? Firemen are usually pretty big guys and cary axes and high powered hoses not to mention it could be your house on fire. Ambulances pfft probably some old hack or someone who wasnt useful to socitey or someone had an accdent which they shoould be punished for becuase they were stupid.

[Samurai Waki]

This is disgraceful.

[Sheep]

Here in the Land of the Freeway, we call that "Lookie-Lou Syndrome". Happens every day on Interstate 15 (goes from San Diego to Las Vegas). Often resulting in another crash on the other side of the freeway.

OMG, I drive the 15 up to Escondido from the city in the morning a few times a week and it is fine because traffic is in the other direction. Most times it's fine the other way in the afternoon because it's the opposite of the morning. But probably like once a week it will be slow. I am always like... how can it possibly be bumper-to-bumper in BOTH directions at the same time??? And that is totally why.

[Lazul]

This really proves something Chris Rock once said; Nobody is above a ass-whoppin'!

Those people forcing a man to crawl on the ground should get ass kicked so hard!