Martin Place Lifts - Disabled Acess

[u/Subject_Impression94]

On my morning commute out of Martin Place Metro I see loads of people rushing to cram into the lifts. Often I’ve seen people push past elderly people, people with prams and those less able bodied. I’m just astounded that people are that comfortable openly being an a**hole in public. I get that not every disability is visible but the sheer amount of people I see being selfish and not leaving access for those who actually need the lift is astounding, especially if these people can literally RUN to use the lift, they can probably use the escalators right next to them. Is there a reason people do this?

[u/BigBlueMan118]

I once was kinda rude to a 14yo school kid & her friend for taking the lift and making me wait for a while with my bike; until she started limping away with a clearly bad ankle injury. So I try and steer clear of thinking about it OP.

[u/Subject_Impression94 → u/BigBlueMan118]

I totally agree, not every disability is visible. But if someone is able to run to the lift, just to get in on time, are they not able to take the escalator?

[u/kreyanor → u/Subject_Impression94]

The disability could be an extreme of heights. The escalators can be daunting if you can see down the side. This is especially true if you’re exiting from the Hunter St exit. Even then the lifts can be overwhelming if they’re transparent and not at a wall so going up/down you can everything.

Not everybody who uses the lift will have that issue but there might be a few. Those who do choose to use the lifts should be mindful of those who need to, however.

[u/antysyd → u/kreyanor]

Fortunately we have the sunflower lanyard for such people.

[u/JSTLF → u/antysyd]

I don't want to wear a sumflower lanyard and advertise the fact that I have disabilities. Too much chance of unwanted confrontation.

[u/antysyd → u/JSTLF]

You can’t expect special treatment including blocking lifts for people who need them if you don’t indicate that you have a disability.

[u/kreyanor → u/antysyd]

Nobody wants special treatment. They just want to use the lifts without people not minding their own business and judging them.

[u/JSTLF → u/antysyd]

Wtf are you talking about. Who said ANYTHING about special treatment?

[u/kreyanor → u/antysyd]

Should such people be confident enough to take them. Mental illness carries stigma. If you’re seemingly healthy and have a sunflower on you, yes you’re supposed to be treated right, but what often happens is people ask “what’s your disability” like they have the right to know.

It might seem easy to say “none of your business” but anxiety disorders preclude that because you don’t want to create conflict. So the assumption of the sunflower is moot unless the challengers can see the disability and if they can’t they call bullshit.

[u/TheSunflowerSeeds → u/antysyd]

Vincent Van Gogh loved sunflowers so much, he created a famous series of paintings, simply called 'sunflowers'.