Wheelchair Fakers

[Rob562]

Sounds like you guys need to get a pair of Knee Defenders.
http://www.gadgetduck.com/
(No, I'm not shilling for them, it's just something I read about on the travel blog I read.)

I rarely, if ever, recline my seat. And if I do it's just one "notch" so that the seat isn't quite so bolt-upright.

-Rob

[Shorty82]

February, you might want to warn the person in front of you right from the beginning that it's hard for you to get up and that you might inadvertently pull their seat at some point in the flight. I had some poor majorly tall guy behind me once, and he apologized in advance in case he poked my seat while in flight (he had NOWHERE for his legs). His politeness paid him a big dividend...I happened to be in an exit row, and when I looked back and saw his predicament I ended up swapping seats with him so he had a nice, roomy flight.

Are exit rows normally a little roomier, even on smaller aircraft (an Embraer RJ145 Amazon)? I have long legs and could use a little extra room when I fly soon. Also, according to one site I can request an exit row at check-in, is that correct? I very rarely fly so I don't know these things.

[ktulu]

Are exit rows normally a little roomier, even on smaller aircraft (an Embraer RJ145 Amazon)? I have long legs and could use a little extra room when I fly soon. Also, according to one site I can request an exit row at check-in, is that correct? I very rarely fly so I don't know these things.

Yeah, the exit rows are usually roomier. In an RJ it's like 12A, 12B and 12C, as well as 1A. Most airlines reserve these seats for their frequent fliers (I'm American Airlines Gold AA member), but you can ask if one is available on check in. Try and get 12A, you'll be alone :)

Oh, http://www.seatguru.com will also tell you cool stuff about seats in planes.

[Shorty82]

Yeah, the exit rows are usually roomier. In an RJ it's like 12A, 12B and 12C, as well as 1A. Most airlines reserve these seats for their frequent fliers (I'm American Airlines Gold AA member), but you can ask if one is available on check in. Try and get 12A, you'll be alone :)

Oh, http://www.seatguru.com will also tell you cool stuff about seats in planes.

Cool sites, thanks a bunch.

I'll hope to get an exit row but will try for 12A.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Cool sites, thanks a bunch.

I'll hope to get an exit row but will try for 12A.

Must admit, the seat guru is pretty cool!!

[ktulu]

Cool sites, thanks a bunch.

I'll hope to get an exit row but will try for 12A.

Anything in row 12 :) Good luck! I'm on a MD-80 to San Jose later this month, but thankfully on an exit row.

[hobie16]

Some wheelchairs are not what they seem.

[DisneyMom]

Some wheelchairs are not what they seem.

He did it wrong
People who are ACTUALLY wheelchair-bound often have a thick cushion UNDER them-not the chair- to avoid pressure ulcers.

If you are going to be a Wheelchair Faker,do a little research! :mad:

[hobie16]

He did it wrong
People who are ACTUALLY wheelchair-bound often have a thick cushion UNDER them-not the chair- to avoid pressure ulcers.

If you are going to be a Wheelchair Faker,do a little research! :mad:

Even then the drug poochie will get ya.

I watched an Ag beagle get a guy in the Sydney, Australia airport. They tore his bag apart but didn't find anything. The guy had barely repacked his bag when a second Ag beagle came by. They tore his bag apart again. Guy was pissed!

[EeyoresButterfly]

What really get me with the fakers is when they're obvious about it and probably don't even think about it. When they do something like switch who gets in the wheelchair after they get off the ride or my absolute favorite when someone, usually a teenager, is limping to get on the ride and then gets off and either forgets to limp or limps with the other foot.

I have a really good friend who is a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 17. She survived due to a bone marrow transplant, but it was not a perfect allogenic match. She suffers a form of rejection known as graft vs. host disease that requires massive doses of steroids to combat. Due to the treatment for the cancer and graft vs. host, she has necrosis of the hips, ankles, and knees. When we went to Disney in 2007, she had already had both hips replaced. She could walk, but not for long distances without tiring or being in excruciating pain.

We rented a wheelchair for her. We were both in our early 20's, and I tend to look closer to 14. Yes, we switched off sometimes. She didn't want to sit all the time as that could make the pain worse, so sometimes I would sit in the chair just for fun. I'm sure if somebody saw us, they would think that we were thinking. But believe me, my friend would trade anything to have not needed that chair.

I also had my own experience with a chair at DAK. An ECV had damaged my achilles tendon while I was working. I had already had plans to go to DAK, so I rented a wheelchair since I was told I could not be on my foot for more than 10 minutes at a time. My experience was similar to Zazu's in that it as very difficult to get up the hills by myself. It is a very different, and sometimes frustrating view. Again, I'm sure people looked at me and thought I was faking it because you couldn't see my brace underneath my jeans.

Those experiences have taught me that you can't always judge by what you see. Just because a young person does not have an obvious problem or can walk a little bit or somebody switches off once in awhile does not mean there is a genuine need there. Now, if they start ranting about how they should use the fast pass line on one the rides that is streamlined, then I'll start to wonder.