transabled.org

Peapod.

I realize not every area has this available, but it’s great. In the event that you don’t have Peapod, I suggest striking up a friendship with the manager of your favorite local grocery and see what you can work out about calling in orders. Failing that, a high school kid with a driver’s license would be thrilled to make, say, $20 extra bucks for picking up your shopping.

I can see running in for a basket of things, but for a whole week’s / month’s / whatever shopping, I say call in the cavalry, no matter what form it takes.

Spoken as an old bat who has grown to despise grocery shopping….

I have lupus and spend a fair amount of time in crutches due to my knackered hips/knees/ankles as a result.

When I go shopping on my own, I ask at the customer service desk for someone to help me push a trolley around and bend low/high to get things for me. (It’s virtually impossible for me to bend down to the bottom shelf and then get back up again!)

They’re always happy to oblige.

I suppose I need to get my mind into a space where I’m more comfortable asking for help. I want to be completely independent, but the reality is that I’m not.

It’s almost impossible to do all the shopping on your own. There will always be things that are too high on the shelf. In certain shops I have my little helpers who hand me things from high up places.

Concerning carts, last time I was in the UK (or was it France?) I noticed they now have small carts that appear to clip onto wheelchairs. Has anyone in Europe tried these?

Those clip-on carts are not very useful. They are designed to clip on the old E&J style chairs, unlikely to work on other types of modern chairs. They wheels tend not to turn freely, and it’s just a hog to push around.

They’re more for people who take their grandmother to the shops in her old clunker chair.

Oh well, basket on the knees again! Or maybe I could tow something.

Chloe, pushing sounds really hard and how would you be able to reach the stores at the bottom of the cart?

@Peter: Yes, it was really hard. I have since spoken on the phone with a friend of mine who uses a wheelchair. She says she’s tried it but, found it ridiculously difficult.

I was exhausted by the time I got to checkout, and I told Alicia that I was done. She took the groceries out of the cart. To be honest it didn’t occur to me that I might have difficulty with that, until I read your comment. Okay, Sean, how *do* you get the stuff out of the cart? And don’t forget that I have short arms. ;o)

Two days ago I stumbled upon the perfect solution. Alicia had texted me at work with a substantial grocery list of things for me to get on the way home. I figured I would make an attempt to use the shopping cart completely unaided. I dislike feeling dependent on others. I went to my usual local store where I’ve been wheeling for at least 18 months.

As soon as I got inside I noticed that they had added a new kind of shopping cart. It was close to being square, and had upper and lower levels. I decided to give it a whirl. It was unbelievably easy to push and to turn compared with the old kind I had tried at that store. It makes a lot of sense. The new carts have a dramatically smaller moment of inertia.

Loading it up was easy. Pushing and directing it was easy. Remember to save the heaviest items until last; remember that you can leave the cart stationary while you zip back and forth picking up various items. The double shallow layers make it much easier to put stuff both in and out of the cart. When you add heavy things try to keep them in the middle. That will minimise the moment of inertia.

I found I could push this kind of cart with either hand, which enables more elegant maneuvers. I got a few looks, which I took to be admiration of my skill. I’ve never seen anybody else do this. Assistance was offered getting the groceries to the car, and I accepted. The parking lot slopes significantly downhill from the store, and I didn’t want to risk a runaway cart.

I have no clue as to what prompted this new design of shopping cart. Probably it has nothing to do with making shopping easier for wheelchair users. However, it makes a massive difference.

In future it will be stores which provide this kind of cart that will get my business.

Interesting, I saw I wheeler just the other night using a regular cart, seemed quite at ease with it.

I have a lot less upper body strength than many wheelers, so it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if they were considerably more skilled than myself at pushing a shopping cart.

Our health food stores like Whole Foods had those carts for a couple of years already. Those are great as they are shallow. I usually just use a basket on my lap as I can’t imagine how one might get the stuff out of the big carts anyway.
I was tempted a few times to get a cup holder, adjust one for bicycles for my chair. Wheelers have to be rather creative. :-)

My skill at maneuvering these smaller double layer carts has increased dramatically. By trial and error I’m learning all sorts of little tricks to make things go smoothly. It’s almost like a ballet with a partner (the shopping cart). Inevitably, compliments get verbalised every time I go shopping. Yesterday I was talking with a woman who had previously spent a year in a wheelchair. She expressed amazement at my talent (I had just executed a brilliant tight U-turn). Ah yes, I am basking in feeling very pleased with myself! :o)

I’m now confident about taking my groceries to the car in the cart too, despite the hill and rougher surface. It’s always good to find these extra increments of independence.

You know Chloe, I’ve never really thought about what the hell I’m gonna do about shopping when I start wheeling. I always just figured put a basket in my lap and go on, like I see most WC users do.

I know that the carts in our stores have a top and lower level, and most stores nowadays have these small carts. Like … Kid sized. I refuse to use one of the electric or manual ones the stores provide though >_> Fuck that.

I hope someone will make a video of cart pushing. I haven’t dared try it. I still use the basket on lap method and know how much to fill it so as not to have a problem with my chair bag. Of course, I can walk with my brace for shopping but the chair makes it more fun :)

Yesterday I had only eggs, bread and milk to pick up on the way home from work. No need for a cart, but I couldn’t resist because it’s become WAY too much fun. My new technique I just invented is to give the cart a push ahead, pull alongside and do a quick 360 degree spin in the chair. Then I can easily transfer my angular momentum to the cart. This was particularly handy as I approached my car on the rough downhill surface, in order to position both the wheelchair and the cart in precise relation to the car. I wonder if observers think I’m nuts.

The cart came in handy anyway since there was a special deal on three gallons of milk.

Hint of the day: When starting off from rest, give the cart a shove in the direction you want to go and then catch up with it to reestablish contact while in motion. It’s easier that way.

Hehe Chloe ^_^ I’ve always wanted to try it but … Ehh.

I actually will probably hold things in my lap in the beginning. Who knows?

BUt … Anyways ^^

I’ve never honestly put thought into using one of those crappy looking manual chairs at the stores. Nor the power ones either … And honestly, if you were already in a WC It’d probably just be a pain in the ass in the long run. And then you’d have to worry about someone jacking your chair :/

Today Alicia and I did our monthly grocery shopping, at a store which doesn’t have those smaller shopping carts. I told her I wanted to have another go at pushing a big shopping cart, and I didn’t have any problems despite the heavy load. Little new tricks keep presenting themselves; like when the cart gets really heavy you can get a stronger push off by having the wheelchair orthogonal to the cart, before turning and catching up. It’s just a question of getting in some practice. It IS possible to use the big carts if you want to do it.

It’s amazing the difference a year makes. I have gone from feeling intimidated by shopping carts to being completely comfortable doing a very big grocery shopping expedition entirely by myself.

As with any other physical skill, one gradually accumulates the finer points of detail until one becomes expert at automatically negotiating any situation. I get quite a lot of smiles these days. I like to think it’s a recognition of my competence. Of course, it could also be the smile a chimpanzee gets when it performs a trick that one expects only a human to be capable of. Hmm…

There is nothing like performing a circus trick for an audience!
No, seriously, what is the trick for getting the momentum? Because a heavy cart surely pushes me back, not vice versa the way I would like it.

@Elisabeth: When I’m starting off with both wheelchair and cart at rest, I always give the cart a precise shove in the right direction and then let go. Then I catch up with it in the chair. That way one is imparting momentum to the cart and the chair one at a time.

When the cart is heavy it helps to think about where you are going ahead of time to mimimise stopping and starting. Small items can often be picked up on the fly, barely slowing down.

A part of my technique now involves letting go of the cart and then reattaching. If one is approaching the stationary cart from a distance, one can get a run up and transfer momentum from chair to cart, using a bend in one’s elbow to keep it smooth.

Today I did the grocery shopping for Christmas, two carts worth. I have so much fun with this and keep adding little tricks to my repertoire. I have the knack of finding long things with which to dislodge items from a high shelf, such that they fall directly into the cart. If I’m going straight I switch hands to get more power and then deftly switch back for a tight turn.

There’s been a new checkout clerk at the store for about a month. We immediately hit it off and started talking a lot. He fractured L1 a few years ago and used a wheelchair for six months. Today he told me I’m his favorite customer. He’s cute… and unmarried… and a really good cook… and why does Chloe keep having naughty thoughts?

HA! This is so funny! Just last night I was wondering if I could attach a small trailer hitch to my wheelchair frame to pull a wagon! Yes, reaching behind me to load and unload would be a hassle, but it’s weird that I see this after having that thought!

@Chloe: Naughty thoughts are good, aren’t they? ;-)
I have no problem pushing a cart but how do you stop if there is any downhill in a parking lot?

@Elisabeth: There is indeed downhill from my usual store to the parking lot. I brake with my left hand and hold onto the cart with my right, using the cart to steer. A couple of weeks ago I went shopping there with Alicia and she stayed in the car (lazy bugger!). When I returned with the cart full of groceries she commented to me that I look like an expert these days. I am sufficiently practiced that I can stop exactly at the car with both the cart and the chair optimally positioned.

After I’ve unloaded the groceries, the rack for the used shopping carts is a little bit further downhill. With that I hang on to the cart with both hands and speed down as fast as the hill will take me. It probably looks like I’m wildly out of control. At the last second I let go of the cart and spin a fast U-turn.

At the grocery store today a woman said to me “You are very talented.” Okay, I admit it, I have got to that gratuitous bragging stage.

This not a shopping cart comment but I WAS shopping. I discovered a new vocation for me and you if all our other projects fail… Store detective! I was in Sears again (you know, the store with 18-inch wide spaces between the garment rails) making my way invisibly and quite silently through the maze when suddenly I came to a clearing. And then they saw me. But not before I’d seen them fill their bags with shirts, ties and heaven knows what. They ran and I wheeled smack into another rail of jeans (size 40). If I get the job, I’ll need a walkie-talkie, I mean a wheelie-talkie.

Finally, eighteen months later, I got up the nerve to try one of those really big carts they have at Costco. No problem; you just have to get used to the larger moment of inertia, etc.

I got several offers of help, just going about my business. One woman said “Can I help you get that cart somewhere?” I grinned amiably and said “No. Does it look like I need help?” (I know that sounds a bit rude when it’s written down, but actually it wasn’t. There was no sarcasm and it was a genuine question asked in a very friendly way). She replied “No. It looks like you have everything under control.” I said “Oh. Thanks. I do.”

I definitely got more surprised smiles than usual, in recognition of my wonderful repertoire of circus tricks with the giant cart! All that practice with the smaller carts paid off.

I did let an elderly gentleman help me put all the stuff in the car. I could see in his eyes that it would make his day, so I didn’t have the heart to say no.

This is a bit off topic, but a couple of weeks ago cute guy mentioned in comment #22 gave me his phone number, tells me I’m pretty, and wants me to go out for drinks with him.

Careful Chloe…it might be one of those \’garden variety devotees\’ hitting on you!

Go ahead, indulge yourself.
*wink*

/Art

I have no problem if the guy is a devotee. He has certainly taken the time to get to know me, without asking much about disability and/or equipment issues.

Here is my latest anecdote from Costco this afternoon. When I’d paid for everything, the guy asked me if I wanted the groceries in a cart or a box.

When I had the box with all the stuff on my lap, another employee rushed over to me and said “I help you out.” “No thanks”, I replied,”I’m fine.” “*I help you out*”, she insisted. I smiled and shook my head. Then she yelled “I HELP YOU OUT!” With that I took off as fast as I could, figuring I could probably wheel faster than she could run. I didn’t look back, but I did wonder if she was following me with an axe. She looked pretty scary!

On the same theme, i visited my two local supermarkets today on wheels for the first time. I usually just lumber along leaning on a cart.

Two very contrasting experiences. The first store usually ignores my requests and the staff appear totally indifferent. But today the fish lady recognized me came whizzing around the counter to talk about my orders and seemed to be a whole lot more helpful.

The second store was the complete opposite. I couldn’t reach the 85% chocolate because they’d put display things in front of the shelves. When I asked the girl to get me two bars she huffed and looked up at the ceiling. finally another customer in the line got the chociolate for me. The employee then proceeded to place all my items out of reach and when I handed ber my bag she just ignored this and started checking out the next customer.

I’m thinking of starting a disabled-friendly store guide.

Thank you, Peter, for giving me the nudge. I went back to Costco today, asked to see a manager, and explained what had happened yesterday. I made it clear that I was not making a complaint, but simply suggesting the possibility of improving the quality of disability awareness training. Specifically, I said that it is absolutely okay for an employee to ask someone in a wheelchair if they would like help. However, if we say no we mean it; and we expect employees to respect that. In addition it is NOT okay for employees to shout at us!

Dear Chloe,
don’t you know by now that not only you use a wheelchair, that also means that you are stupid, deaf and definitely not able to make decisions for yourself? ;-)

I am glad that you went to see the manager. They need to know. Yes, it is OK to ask once if one could use a help. And then after the first no to back off. My Target clerks always ask: “Is there anything I could help you with?” I have no problem with that and they don’t insist if I decline. But your clerk didn’t even ask. You were rather nice to her but she wanted her good deed of the day and you prevented her. A few times I was tempted when I had a really heavy box on my lap to let them help me and laugh at them when they struggle. As one Czech writer says: “The worse encounter is an encounter with an idiot. We have to keep fighting but when you argue with an idiot, you always come out as the dumber one.”

Hey! I finally did the shopping cart thing. I know I said it was silly and useless, but there we are at the cash desk in the hardware store and Hubby remembers we should have bought a wheely garbage bin. I’m sitting there guarding the cart with the stuff we’d already paid for and I’m concious that my chair and my cart are hindering everyone in the busy store, so I launch into a totally unknown trajetory with huge sacks of compost, cans of paint and heavy gardening machinery gradually gathering momentum. The automatic doors are just quick enough for this out-of-control crazy driver and we head for the parking lot. Oops, have to turn. It’s just like reversing a car that has a trailer attached, turn left to turn right and visa versa. It feels weird and dangerous. Oops bis: parking lot is on a slope. If I brake with one hand we’ll turn so sharply I’ll flip over. Carry on runnaway maniac! SMACK! Peter screams in sudden pain (Oh my back). I peer around the overladen cart, “It’s OK, it was OUR minivan I hit”. An instant dystonia attack ensues and people race over to me. “Don’t call 911, I’m just having fun”. What a stupid remark – I must look like an escaped lunatic! Hubby finally arrives with his huge garbage bin on wheels. I say “I should have waited for you, we could have played trains!” Without a word he raises his eyes to the sky – must be checking on the weather.

At Costco yesterday the entrance employee asked me if I’d like one of the special carts that strap onto a manual wheelchair. I hadn’t seen them before so I asked him to show me. It definitely had advantages in that it would allow both hands for propulsion. I quickly imagined all the things I would have to do and decided against it. The regular Costco carts are large and heavy, but I can zip off in the wheelchair and pick up a small item from the other side of the store if need be. The process of unstrapping and strapping these wheelchair carts seemed excessively cumbersome. Also these carts might hinder access to refrigerated goods where you have to open glass doors. I’d rather not ask for help if there’s a way to avoid it.

I’m assuming this is what was referred to in comments 4,5 and 6. I’d have to agree that they seem designed for pushing your grandmother around the store. That way you only have one thing to push. They do not appear to be useful for an independent wheelchair user. It’s a fine detail that employees are probably not aware of.

There was a girl in a wheelchair, around 11 years old. We gave each other big smiles and hellos. Her Mum was pushing their cart.

I had another exit encounter with an employee. The cart was really heavy, with a big bag of cat food, etc. Earlier in the comments (#21) I explained my technique for starting off in this situation. I gave the cart a big shove with the wheelchair brakes on, and then quickly moved to catch up. Unfortunately the exit employee didn’t understand what I was doing and brought the cart to a halt. I mustered up my dirtiest look… In retrospect I realise that I should have stopped to explain the mechanics of how someone in a wheelchair can manage a very heavy cart. She probably assumed that I must not have things under control, because if I’m in a wheelchair I must be an idiot, right?

Chloe, those big shopping carts were designed to fit with the old Everest & Jennings wheelchairs, and chairs like that. There’s no way I could strap one ot my chair, even if I *wanted* to :)