Ask if you need help is what the blue sign said. This sign is located at the local waste disposal site (tip to you and I). It says to me that if you are need of help it is available but as a friend of mine discovered these things can not be taken for granted.

A friend of the family (let us call him John to protect him) often uses a stick to walk having the full use of his left arm and right leg following a road accident in which he was almost killed. John, being a decent sort of person, went along with an elderly gentleman to take some old carpets to be disposed of. The gentleman in question is less able due to the passage of time than John, needing a stick to even walk and then is limited as to how far he can go.

These two disabled guys were in a van that was just slightly too tall to fit under the barrier. John saw the blue sign and asked for help.

I would not call what happened help.

When John asked for help he was given this:



Yes, the resultant "help" was a barrow that looks pretty heavy empty and some general mocking from the crew there. It was John that snapped the images you have seen but according to John a number of the workman had to hold back one of their own from assaulting John and his elderly friend when John tried to turn the camera on them.

I have to ask - what sort of "big man" would go to attack a disabled person?

To get the barrow to the van John had to hook his bad arm around the handle and using his walking stick for balance drag it down the path. Were it not for a helpful member of the public John might not have gotten those old carpets disposed of at all.

John has asked that I profusely thank the person that helped him. So, whoever you are, you are indeed an example for us all. Thank you.

I am, frankly, a bit shocked by this story. Does any one know if this form of discriminatory behaviour is common? I was under the impression that such things were prohibited by law...