C.O.E. campground not handicap friendly

[Chuck 1935]

Originally Posted by David K

Before this subject gets too far off base -- the original poster said his wife was riding an electric scooter --- which to me means a 2 wheeled electric scooter not an electric motorized wheel chair. Just keep that in mind when posting replys to the post. I have been in COE parks in the past and have seen electric wheel chairs in use -- they are not prohibited.

If you can't walk and are riding an electric scooter, which is not a golf cart , you would have to be a complete ass or government worker to deny them access and will probably, with any luck, lose your job for attempting to enforce your assinine rule on a handicapped person. This is why we have to spell out everything in explicite detail to prevent this type of misguided rule enfocment.

[justimagination]

Originally Posted by doc

We had a similar situation in a state park here in Georgia. (Stephen Foster SP) The ranger said we could not have the mobility scooter on the roads in the park after she had ridden in (on the side of the road) up to the office area. There were kids on bikes all over the place. Ms Carol has Multiple Sclerosis and has to have it to get around. She cannot walk without a walker and then only very short distances. We sort of blew this off as a young ranger who is bored with an assignment that is as exciting as watching an alligator sun.
We were at Hart State Park a while later and talking with the camp hosts about what had taken place. They said this was apparently a policy in the State Park system of Georgia and the ranger there had told a disabled person the same thing. Now it would have been OK to push someone in a wheel chair.
This began to bother me and so I ended up writing a letter to the lady in charge of the Georgia State Parks. (CRS has kicked in and I cannot recall her name) I was very polite but pointed out this was blatant discrimination against disabled persons and if they were tent camping, there would be no way to get to the showers or rest rooms w/o being in violation of their rules. I hinted at the Americans with Disabilities Act being violated. I very shortly received a nice reply with an apology and the promise their rangers were being retrained and this would not be a problem in the future. Whether or not this has taken place I don't know - we have not camped in either parks since then. We have however stayed at Moccasin Creek SP (near Helen, Ga) and never had such foolishness from the rangers or any of the camp hosts.
I have heard similar stories from others who camped at Watsadlers. This is about 25 miles from our home. I suggest you send a letter or e-mail to one of the Georgia representatives or senators, then follow it up with a letter to your own representative or senator.
Our disabled citizens have enough to contend with in dealing with their disease or injury w/o dealing with this sort of foolishness. There is little enough joy in their lives and if camping give them pleasure then they need to be encouraged.
Thanks for letting me blow off some steam. doc

...Doc, so elequently spoken and yes your right, we as seniors must deal the cards we have been dealt, some good and some bad. As we go into the golden years, somethings become more of a challenge, and certanily dealing with situations like this for whatever reason is totally unacceptable for us. I must say, we want cater to these type of places. Thanks again for a job well done.
David G.

[Trlrboy]

Isn't it about time that we try to stop catering to every little group that whines about things being unfair. Get over it. Go to another campground.

[RustyJC]

If it were a private campground, I might almost be able to agree. A U.S. Government (COE) campground that is denying access to those covered by the ADA, however, is an entirely different matter. AFAIC, there's no excuse for their open hostility to the disabled.

Rusty

[bldrbob]

Private businesses have to conforn to the rules. Why not the government that made the rules?
BOB

[coffeeman]

I'm not sure about the Georgia side of Lake Hartwell, but on the South Carolina side the C.O.E. leases their parks to the SC State Park System. Any Senior Discounts are by the State Park rules 35% vs 50% under C.O.E. Although the campground in question is owned by C.O.E. it may be unfair to criticize them for Georgia policy. I've camped on the SC side at Calhoun Falls and have friends that used a Rascal scooter to get around with. The C.O.E. campgrounds in this area are beautiful and in today's economy offer a real value to Senior's. All I'm saying is this is a Georgia State Park rule(?) that needs to be corrected. These Rascal(4 wheel) type devices afford the disabled an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors as they are much stabler than and electric wheelchair.

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by Trlrboy

Isn't it about time that we try to stop catering to every little group that whines about things being unfair. Get over it. Go to another campground.

I will pray that you never become handicaped.

[melvonnar]

This is kinda off topic: but
For those that think its ok to keep grandma from riding her (three wheel)scooter in the park.
Question?
would you rather get hit by a child on his bycicle tareing through the park as fast as he can peddle; or get out of the way of grandmaw and her three wheel scooter?

[akadeadeye]

Originally Posted by Trlrboy

Isn't it about time that we try to stop catering to every little group that whines about things being unfair. Get over it. Go to another campground.

This is an unbelievable statement. No one is whining, trlrboy, and no one wants to be catered to.

Imagine this for yourself. Stay with me for a minute. You have an accident, you fall off the roof, you are hit by a car, or any number of other scenarios. The accident severs your spinal cord. You cannot walk any more. You cannot even stand up. Your only means of mobility is a wheelchair. There are a long list of possible degrees of paralysis. Some are so severe the injured person has to use a motorized wheelchair to get around. Others may use a manual wheelchair.

Stay with me.

Your injury requires a motorized wheelchair. You decide to find a way to enjoy life as best you can. You find an RV that is accessible to you with a modified entry, a modified bathroom, etc. You are a happy camper.

Still with me?

You are camping and enjoying the outdoors. You might be wheeling along the campsite road or trail either alone or with the one you love enjoying the woods and being outdoors.

Then a park ranger or campground honcho approaches you and tells you that you cannot have a motorized (electric) device/convenience in the park. This device is your legs. Did he also tell your able bodied companion that his/her legs are not allowed in the park?

ADA or no ADA, this is blatant scumball behavior at best. Most people who have to use a wheelchair are not demanding of anything. They just want to get by with as few barriers in their way as possible. If barriers appear, they will find their way around them or retreat. They do not have an agenda. But they should never be told that their only means of "walking" is not allowed in a government campground or any other campground. For heavens sake, what is so intimidating about a wheelchair, motorized or not?

Just before this incident, were you whining to anyone? Had you asked to be catered to?

We are all just a few seconds away from being in this condition.

Think about it, trlrboy.

Don

[Lorna]

The OP still has not clarified if it was a two wheeled scooter or a 3/4 wheeled electric chair. I understand if they say no to two wheeled scooters. Unless there is a handicapped sticker (like for cars) then I think the OP was out of line. Because by all the rationale of all the folks who got upset about the scooters... I, a healthy mobile person, could use my 2 wheeled scooter with the excuse..."I have trouble walking" and ride the scooter all over the campground... at which point you would be complaining to the park rangers. If a three or four wheeled electric chair is the item being referred to, I find it hard to believe that that was what was objected to.

I also think that the people who use the scooter chairs need driving lessons... or lessons in politeness. I'm getting tired of being run over by folks who go out of their way to run me down in the stores.


TO the OP: If your wife is using a two wheeled electric scooter to get around on , then why don't you get a handicapped sticker like what I'm sure your car has and put it on the scooter. Do that and you may have no more problems.

[Sergeant80]

Originally Posted by Lorna

The OP still has not clarified if it was a two wheeled scooter or a 3/4 wheeled electric chair. I understand if they say no to two wheeled scooters. Unless there is a handicapped sticker (like for cars) then I think the OP was out of line. Because by all the rationale of all the folks who got upset about the scooters... I, a healthy mobile person, could use my 2 wheeled scooter with the excuse..."I have trouble walking" and ride the scooter all over the campground... at which point you would be complaining to the park rangers. If a three or four wheeled electric chair is the item being referred to, I find it hard to believe that that was what was objected to.

I also think that the people who use the scooter chairs need driving lessons... or lessons in politeness. I'm getting tired of being run over by folks who go out of their way to run me down in the stores.


TO the OP: If your wife is using a two wheeled electric scooter to get around on , then why don't you get a handicapped sticker like what I'm sure your car has and put it on the scooter. Do that and you may have no more problems.

Yep: electric wheelchairs are not permited I was told.. If your handicaped;or have someone with you that is; I would suggest avoiding this campground.
Of course this is only my own personal opinion; others may have a complete different take on this campground.

I posted this post for information only; try to take any part of the government to court would be impossible. I'm not interested in that.
The above was quoted from a later post by the poster before you posted, therefore I assume you did not read all the previous postings

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by Sergeant80

Yep: electric wheelchairs are not permited I was told.. If your handicaped;or have someone with you that is; I would suggest avoiding this campground.
Of course this is only my own personal opinion; others may have a complete different take on this campground.

I posted this post for information only; try to take any part of the government to court would be impossible. I'm not interested in that.
The above was quoted from a later post by the poster before you posted, therefore I assume you did not read all the previous postings

Thank you

[Lorna]

Originally Posted by melvonnar

Yep: electric wheelchairs are not permited I was told..

YES I did read the posts... ALL of them. As you quoted and the above quote AGAIN indicates that he did not state that his wife was using an electric wheel chair. But to make you happy, I will remove my post. After all I am not permitted to post my take on this subject.

On edit,I cannot remove my previous post so it will have to stay and tick you off some more.

[Chuck 1935]

Is any handicapped person really using a two wheeled (like a little motor cycle) to get around ?