Technology

The problem I run into is time. And sometimes location. My previous job, for instance, was far enough out that there was no bus service; I had to drive. My only other option was a 2-hour transit ride and then a half-hour bike ride, partly on gravel roads.

And my friend has a job that’s 15 minutes by car, or 45 minutes away by bus. Even worse, with recent construction messing with the trains, his commute has gone to 2 hours plus.

And this is in a city with a decently robust transit system.

really you have to make everyone disembark during rush hour so you can cram your obesity scooter on there so you can go to Tim Hortons so nobody else can sit down?

Has it...occurred to you that some disabled people have mobility issues or pain disorders that limit mobility to begin with, and that weight gain is a byproduct of not being able to walk or move or stand for very long without trouble?

I had a boss who had dwarfism and used a wheelchair 80% of the time. 20% of the time he slowly, painfully did hobble about--but it was clear as day WHY he was higher weight than he should've been. My own blood pressure would spike hearing the tiny sounds of pain he made when got out of his wheelchair and moved.

I have a friend with POTS--and if you're unfamiliar with that, basically she stands up and her blood pressure and heart rate is malfunctioning so her heart acts like she's running a marathon, the beats per minute go insane...but blood is pooling in her feet and they're turning purple where you can't see it because things are out of whack and despite her heart going haywaire, there's not enough pressure to get the blood out of her feet and elsewhere. This condition happened prior to any weight gain.

I can hear her breath start to go wobbly just doing simple things because her body doesn't regulate her blood pressure and heart rate normally. She's gained weight because she's at risk of passing the fuck out if she is on her feet for very long--she has to literally plan out doing simple things like going to the grocery store because if she pushes herself she might end up downed on the sidewalk relying on the helpfulness of strangers to get back up. It's taken her many years to accept she really shouldn't be pushing herself into a collapse because she's worried that people will judge her for being "lazy and fat". Comments like yours about "obesity scooters" only act to tear down all the people who ARE trying their hardest and still having their body fail them.

I have a different friend who has thyroid problems, she inherited them from her mom (and her bro has them too), and weight is a bitch for her to manage because her thyroid is fried.

I just broke my foot in July, and watched my weight inch up because it's really fucking hard to get up stairs when you can't put weight on one foot. I was semi bedbound for like 2 months. I'm LUCKY in that my foot will heal, but I don't even snack and I gained 15lbs because of that one little temporary mobility issue. I'm LUCKY in that once it heals, I will be able to move normally and lose what I gained.

You could've made your point about transit without taking pot-shots at disabled people, who often are stuck in a terrible situation of their body failing them medically, and society often forcing them into poverty to be able to access the care they need.

Seriously, why isn't it possible to champion mass public transit for all without shitting on the people who use it by necessity currently?

Well there's that and the fact that if you're a tradesman --or woman, or whatever-- having a truck or van can be pretty crucial to your ability to make a decent income.

I currently have a company vehicle, but for years, prior to my current position and when I was a contractor, I was obliged to own my own truck or van for very basic practical reasons.