A few weeks back, this grocery store set out these plant racks that essentially blocked the walkway, except for a small strip running parallel to the curb (only one person at a time could pass through, as you can see).
At that time, I helped a senior lady who was using a walker to get through it, because she could have easily fallen off the curb if the wheel slipped over the edge.
So I let the store management know that it was dangerous and they needed to give people more space.
Today, I noticed that they put a skid down, completely blocking the narrow path.
This forces people to walk between the plant racks, which is even more narrow. Coupled with the fact that some of the plants are put on the ground (lazy customers??), so you actually can’t pass without some major maneuvering.
Someone at the store surely must realize how bad of an idea this is. Or is doing it out of spite.
And to make matters worse, behind where this photo is taken is plenty of open space to put those plant racks. I know this because there used to be a bike rack, but it was removed and never replaced… 😡
I think it’s illegal to occupy all the sidewalk like that. I’d give police a call.
You could send a tip to an ADA lawyer. Or maybe report them for not meeting fire code.
ADA lawyer
The photo shows a Shoppers Drug Mart store, which means OP is in Canada. I’m sure there’s a Canadian equivalent though.
An Act to ensure a barrier-free Canada (the Accessible Canada Act)
Agree! And to add for OP I’m sure the Fire Marshall would love to hear about how people can’t get in or out of the building. Fire Marshall is probably the fastest option for everyone’s safety.
Good for you OP for keeping your community safe !
Start with the complaint to the town as that is free.
Wow, what a maze. Are there accessibility laws that might be violated where this is?
Walmart does this all the time.
Trip on one of the pots on the ground and tumble yourself into the racks to create a domino effect
“trip” and knock a few down
So you’re saying this large chain-store put out a bunch of free plants for people to take at their leisure?
I’ve seen three Sobey’s do this for many years. I assumed they didn’t have to right to use the parking lot like some other stores do, since the lots are never full. Totally on them for not managing their stock and making it our problem.
They have a lot of space to work with, but chose to pile everything in the section right before the door.
And there are no curb cuts in front of the store, only at the entrance past this gauntlet, so someone in a wheelchair would be SOL.
In 2025, I’m shocked by how many places still don’t have fully accessible sidewalks. Safeway in Lethbridge recently did a massive renovation, but couldn’t find the budget to replace the one section of sidewalk that prevents someone in a wheelchair being able to easily wheel straight from the sidewalk to the door - no, sir, you stay on the parking lot where it’s easier for cars to run over you!
You act like you can’t walk on the road. Literally like in this illustration:
Yeah, you shouldn’t have to but fuck cars. Roads are for people not steel cans.
Have you ever seen a person with a disability who uses a walker or wheelchair try to drop down from a tall curb?
Regardless of who’s liable, they don’t want to get hurt doing something completely unnecessary.
I’m acting like the company shouldn’t be assholes, and use the abundance of space along the rest of the front face of that building.
My wording wasn’t quite right there. This does mostly affect disabled people. I was just trying to bring out how infrastructure for cars leaves like a walkway on a cliff for pedestrians.
The shit has wheels and isn’t behind a fence. Move it yourself, tell them to fuck off, and go back the next day and move it again until the management give up. What are they going to do? Get a police stake out? Hire RoboCop to uphold the law? Never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity.
Allow us to introduce you to… malicious incompetence.
Stupidity and malice very often go hand in hand.
I’d be tempted to just drag them over to the other open area you mentioned and see if they do anything about it.
Shove them into the street. That’ll get someone’s attention. (preferably not when cars are coming, but that’s pretty optional too.)
I do that with shopping carts and wheeled flats that are left blocking the sidewalk where I’m trying to walk. Now it blocks cars. Seems fair. :)
Almost nobody is going to care about this, at all.
Out of all the things to screech about this isn’t it. Jesus Christ lol.
If we are going to get off of our fossil fuel addiction and create walkable spaces everywhere, we’re all going to have to care about this.
Holy ablism, Batman.
Again, I and most literally couldn’t care less if they have to spend 3ft in low speed parking lot traffic like every other person. It’s not the end of the world, people aren’t getting run over and injured.
You are just looking to trigger that social media rage dopamine hit. Your worries are about as real and dumb as trans women taking over high school sports. It’s just less hateful.
And here y’all are eating it up. I honestly cannot imagine getting so angry over this utterly minor inconvenience.
Frankly I think your paternalistic attitude over these HELPLESS people is probably the most offensive thing in here to anyone with a physical handicap.
This is a stupid take and you should feel bad.
The fact you are acting gleeful in response to an image of a completely unnecessary hurdle for people with physical display suggests that you’re probably a bad person to be identifying those on high horses.
I’m not gleeful. I said you and the group are whiney bitches.
Looking for the most minor of situations to set off screeching. You have idiots in here arguing and white knighting and thinking that it’s better in the rest of the world 🤣
One fucking moron thinks one image is representative of the state of the ADA implementation.
Go be productive. This is just rage bait for the terminally online nerds. You are doing nothing but paternalising and hurting your own mental health.
“I’m not gleeful about disabled people facing challenges” he says as he gleefully mocks people for caring about challenges that disabled people face.
Leave your mom’s basement. Touch grass. Talk to a real person.
👌👍
You flippantly say, convincing absolutely nobody.
Great job 🤓👍
👌👍
And now you’re pretending like you don’t actually care, despite going HARD about this earlier, acting like a card carrying eugenicist.
Cry harder, and paste in a couple more emojis ⌚⌚⌚
