October 3, 2026 at 3:47 am

She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasn’t Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

by Ashley Ashbee

Woman in wheelchair looking pensive

Pexels

People tend to gatekeep disabled people and publicly abuse them, often under the guise of caring about “actually disabled” people.

But of course that’s hogwash. See the irony in action.

Had my first “You don’t look disabled today” by a very angry entitled man

I was standing next to the disabled bay on a main road for my friend to come round and pick me up as I couldn’t walk back to the car.

If she stopped in the middle of the road she would have been holding up traffic.

Wow I’m so surprised that an ableist jerk is also inconsiderate! I’m technically disabled and I’ve gotten comments like this, too.

Some very angry and pathetic man clearly wanted the space next to where I was standing.

Instead of asking me to move he slowly drove into me to physically move me out of the way while shouting, “You don’t look disabled” out his car window.

I would have reported him. He makes life even harder for disabled people.

The irony in all this is that I broke my spine 10 years ago by being hit by a car, which is why I’m disabled 😂

He then proceeded to park in the disabled spot and didn’t have a blue badge. The entitlement of some people.

Here is what folks are saying.

I’m sure none of this is a mystery to OP, but I would do this.

Screenshot 2026 10 01 at 2.02.44 AM She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasnt Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

I can believe it. If you’re on wheels, loads of people think it’s an invitation to wheel you.

Screenshot 2026 10 01 at 2.02.55 AM She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasnt Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

This is terrible. My disabilities aren’t disputable or subjective and I’m grateful for that.

Screenshot 2026 10 01 at 2.03.08 AM She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasnt Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

I’m not sure what this would have achieved. I’m sure OP had things to do.

Screenshot 2026 10 01 at 2.03.38 AM She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasnt Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who found a way around his company’s denial of company time to study for his Commercial Driver’s License.

I hate this privileged mentality. If disabled people reported every incident of abuse they wouldn’t have the energy to do anything else.

Screenshot 2026 10 01 at 2.04.00 AM She Was Trying To Be Considerate In Her Wheelchair, But A Driver Berated And Assaulted Her, Insisting She Wasnt Really Disabled — Then Took The Spot Himself With A Disability Placard

Woman in wheelchair gets pushed by the car of an entitled driver pretending to care about the use of disabled parking spaces.

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Ashley Ashbee | Contributing Writer, Workplace & Culture

Ashley Ashbee is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter specializing in workplace dynamics, employee advocacy, and professional culture. Drawing on her real-world experience as a software consultant, she brings a unique, insider perspective to navigating office conflicts, toxic management, and trending professional dilemmas.

Holding a degree in Professional Writing from York University, Ashley combines her formal editorial training with her corporate background to deliver highly engaging, empathetic narratives. She excels at breaking down complex workplace dramas and translating them into stories that truly empower and validate modern workers.

Based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Ashley balances her time between the tech and publishing worlds with her love for the outdoors. When she isn’t consulting or writing, she can usually be found exploring local walking trails or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn and Twitter/X.