I've had severe mobility limitations since childhood due to rheumatoid arthritis. I resisted getting or using a powerchair for decades because I feared what people would think of me. Then I finally broke down and got one. That first day out in public I was so busy going off enjoying myself in places and traveling distances I hadn't been able to do in forever (I literally felt like Anna on the morning of the big coronation ball) I didn't have time to waste on what people might say, look or do.
In my experience, I think a lot of the negative attitude people in Disney parks have toward
scooter/
ECV users has to do with the machines themselves. Especially the huge park rental ones. They are clunky behemoths with poor speed controls, imprecise steering/braking systems and huge turning radiuses. Combine that with some inexperienced drivers and blatantly naive pedestrians and accidents will happen. The offsite rentals can be better as long as they are properly maintained. People must realize these things do not stop on a dime, nor can they make sudden minute turns. It's also a bad habit of pedestrians to see empty space at their eye/chest level and assume the way is clear. That leads many to stray into the path of a wheelie and create a potential accident situation.
Injury and frustration builds on both sides. That makes people mouth off. Anger can make us all appear really ignorant and stupid.
A few years ago I made light of it all in a blog post about my made up "EPCOT F&W WHEELIE GAME RULES". That's how I deal with it. Humor brings laughter and understanding but also miraculously diffuses anger. My rules are thus:
OBJECT OF THE GAME: Navigate EPCOT'S Food & Wine Festival on wheels with full drink in hand.
OBSTACLES AND POINT AWARDS & DEDUCTIONS...
SIDEWALKERS: pedestrians who "think" they are walking in a straight line but are really gently gliding toward their left or right, whichever brings them directly into your path.
+1 point if you successfully avoid hitting them.
SLOWWALKERS: pedestrians who progressively slow down their pace until a snail will easily beat them in a race.
+1 point awarded for every second you patiently tolerate their pace. -1 point if you break cover and zoom around them.
DEADSTOPPERS: pedestrians who suddenly stop dead in their path regardless of who or what may be behind them, usually to take a photo which may also involve some backwards blind steps.
+1 point for not hitting them.
DARTERS: Usually pedestrian children who suddenly and without any reason or forethought run across all traffic assuming they alone are invincible. Keep your eye out for empty strollers parked nearby.
If you hit a darter you lose all points because this is Disney and no one is allowed to hit a kid. I think Tinkerbelle actually extracts happy thoughts from your memories as a punishment.
Since then I've added CELLPHONEWALKERS: pedestrians looking at their phones while walking in a massive game of chicken. They will aim straight for you so just slow down or stop completely. Enjoy your drink while you wait for them to realize they are walking into a solid wall. It's quite amusing.
If you make it to your destination without spilling a drop, down your drink and get another. You deserve it. Extra points awarded if game played after dark. Triple points on weekends when it's crowded and the proportion of intoxicated persons goes up.
Bottomline, people can say and do a lot of stupid things in public. Ignorance pretty much explains 90% of the use of Twitter and YouTube comments. Life is too short to credit it. If you are, then you're probably like me and letting your own inner demons amplify the noise and make you feel bad. We all have insecurities. We all think we can do better. So try not to give more power to those demons than they deserve. I look very physically disabled. Sometimes makes me jealous of people who don't look it. It can get very unsettling when people assume you have absolutely no intelligence or independence because you look off. I think one reason I'm able to brush off that kind of ignorance so easily is a lesson my mom taught me when I was very small. She said most people never see a person like me and have absolutely no knowledge to draw on. It's my chance to educate them. Wouldn't I love to know what it's like to be an astronaut or a dolphin?
Hope it helps. and if it doesn't hope you at least chuckled a bit.