Help dealing with a touchy issue

[97'Scort]

I'm not entirely sure how to handle this. My roommate has a friend who is handicapped and is in a wheelchair. He doesn't come over often, but when he does, I always wind up having to wash the floors, walls, doors, whatever because his chair wheels are always dirty. Also, my condo is not in any way made accessible for a wheelchair, and some of the corners and the small hallway are not more than a couple inches wider than his chair.

I've tried bringing this up to my roommate before, but I think he just thought I was being confrontational, but the reality is I don't want to have to repaint my walls every time this kid comes over.

Any ideas on how to bring this up without sounding like a jerk? My current idea is just to be firm, since my roommate is going to think I'm just laying down a rule for the sake of a power trip or something anyways. To be honest I'd rather this guy just not come over at all, since I can't really see a way around this without telling my roommate that he'll be paying for the damage.

[sr20s14zenki]

Do they maybe sell foam wheel covers or something? just an idea.


http://www.newdisability.com/wheelchairslippers.htm

[Jlude]

Perhaps your roommate isn't mature enough to accept this take on the situation, but I would just explain what the problem is for you and ask him what he thinks would be a solution to make everyone happy.

[97'Scort]

Originally posted by sr20s14zenki
Do they maybe sell foam wheel covers or something? just an idea.
http://www.newdisability.com/wheelchairslippers.htm
Wow, that's a great idea right there. Won't stop him banging into the walls, but it's a start. I'll maybe try a local assistance store to see if they have any.

[FiveFreshFish]

Make your roommate clean up after his buddy leaves because he's responsible for his guests. Remind him that if the walls need repainting, it'll come out of his damage deposit.

He's the jerk if he's too inconsiderate to see this.

Send him a link to this thread.

[se7en]

oh boy, I have to keep my ideas to myself on this one...

[J NRG]

.

[Kardon]

Yeah man this is one of those things somebody could definitely take the wrong way.. I'd say those slippers for sure.

[cancer man]

Just carry him in and leave the wheel chair outside just like a car.
Not to be rude.

[scat19]

Oh man.

That is a very unique situation I hope to never be in. You need to be PR and firm, but you can't be both.

GL.

[Super_Geo]

Originally posted by cancer man
Just carry him in and leave the wheel chair outside just like a car.
Not to be rude.

Are you fucking out of your mind?! :rofl:

Carry him in like he's some vegetable? Let the guy keep his dignity. Maybe get a cloth to wipe down the wheels a bit before coming in... but seriously, carry the guy around??!

Also, cleaning up is 100% your buddy's responsibility. If you're a real nice guy you might offer to pitch in... but there's no reason why you should be on the hook for cleaning up after his friend comes over.

[5hift]

im surprised no one put up that seinfeld clip about wiping your wheels before coming in

[Jeremiah]

uhh your roomate sounds like a fucking asshole.. under no circumstances should you have to clean up after his friend.

Not to mention his friend should be ashamed that hes dragging in a mess into someone elses home. Sure hes handicapped but he should be prepared for these types of situations so that he doesn't cause any problems for anyone else. And im not trying to sound like an asshole, but his whole life hes going to be faced with these kinds of situations, so he himself should know how to handle them

[Tik-Tok]

Anytime you know this friend is coming over, get "caught" jerking it to wheelchair porn in the living room. If they come over unexpectedly, crank up the porn in your room, leave the door open, etc.

That should be enough for your roomies friends to not come over, while avoiding the touchy subject of why the wheelchair person is an asshole for messing up your place.

[FivE.SeveN]

holy fuck :rofl: :rofl:

[R!zz0]

Why not talk to the guy in a wheelchair?
I rather talk to him then lose a roommate.

[JordanEG6]

Just don't clean it up. Let dude deal with it. It's HIS friend, he should be the one looking after him.

I dunno, if I was in a wheelchair, I'd try my best not to bang up other people's walls and leave wheel marks on the floors. It happens, so in that case, your roommate should take care of that.

[beyond_ban]

Originally posted by cancer man
Just carry him in and leave the wheel chair outside just like a car.
Not to be rude.




:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ringer]

Originally posted by Jeremiah

Not to mention his friend should be ashamed that hes dragging in a mess into someone elses home. Sure hes handicapped but he should be prepared for these types of situations so that he doesn't cause any problems for anyone else.



This.
Would you walk into a friends apartment with muddy shoes clearly tracking a mess around and chipping paint off walls? It's common courtesy handicapped or not. If I was in a wheelchair I would have the same mentality about it.

I'd mention it to the roommate by saying something like hey the floors are pretty dirty when your friend comes over would he mind perhaps wiping off the wheels before he comes in because I'm left with the mess?
It shouldn't offend your friend if it does he's childish it's a classic roommate discussion about who's cleaning who's mess.

[97'Scort]

Well, talking to the guy in the chair is not the easiest thing in the world, since his only handicap isn't just his legs. He's got a slight mental disorder too and a) he gets easily offended, and b) he just won't listen.

The accessibility thing isn't really on the condo board's shoulders. My doors are standard width, which is not much wider than the average chair, and the hallway between the kitchen and bedrooms has a slight jog in it that makes it hard for him to move around. The condos simply were not designed for people in wheelchairs.

Before you go thinking he just bangs into things for the fun of it, he is pretty careful, but even one missed movement and metal chair > drywall.

I'm going to start with the chair slippers and see if they take the hint. After that I won't hold back. Also, my roommate does clean up, however he doesn't do a very good job of it so I wind up having to clean anyways. I've told him as such and he just thinks I'm being overly critical.

[Kloubek]

Tough situation indeed. Especially since today's political correctness gives those who are disabled a false sense of entitlement....

But seriously - it is your friend's issue. If he cannot clean up properly, instead of telling him he can't have his friend over, say that you will clean up and fix things at the same rate you get paid at your job, then add it to his rent.

He will be pissed, but it is fair.

[Kennyredline]

I'd go all South Park on his ass...TIMMAAAAAAAA!!!!
There. I said it.

[97'Scort]

The more I think about this, I might be more pissed at my roommate's "do what I want and fuck the consequences" attitude than anything.

[Hamann]

Your in a Lose - Lose situation anyway you look at it, might aswell make it worth looking like an asshole over. :devil:

The roommate sounds like a douche, you should definitely talk to him, and with his attitude you should really decide if thats the type of person you want as a roommate to begin with.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by 97'Scort
The more I think about this, I might be more pissed at my roommate's "do what I want and fuck the consequences" attitude than anything.

Time to try your luck again at the roommate lottery.

[GQBalla]

get a new room mate

[FiveFreshFish]

Or consider living solo.

Sometimes, the roommate's rent just doesn't make up for the shit you have to put up with.

[97'Scort]

Coming up with his $700/mo is out of the question, haha. His lease is up in December, I'll probably just try with somebody else.

[topmade]

Are you both renters or do you or both of you own the place? If he's just a renter it's really a normal thing to not give a shit because it's not his house. Try to reason with him and if he still doesn't care, go off-roading with your bike(if you have one), then ride it around in the house just before he's expecting guests.

[97'Scort]

It's my condo, haha. Wrecking the place to spite him is a very bad idea.