Bad sports, good sports: The sport of dodging strollers and “electric convenience vehicles”

Bad sports, good sports: The sport of dodging strollers and “electric convenience vehicles”

Posted on June 29th, 2009 by Alan Spoll

I mentioned last week that I was on my way to Disney with my family. We spent the whole week down there, and returned Sunday evening. I really didn’t get to follow much in the way of sports, aside from a bit of fantasy baseball. The only TVs I encountered seemed to have nothing but Michael Jackson coverage. So the only sports I can discuss this week involve the challenging task of not being injured by the omnipresent strollers and motorized carts that you find all over Walt Disney World. By the way, did you know those carts are called Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECVs)? Hadn’t encountered that name before. People in theme parks generally seem to have little regard for others, as far as making even the smallest attempt to avoid walking directly into your path, often stopping directly in the middle of the walkway to stare at nothing, causing you to nearly walk right into them. This gets much worse when they are either pushing a stroller or driving one of those infernal ECVs. Those people seem to actually expect you to clear a path for them, wherever they go, simply because they are riding while you are walking.

When did we lose all regard for those around us? When did it become okay to ram a stroller into someone’s ankle several times in a row with not even an acknowledgment that it occurred? The sport of demolition derby nearly came into play several times, as I was often tempted to take the handlebars of the ECV and turn the vehicle into a nearby pole. I did nothing of the kind, of course, as I am not a barbarian. I have to wonder, though… am I supposed to treat the rider the same way I would someone in a wheelchair? If the person is elderly, and could not otherwise make it around the park, I guess I get it. They don’t need a traditional wheelchair, and don’t want to make someone push them. But what if the person is simply too obese to make it more than half a day in the Magic Kingdom? I suppose I am being intolerant, but I don’t know that I need to be jumping out of the way for those people.

The strollers are another story. I can’t count the number of times I was hit by strollers this week. I would think that if it were my kid in the stroller, I might try to limit the number of times I used the stroller as a weapon. But maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, I’ll be back to normal sports next week. Until then, enjoy the idiocy of Chad Ochocinco and Shawne Merriman.

Bad Sports, Good Sports appears every Monday

Author Bio
Latest Posts

Alan Spoll

Alan Spoll is a software quality assurance director from the suburbs of Philadelphia where he lives with his wonderful wife and children. He has spent his entire life as a passionate fan of the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, and Penn State. Recent Phillies success aside, you will understand his natural negativity. Follow me on Twitter - @DocAlan02