--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a disabled person I have to think and…" description: "\"As a disabled person I have to think and plan far more than anyone else. If I want to catch a bus I have to consider whether the ramp works, whether th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_fear_as-a-disabled-person-i-have-to-think-and_2078829.jpg" --- # As a disabled person I have to think and plan far more… ![“As a disabled person I have to think and plan far more than anyone else. If I want to catch a bus I have to consider whether the ramp works, whether there will be someone in the one space who doesn't want to move. It can be a constant worry.” quote by Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_fear_as-a-disabled-person-i-have-to-think-and_2078829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_fear_as-a-disabled-person-i-have-to-think-and_2078829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d58/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_fear_as-a-disabled-person-i-have-to-think-and_2078829.jpg) > “As a disabled person I have to think and plan far more than anyone else. If I want to catch a bus I have to consider whether the ramp works, whether there will be someone in the one space who doesn't want to move. It can be a constant worry.” [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living with disability demands extra planning and vigilance for everyday tasks. **In simple terms:** Disability requires extra planning. Key Takeaway Anticipate barriers and adapt. Themes accessibility planning advocacy Mood frustration determination Type personal advocacy When to use this quote - public transport - workplace - social events - housing Key Concepts disability studies social barriers Questions to Reflect On - How can society reduce these daily obstacles? - What strategies help you stay resilient? A Different Perspective Systemic in often limit accessibility despite personal preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bus Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bus-consider-4049737/) [Catch Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catch-bus-2051294/) [Consider Ramp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-ramp-4049738/) [Disabled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled/) [Disabled Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled-person-649205/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [Every disabled person's experience is different. As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Anyone over the age of thirty catching a bus can consider himself a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/anyone-over-the-age-of-thirty-catching-a-bus-can-consider-himself-a/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [Everybody has a story and being a disabled person means you have a unique story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/everybody-has-a-story-and-being-a-disabled-person-means-you-have-a/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [There's a lot of preconceived ideas of what disability is, what a disabled person should be like, and I try to throw that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/there-s-a-lot-of-preconceived-ideas-of-what-disability-is-what-a/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [I've not followed traditional paths and I think that's partly because, as a disabled person, there are so few expectations of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/i-ve-not-followed-traditional-paths-and-i-think-that-s-partly-because/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [I don't generally talk about medical terms when I discuss my position as a disabled person. I take a social rather than medical approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/i-don-t-generally-talk-about-medical-terms-when-i-discuss-my-position/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [Obviously I clearly don't shy away from my identity as a disabled person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/obviously-i-clearly-don-t-shy-away-from-my-identity-as-a-disabled/) [Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/) > [I'm not that powerful but it's great that I'm allowed to do my job and talk about my life as a disabled person and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-m-not-that-powerful-but-it-s-great-that-i-m-allowed-to-do-my-job/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I think that the way forward now is more schemes and much more disabled people on TV: in sitcoms, in soaps. A disabled person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-think-that-the-way-forward-now-is-more-schemes-and-much-more/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [As a disabled person, I feel like a lot of times we don't get to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/as-a-disabled-person-i-feel-like-a-lot-of-times-we-don-t-get-to-be/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) > [Lycra and I aren't exactly the best of friends and despite the stereotype, I'm one disabled person who doesn't own a single pair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/lycra-and-i-aren-t-exactly-the-best-of-friends-and-despite-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [As a disabled person, the worst thing about having people assist you is not having people to assist you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/as-a-disabled-person-the-worst-thing-about-having-people-assist-you/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [As a disabled person, it can be seen to be really hard to go on holiday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/as-a-disabled-person-it-can-be-seen-to-be-really-hard-to-go-on-holiday/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I would love to switch on my TV and see a disabled person talking about something they are genuinely interested in or acting out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/i-would-love-to-switch-on-my-tv-and-see-a-disabled-person-talking/) [RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/) > [The carer of the disabled person is always in the background. People don't want to hear about the sleaze and the nitty-gritty and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hawking/the-carer-of-the-disabled-person-is-always-in-the-background-people/) [Jane Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hawking/) ## More by Tanni Grey-Thompson > [People come up to me and say 'I wouldn't want to live if I was like you.' And I say 'Actually, my life's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/people-come-up-to-me-and-say-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-if-i-was-like/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Every disabled person's experience is different. As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [I'm too much of a coward for plastic surgery, but if I could wave a magic wand and change something, it would be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-m-too-much-of-a-coward-for-plastic-surgery-but-if-i-could-wave-a/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [When I was competing we were training 15 times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-was-competing-we-were-training-15-times-a-week/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Twenty years in sport has given me a broad perspective on life, bringing me into contact with a variety of social issues, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/twenty-years-in-sport-has-given-me-a-broad-perspective-on-life/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [When I started, nobody knew what the Paralympics were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-started-nobody-knew-what-the-paralympics-were/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [I remember trying to go to the cinema with my friends, so I must have been nine or 10, and being told I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-remember-trying-to-go-to-the-cinema-with-my-friends-so-i-must-have/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Perhaps we need to redefine our idea of role models; they're not always elite athletes whose success might seem too distant or unachievable. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/perhaps-we-need-to-redefine-our-idea-of-role-models-they-re-not/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Wheelchairs get lost or damaged during transit because some staff don't always understand how important the equipment is, or the cost of it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/wheelchairs-get-lost-or-damaged-during-transit-because-some-staff-don/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [The reality for most athletes is that they have to deal with the wrath of the media only after they have performed, not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/the-reality-for-most-athletes-is-that-they-have-to-deal-with-the/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [I have seen first hand the vital role that the physical activity sector - with its widespread workforce of coaches, youth workers, activity professionals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-have-seen-first-hand-the-vital-role-that-the-physical-activity/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [Despite hanging up my racing wheels over a decade ago, I still get a buzz when we enter an Olympic and Paralympic year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/despite-hanging-up-my-racing-wheels-over-a-decade-ago-i-still-get-a/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [I've lost track of the amount of time I've been spoken down to, literally patted on the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-lost-track-of-the-amount-of-time-i-ve-been-spoken-down-to/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [At 70, my late father, Peter, underwent a foot amputation after surgical complications. There were suggestions that at his age being in a wheelchair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/at-70-my-late-father-peter-underwent-a-foot-amputation-after-surgical/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [My father was an architect and I grew up knowing more about planning regulations and the constraints of old buildings than most children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/my-father-was-an-architect-and-i-grew-up-knowing-more-about-planning/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) [Explore all 100 Tanni Grey-Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) ## More Disabled quotes > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [I have joined the BJP to help disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudha-chandran/i-have-joined-the-bjp-to-help-disabled-people/) [Sudha Chandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudha-chandran/) > [“I knew I was disabled when everyday home activities became overwhelming!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-knew-i-was-disabled-when-everyday-home-activities-became/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I have been a long-time advocate for a just Arab-Israeli peace and for Palestinian refugees. Today, as you are aware, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-noor-of-jordan/i-have-been-a-long-time-advocate-for-a-just-arab-israeli-peace-and/) [Queen Noor of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-noor-of-jordan/) > [It's an objective fact that I am a double amputee, but it's very subjective opinion as to whether that makes me disabled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mullins/it-s-an-objective-fact-that-i-am-a-double-amputee-but-it-s-very/) [Aimee Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mullins/) > [Everybody has a story and being a disabled person means you have a unique story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/everybody-has-a-story-and-being-a-disabled-person-means-you-have-a/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [“I have been watching the Democrats run the USA for four years. The police are still corrupt and incompetent, their ‘green’ energy policy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-have-been-watching-the-democrats-run-the-usa-for-four-years-the/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I have veterans in my family. But I didn't know anything about DAV, Disabled American Veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-have-veterans-in-my-family-but-i-didn-t-know-anything-about-dav/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [I would rather be physically disabled obviously than mentally. I would rather be paraplegic than nuts. And it is a terrifying prospect and actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/i-would-rather-be-physically-disabled-obviously-than-mentally-i-would/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Social Security is based on a principle. It's based on the principle that you care about other people. 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As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/) [Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/) > [“My interest in astronomy took me to the premier astronomical observatories in the world before I developed occupational diseases and became disabled at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/my-interest-in-astronomy-took-me-to-the-premier-astronomical/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“A lot of disabled people probably died in hurricane Ian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/a-lot-of-disabled-people-probably-died-in-hurricane-ian/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) [Browse all 362 Disabled quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabled/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a disabled person I have to think and plan far more than anyone else. 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