
Disabled dating: my Tinder experience
Online dating can be fraught with mishaps and misadventures, possibly even more so if you have a disability. Wheelchair user Ross, who recently tried the online dating app Tinder, shares a post from his blog, A Life on Wheels, about his experience.
I’m just like you – except I get to sit down 24/7 – so look who’s winning now?!
A Life on Wheels follows my journey through adulthood, where I share personal stories and review disability access along the way.
Online dating with a disability
I recently told a friend about a dating disaster I had on Tinder and their first response was: “OMG you have to write about that on your blog!” So, I decided to share my experience. Let’s start at the beginning…
You can also customise your settings to a specific age range, gender and location distance.
Last year I came to the realisation that I’m not going to meet my wife in Wetherspoons… so I swallowed my pride and decided to give this online dating malarky a go!
To my surprise, there was someone who I got on with really well. She lived locally, she was funny and we had similar interests.
*SPOILER ALERT: don’t buy a hat just yet…
I was speaking to her for about a week or so before I plucked up the courage to ask if she wanted to meet. This was quite a big deal for me. I’ve watched a hell of a lot of Catfish over the years, and meeting up with strangers isn’t something I’m that comfortable with!
Date night soon came around and we arranged to meet for a drink in town. I was running a bit late, which is never a good start. In a rush, I parked my car and began racing down the pavement in my wheelchair. Next thing I knew, the unimaginable had happened…
I DROVE THROUGH DOG SHIT.
Why wasn’t I watching where I was going?! The stench was unbelievable and my luck was quickly running out. I tried to scrape off as much as possible by driving round in circles and randomly rubbing my wheels against the side of different buildings.
Thankfully, despite this, I still arrived before my date – *phew!*
As I sat waiting, I became increasingly paranoid about the smell. There was also a very strange lady sat on the table opposite me, who kept staring at me.
Bless her, I think she was definitely a few sandwiches short of a picnic, as she was wearing at least three hats at the same time. At one point she even stood up and walked towards me. My first thought was: “Oh hell, I really have been stitched up here.”
Anyway, to cut a long story short, my date eventually arrived and the evening went really well. The poo story was a great ice breaker and all was forgotten. We sat and chatted for about three hours, and I eventually dropped her home. A second date was already on the cards.
However, a few weeks later things turned a little sour. I was out and about driving with one of my best friends when I received a text. Once I had parked up, I read the message and it said something along the lines of:
“I just saw you with another girl! Who is she? I waved and you completely ignored me!”
DING DING – the alarm bells are already ringing!
First of all, when I’m driving, I’m in my own little world. I barely notice traffic lights at times, let alone every person walking by.
And secondly… whoa, I barely know you and you’re already complaining about one of my female friends – not cool. A few more messages followed so I eventually decided to pull a Casper and ghost the hell out of her.
All jokes aside, I honestly don’t think I could ever take Tinder seriously. It’s the kind of app you download with your mates to have a good laugh at. Most people tend to use it for a quick hook up, and that’s great if that’s what works for you.
It was a good experience and definitely a learning curve, but I think I’m more of a traditional guy.
Maybe I’ll just wait for that Disney moment when she drops her books and I awkwardly can’t pick them up.
Moral of the story… Girls, don’t be crazy. Guys, watch where you’re walking/rolling.
And dog owners, pick up your shit!!
By Ross
Visit Ross’s blog, A Life on Wheels, to read about more of his experiences as a wheelchair user.
More on Disability Horizons…