Not only is this costing you BIG time, psychologically, this is illegal, pure and simple. If you are in Europe, the EU Human Rights commission (I believe it's called) can help you.  But I believe you are here in the US and so you are protected  by the ADA.  You have every right to walk down a public beach.  Those lifeguards are thugs and bullies - I agree with Meir - they must be new, or else why are they doing this all of a sudden if you have walked down this beach before without interference?

I would follow Linda's advice and contact her son.  I would also find out, if possible, the names of the lifeguards and the company that hired them.  You can do this by finding either the property mangement cfompany (if it's a private beach) or the local marine authority if it's a public beach. If the beach is open to the public no one has any right to deny access to anyone except for reason of disorderly behavior.  Anyway I would then write up a letter (or have an attorney) explaining that you have been harrassed because of your disability and have been denied your right to access the beach in a free and public venue.  You should heavily reference the ADA in your letter as well as the shoddy customer service aspect of their performance.

Do write us back and let us all  know what happens; we are rooting for you!

Kat




---- [log in to unmask] wrote: 
> Hi,
>  
> I feel shy asking this - I should be able to handle this, but I need some  
> opinions of others. In a way, this problem seems trivial, but please try to  
> patient. It's deeper than it appears.
>  
> I used to go to the beach all the time and none of the lifeguards hassled  
> me.  The most they ever said was 'hey, enjoy the day' or such. I even  used to 
> go out in the water and sometimes be knocked on my butt by a wave.   No big 
> deal -   I was treated as just another beach bum out for a day  of sun.
>  
>  However, recently two lifeguards have made a huge issue about me  being on 
> the beach alone.  They both did it very publically - one kept  going up to 
> other beach goers asking if I was with them and the other came  running after me, 
> screaming at me to stop walking.   After I stopped,  he was insulting and 
> rude.  Both the guards told me I couldn't be on the  beach by myself.  Neither 
> time was I in the water - once I was fully  dressed just sitting on the sand.
>  
>  I talked to the Chief after the first time and he was no help though  he did 
> promise a local disability org. that he would provide better disability  
> training. (Yea, right). This time, he's been even less help and says I  need to go 
> up to every guard and explain myself.  I'm all for getting to  know people, 
> but these are public employees at the beach.  Shouldn't they  know how to deal 
> with things?  If they do have a question, can't they be  polite and 
> respectful?  It's not my job to teach them how to act with  simple politeness. That's 
> what my tax dollars are supposed to do in  part - to pay for training so that 
> they know how to react DECENTLY (not  perfectly, but decently) to everyone.  I'm 
> shy - I don't like approaching  strangers in general.
>  
>  I have a lot of problems and stress in my life and the beach is the  ONE 
> place that makes me forget it all.  I really, really need to be able to  go 
> there, relax and not worry about going up to all the lifeguards (there are  
> multiple guards on each beach and they change up all the time so it would be an  
> ongoing effort).  I need to go there and not have to keep looking over my  
> shoulder or feel like I have to walk just right. I feel really frustrated I  can't 
> even go there and be carefree as I used to be because the beach is  literally 
> the only truly happy thing in my life.  It really is or should I  say it WAS the 
> only thing that made me want to keep going.
>  
> There's no one else to appeal to - I have no faith anyone higher up would  
> listen either. So, I would welcome any suggestions. 
>  
> Thanks for reading!
>  
>  
> 
> 
> 
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