Every restricted growth person will know what I’m on about here.

Today I went on a Sunday shopping trip (shudder at the mass crowds thought) to one of the local out-of-town retail parks to buy my beau their Christmas present (no I haven’t told them what it is!).

My attempt at getting out first thing was sadly an hour out of kilter so I ‘managed’ to experience the mass queues that appear around this festive time of year. I digress.

After encountering that (”please let there be a near disabled car parking”) space available to the shop debacle with some other irate looking fellow blue-badge holder – who damn well made sure they were getting that space first, I managed to get parked and off I trotted to the front entrance of Argos.

I eagerly approached the doors with reservation paper for my item in my gloved hand and…

…Nothing.

…Zip.

…Nada.

What? I hear you thinking.

To the fellow restricted growth person who knows what I’m on about, yep you guessed it, the sensor on the top of the automatic door would.not.pick.me.up.

So there I was, shuffling from foot to foot trying to get the damn thing notice me to no avail and rather acute mortification, knowing full well what the problem was. What was I to do?

Thankfully a burly six-footer came to my rescue in his eagerness to get through the door, I think to see the latest catalogue.

Still it’s rather embarrassing to be confronted with such problem.

I first became aware of this when I was first at University (ahem) 10 years ago and I attempted to get into the rather swish new University library that was ‘fully accessible’. Well it was, bar the fact for next four years I used to run up behind or beside other students to ensure that I could get into the building, otherwise I was stranded looking like a lunatic waving at what appeared to be nothing, but to me to try and get that damn sensor to recognise that I needed to get in and not be kept out (I know, I know, it might come as a surprise but strangely for a student, I did want to study!).

So, the next time you see a 4ft person waving or making seemingly erratic movements in front of the door, it’s not because they’re short of a peg or two (only inches dear). It’s because we’re missing the mass needed to get in that damn building. Help us out! Thanks!