ON FRIDAY I wrote a story about a mum and son who were trying to cross the road at an intersection along Main St in Hervey Bay.

The woman's son is confined to a wheelchair, so understandably it takes them a little longer than most to cross the road.

However a driver who was coming along Main St at speed wasn't very understanding at all.

Forced to stop and wait, he gestured angrily at the mother and her family, despite the fact that presumably he could see why they might need a little longer to cross the road.

What is happening to our society?

Rudeness seems to have infected every part of our community.

I'm heartened by the positive stories I hear.

I know there are people in our community who would honestly give you the shirt off their back if you needed it.

But it makes me so angry to hear about this family being treated like this.

I know families who have children with a disability.

I'm struck by how often they tell me that it's not the child's disability that is the biggest challenge, it is the attitudes of other people.

We need to practice what we preach and make our society more inclusive.

Otherwise it's just paying lip service.