When you see someone in a wheelchair, what do you do?

I ask this question because I know a lot of people are uncomfortable when faced with someone in a wheelchair. I think the tendency of most people when they feel uncomfortable is to look away. I also think that this discomfort leads people to avoid speaking with the disabled person, to avoid acknowledging the disability, etc. I don’t feel like people do this to be cruel or anything like that, that it’s just a product of discomfort and not knowing what to do or say.

Myself, I recognize the tremendous extra efforts needed to go through the world in a wheelchair, the fact that other people are uncomfortable, that often the end result is the disabled person feeling really different or ignored, etc. I usually try to make eye contact with the person and to give a little smile, just to acknowledge them and hopefully for a moment make it seem like the world is a bit of a kinder place.

It’s a tough, emotional issue that I as an able-bodied person cannot begin to truly grasp and I don’t ever want to offend anyone. I’m always a little bit afraid that my approach might make the person feel different (which is completely opposite of my intent), or bitter, or remind them of their disability.

I’m curious as to what other people do when passing, meeting, or seeing a person in a wheelchair. Those of you that are disabled or well-acquainted with a disabled person, is my approach okay?