Reply To: Shoes
If his feet are always in the wheelchair except when transferring (like mine), then it shouldn’t be an issue for him to leave the shoes on. Hotels and most sightseeing locations are not usually strict about this, mostly just temples have people observe this custom in public spaces. I have been to a temple that is very strict about no-shoes in the viewing area, but they weren’t concerned about removing mine at all. That being said, at this same temple, the attendants wiped down my wheelchair tires very thoroughly to remove any debris prior to entry, so this could be something to expect. Some places may also provide shoe booties to just cover your shoes, again they probably won’t worry about you son’s shoes, but you can buy them fairly cheap if you really want to be proactive.
As for private residences, leaving his shoes on probably won’t be a problem, especially if it’s a comfort issue for your son. Nevertheless, if I was at a new friends house I would personally remove my shoes and observe this custom just to be overly polite as their guest, but that’s just me.
-Justin
