[NABS-L] Equal Access to Seating on Public Transportation

[Kendra Schaber]

Hi all!
There's something wrong with that kind of experience! Luckily, the Americans
with Disabilities Act(ADA) is on our side here. I'm a regular user of my
local city bus. If I wanted, I could use the seats in the back of the bus,
but I choose the ones up in the front because it gives me the opportunity to
talk with the driver whenever I need to do so such as whenever I need to
make sure that I'm getting off at the right stop, particularly when I'm
using a stop that's not on the local list of announced bus stops since they
usually stick to the major stops. I also will sometimes have to inform the
driver when the recorded announcements are not working because I have
noticed that I'll often notice this before the drivers do. I'm not forced to
use these seats in the front, I do it by choice to take care of these
practical needs, particularly when I notice that technology on the bus isn't
working correctly.
   I have used Amtrack in the past, and probably will use them again in the
future. I have not had problems with finding a seat, or even, one that I
don't prefer. I usually will go ahead and get on early when it's an option,
but I choose it when I use any kind of public transportation anyway.
    I have had the worst general luck with airport security. I find them to
be over zellas, particularly at the airport security lines. Ok, I have had
my share of errors when I've forgotten to empty a water bottle, but that was
totally my fault. Oops! Beyond that, I have had one experience where I was
assisting a blind traveler with their flight when the airport security
decided to give both myself and the other traveler a whole body search, even
though we have told the security staff the rules of the ADA. Mind you, I was
not flying myself on this particular trip, but it still happened anyway.
     On an unrelated trip, this time, I was flying by myself, coming home
from visiting family in Houston, Texas. During my flight, I had a layover in
Pheonox, Arazona. I was trying to catch my connecting flight there. The
plane I was on was running late going into Phenox, Arazona due to one of the
summer storms they had in Arazona. The airport staff went ahead and gave me
the wheel chair, even though I didn't need it, and mind you, I wound up
missing my connecting flight after all. I still managed to take an
alternative route home, going through Vegas before I made it home. Mind you,
this was back in 2007, and it was before I knew all of the ADA's rules
regarding flying. I also was doing everything I knew to catch my connecting
flight even though that didn't work out. In any case, even to this day, I
still warn anyone who's blind and who flies through Pheonox that the staff
there believe in playing the wheelchair card and to make sure to be very
emphatic when one puts their foot down. I also make it a point to refuse to
allow security to take my cane away, accept for when it's not avoidable for
them to do so. Since I use a folding cane, by choice, I'll fold it whenever
it's not needed, accept for when I'm on the bus, which is helpful because it
shows to the world that I can get it out of anyone's way, but that when I'm
using it, I don't use it for fun, but most importantly, that I'm blind and I
know what I want and when I want it. I have also used the cart on more than
one occasion, both at Amtrack and at the airport because it's practical to
do so when it's needed. I'm sure that I'll fly again just like I did in the
past. I know that I have the ADA on my side and that I'm willing to enforce
it when it's needed. I have flown on other, very successful flights without
ADA violations. I have had my share of successful rides on Amtrack, also
without ADA violations. I continue to ride the city bus without problems
every day that I attend school in person.
Kendra

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Elizabeth Sprecher via
NABS-L
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2023 5:12 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Cc: Elizabeth Sprecher <elizabeth.sprecher103 at gmail.com>
Subject: [NABS-L] Equal Access to Seating on Public Transportation

Hi all,
Is it just me or does anyone else going through the same thing, and what’s a
solution.
Why are blind people forced to use the quote, priority seating on public
transportation? I noticed this not only in Chicago, but also on amtrack
trains. I was at a train station in Ann Arbor and was walking out to catch
the train with everyone else. Before the train arrived at the station,
someone working there stood next to me with a ramp. When the train stopped
he immediately spoke to the workers on the train and said I was visually
impaired without my permission. Then he told everyone to wait while he
helped me on the train. He directed me to a seat he said was by the
bathroom, and the last seat on the train. I said I wanted to sit by the
other seats since these two seats were separate from all the other. He also
said that they were sold out and asked if this was okay?
So I sat there while all the other passengers had the freedom to sit where
ever they wanted. I’m kind of insulted that the reason they had me sit there
was because the bathroom was behind the seat.
Doesn’t anyone else feel bothered by this? What can we all do to break this
barrier that isolates people with disabilities from everyone else on public
transportation? Does anyone care about this?

Sent from my iPhone
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