[nagdu] Blind people say cab drivers ignore them

Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com
Fri Mar 19 13:29:37 UTC 2010


Or that the cabbies who hang around the hospitals are more kind on
principle, the whole "I'm providing a service to someone who probably
needs it, v. someone who just wants it.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 9:04 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind people say cab drivers ignore them

This happens in New York City, too.  If I have to get a taxi on the
street
in the city, I try to get someone else to hail it for me while I stand
back like I'm not interested.  Then when they stop I jump in.  I usually
don't try to get a taxi, because it can be such a hassle.
However, last year when I was visiting the hospital a lot, the taxi
drivers that wait out front for possible fares would call out to me and
my
husband, asking if we wanted a taxi, which we often did.  It was a
refreshing change from the usual. So maybe the NYC taxi drivers are
getting the idea.  Or maybe it's a culture thing--the drivers around the
hospital are mostly Dominicans, who don't seem to have a cultural bias
against dogs.
Tracy

> Blind People Say Cab Drivers Ignore Them
> Cab Company Says It's Not Illegal Not To Stop
>
> POSTED: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
> UPDATED: 7:37 am EDT March 17,2010
> Source: http://www.justnews.com/news/22856062/detail.html
>
>
> MIAMI -- Getting around South Florida is nearly impossible for
> blind members of our community. Some people say that instead of
> stopping, cab drivers knowingly pass blind people by.
>
> Video
> Miami Beach resident David New told Local 10 that, nine out of 10
> times, when he is hailing a cab, the driver refuses to stop.
>
> New said that cab drivers who did stop often told him, "'No dogs
> in my cab.'"
>
> State and federal laws say that service animals must be permitted
> to accompany any individual with a disability wherever the
> general public is allowed to go. It is against the Americans with
> Disabilities Act for a taxicab driver to refuse to pick someone
> up because of a service animal.
>
> Local 10 cameras accompanied New to Collins Avenue and 13th
> Street in Miami. Several empty cabs slowed down and then the
> drivers looked and took off.
>
> The general manager of Super Yellow Cab said drivers are not
> required to stop.
>
> "There is nothing illegal about not stopping," he said. "By law,
> it's not mandatory for them to stop at any passenger on the
> street, especially if they feel it could be a dangerous job."
>
> Miami-Dade Consumer Affairs licenses cab drivers in the county. A
> spokesperson said a driver who fails to pick up person because of
> a guide dog could be fined or suspended.
>
> "This is part of their training. It's ingrained in them during
> their training. The issue is thoroughly covered. They can't claim
> ignorance," said Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Sonya Perez.
>
> "Hopefully people will start to understand this is really
> discrimination," New said.
>
> The CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind recently had an
> incident at Miami International Airport. Virginia Jacko said a
> cab driver refused to take her and her guide dog to Coconut
> Grove.
>
> "The county employee who was helping me tried to tell him he had
> to take me. They got into a shouting match and were screaming at
> each other," Jacko said.
>
> To file a complaint with Miami-Dade Consumer Services, visit the
> Miami-Dade County Web site.
>
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