[nagdu] Washington - Guide dog killed crossing Kennewick street

Dan Weiner dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net
Tue Mar 23 21:49:40 UTC 2010


I agree with you totally, Albert.
I was bringing up that scenario because I wouldn't put it past some law
enforcement people who might not be acquainted with blind travel techniques
to say that type of thing.
I, especially in my first months as a guide dog user, had several crossing
against the light incidents  after  which I was told by nasty bystanders, ,
"your dog's badly trained, he crossed you against the light, you should get
another one".
This business of thinking that a guide dog reads traffic, this old wives'
tale has been one of the most annoying things I've dealt with as a guide dog
user.

Once I was talking to a police officer I know from the neighborhood about
the White Cane Law, and he asked "well, wouldn't your dog keep you safe and
not let you cross when a car's coming".
We all know that the answer to that one is more complicated than "yes " or
"no" because it's you and your well-trained dog against someone behind of
the wheel of a big metal machine.
Anyway, it took me a few minutes to really explain to this very nice officer
that cars are required to give thee right of way and my dog's training
wouldn't make me responsible if something happened 
Because my dog didn't "do his job" in quotations.

Now, having said all of this, let's hope that all of us will only have to
discusses this hypothetically.  Take care of yourselves, two-legged and
four-legged friends.

Dan and Carter 
-----Original M





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