[nagdu] Cab drivers in DC pass blind people with guide dogs

[Dan Weiner]

Well, my friend:
I am going to sound combative, but I am expressing an honestly held opinion,
an opinion which is not meant in any way to belittle you as I'm sure you're
a nice person and so on.
Give me a break, is my opinion.
I think that a lot of us are really too much in to bending over backwards to
accommodate, in quotes.
Malarkey.
It is necessary for companies, entities to accommodate the presence of a
service animal because of the special status service dogs, etc. have been
given in society.  This is the result of long struggle and advocacy.
We are not the ones to do the accommodating, jeeze.

I will quote both my sister, who has bad dog and cat allergies, and a doctor
I spoke to.
The instance of dog allergies is quite a bit less than sever cat allergies.
The instances of severe medical consequences from dog dander is actually
rare.
Discomfort someone might have is, and frankly should be, none of my concern.
And now the doctor: he told me that if a dog dander allergy were severe,
then the person would react to even dander brought in on someone's cloths,
packages, shoes, etc.  So, where do we draw the line.

I base a lot of my opinions on the experience with my sister, c, who can't
have dogs and cats in her house and so on.. She has been a royal burr in my
rear since I got a dog, but we've had discussions and she's in total
agreement about the guide dog  access issue.

What is this, because I have a guide dog I have to spend my whole life
bending over backwards to be considerate.
 I don't think so. Now, you are saying,  don't you want to be considerate?
Yes, but only in the same way I'm considerate to everyone everywhere I go,
not a special consideration for dumb ass cab drivers who have a thing or an
imagined thing about dogs.  Boy, that felt good, let it all out Dan--lol.

My consideration is shown in my brushing my dog, in my keeping him
well-behaved, etc.

If these guys would just suck it up and do their job then life would be much
simpler.

A severe allergy, as I think I stated so wordily in another
message--smile--if it is a disability would require a record of such and
drivers I've talked to don't want that because then it could be a reason for
them not to have the job in the first place.

I'm not sure either, Jewel, that that's such an original accommodation, in
quotes.
Plenty of drivers in Maryland told me I'd have to have another cab or they
called dispatch.  The point is it doesn't wash.
As long as a significant amount of the guide dog using population feels that
we're walking on eggs and the mere fact of being allowed treatment with
dignity is such a hardship for the public, the longer this will go on.

Now, I need my coffee.

Remember, the only thing I know about you or anyone else here is what you
say on the list, so please don't take it personally.

Cordially,

Dan W. and the big black bear, I mean dog, Carter