[nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left ontrain in Brussels

Tamara Smith-Kinney tamara.8024 at comcast.net
Sun Feb 20 22:01:09 UTC 2011


Gary,

Yup!  Bogart is definitely a poodle.  /grin/  Getting out of airports with
Mitzi as a guide is a breeze!  By which I mean, I feel the stiff wind
blowing through my hair as she zooms the heck outta there.  /lol/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of GARY STEEVES
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 8:17 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left
ontrain in Brussels



Hi Lisa:

I agree with you that taking assistance doesn't mean you are not
independent. On the contrary, for me it means that you are very confident
and know when you need assistance  and how to get it.  i often use
assistance in airports or train stations. It usually helps me get to the
gate on time and rlaxed. an example of being too indepedent once was when I
was still using my cane. I got the gal in the cart to drop me off at the pub
diagnally across from my gate. I thought I'd have a beer or two and a burger
while I waited for my flight. I almost missed my flight because I hadn't
noticed that announcements weren't pumped into the pub. I had to ask a gal
down the bar from me what time my boarding pass said boarding was. it was
ten minutes ago she said. i sprung up and headed across the hallway. "Hello
Mr. steeves, we were looking for ou." :)

with bogart, there is no chance that we will calmly sit on the plane while
everyone gets off. Bogart is off as soon as he can. We get to the exit ofr
the gate and many nice things have happened. on my last trip I had my folks
meeting me so once i learned that it was a straight line we just headed off
rather than wait for asistance. another time, on bogart's first trip, a nice
woman asked if I needed help. i said that someone from the airline would be
there soon. she offered to have me follow her to baggage claims and then she
helped me find my bags. The only thing that keeps me waiting is just getting
my suitcases. I still need a pair of eyes. Hard to get enough time with the
luggage and the luggage delivery system to train bogart to identify my bags.
:)

Certainly have noticed that in settings like airports bogart and I get
around much faster than I did with my cane. something to do with how much
bogart doesn't like airports. :)

Gary

----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa belville <missktlab1217 at frontier.com>
Date: Friday, February 18, 2011 6:43 am
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left
ontrain in Brussels
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Well, it's easy for all of us to judge and be the proverbial 
> Monday Morning quarterback with situations like this.  The 
> info given is only as accurate as the reporter's research.
> 
> I do wonder, though, why he chose to leave his dog at 
> home.  Taking the dog and then having a cabby refuse to 
> transport would have been a perfect example of the 
> discrimination he was afraid of.
> 
> Also, did this person not at least flag down another passenger 
> or a conductor and request help?  I doubt if it was a 
> language barrier, and this would have been the easiest way to 
> obtain the help.
> 
> Just sitting waiting on a train while it's being emptied out is 
> not a place I'd want to be, especially if I needed to be 
> someplace on time.
> 
> It's one reason why I hate asking for help when flying; they 
> expect me to wait until someone has come to the gate, and to the 
> flight attendants, this means I need to sit in my seat like a 
> good little girl rather than exiting the plane with everyone 
> else.  I almost missed a connection once due to this 
> attitude, so I just grab my carry-on stuff and head out with 
> everyone else.
> 
> But, the person in this article didn't have their dog or a cane, 
> they didn't have as much autonomy.
> 
> And before anyone says I should navigate airports alone. . . I 
> only fly once every three years or so.  I don't do it often 
> enough to be good at it, so I don't learn the layouts of 
> airports and I'd prefer to get assistance when possible so I can 
> get where I need to be on time..
> 
> IF THE HOUSEWORK IS DONE - THEN THE COMPUTER IS Broken!
> Lisa Belville
> missktlab1217 at frontier.com
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ginger Kutsch" 
> <gingerKutsch at yahoo.com>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
> Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 5:35 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after 
> being left ontrain in Brussels
> 
> 
> >Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left on train
> >in Brussels
> >
> >LEFT ALONE: Tom Pey, pictured here with his guide dogBy emma
> >curry reporters at sevenoaks-chronicle.co.uk
> >http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Blind-man-train-ordeal/article-3
> >231003-detail/article.html
> >
> >A BLIND man is threatening to sue Eurostar after he was abandoned
> >on a train in Brussels.
> >
> >Dr Tom Pey, chief executive of the Royal London Society for the
> >Blind (RSLB) and Dorton House in Seal, has accused the travel
> >firm of disability discrimination.
> >
> >He was travelling to the European Parliament to press for
> >improved rights for guide dog owners at a meeting of the European
> >Guide Dog Federation, of which he is president, on Wednesday,
> >February 2.
> >
> >He had left his guide dog in Seal, worried that Belgian taxi
> >drivers may not want to take him, and was taken to the station by
> >his secretary Alison Nield.
> >
> >Unable to get through the barriers, she asked a Eurostar employee
> >to help Dr Pey on to the train and the train conductor to guide
> >Mr Pey off the train in Brussels.
> >
> >But when they arrived, Mr Pey was left alone. He waited for half
> >an hour before struggling out of the station himself.
> >
> >Dr Pey said: "It's really difficult to make your way around in a
> >foreign country at the best of times, quite apart from being
> >visually impaired.
> >
> >"I was also at a real loss without my guide dog.
> >
> >"I eventually managed to stumble off the train and remembered
> >that the taxi rank was near a pizza restaurant. Only problem is
> >there are two pizza eateries at Brussels station. It was most
> >distressing."
> >
> >Ms Nield said: "I usually travel with him. Tom's quite brilliant
> >but this situation was unacceptable.
> >
> >"It was luck rather than judgement that got him off that train.
> >
> >"At this end, Eurostar knew perfectly well he needed assistance.
> >It's ridiculous."
> >
> >Tim Arnold, communications manager of the RLSB, said: "Eurostar
> >are re-defining the word 'shameful'. They have a clear
> >responsibility under the Equalities Act to make a reasonable
> >adjustment for disabled people.
> >
> >"Tom's lawyers say he has a good case for disability
> >discrimination."
> >
> >A Eurostar spokesman said: "This was obviously a distressing
> >experience for Dr Pey and we have called him to apologise
> >unreservedly.
> >
> >"Situations like these are thankfully rare, but are taken
> >extremely seriously and therefore, together with our SNCB
> >colleagues at Brussels Midi, we are investigating why this
> >happened as a matter of urgency."
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >nagdu mailing list
> >nagdu at nfbnet.org
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> >To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
> info for nagdu:
>
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/missktlab1217%40fron
tier.com 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
> info for nagdu:
>
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rainshadowmusic%40sha
w.ca
> 
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa belville <missktlab1217 at frontier.com>
Date: Friday, February 18, 2011 6:43 am
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left
ontrain in Brussels
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>

> Well, it's easy for all of us to judge and be the proverbial 
> Monday Morning quarterback with situations like this.  The 
> info given is only as accurate as the reporter's research.
> 
> I do wonder, though, why he chose to leave his dog at 
> home.  Taking the dog and then having a cabby refuse to 
> transport would have been a perfect example of the 
> discrimination he was afraid of.
> 
> Also, did this person not at least flag down another passenger 
> or a conductor and request help?  I doubt if it was a 
> language barrier, and this would have been the easiest way to 
> obtain the help.
> 
> Just sitting waiting on a train while it's being emptied out is 
> not a place I'd want to be, especially if I needed to be 
> someplace on time.
> 
> It's one reason why I hate asking for help when flying; they 
> expect me to wait until someone has come to the gate, and to the 
> flight attendants, this means I need to sit in my seat like a 
> good little girl rather than exiting the plane with everyone 
> else.  I almost missed a connection once due to this 
> attitude, so I just grab my carry-on stuff and head out with 
> everyone else.
> 
> But, the person in this article didn't have their dog or a cane, 
> they didn't have as much autonomy.
> 
> And before anyone says I should navigate airports alone. . . I 
> only fly once every three years or so.  I don't do it often 
> enough to be good at it, so I don't learn the layouts of 
> airports and I'd prefer to get assistance when possible so I can 
> get where I need to be on time..
> 
> IF THE HOUSEWORK IS DONE - THEN THE COMPUTER IS Broken!
> Lisa Belville
> missktlab1217 at frontier.com
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ginger Kutsch" 
> <gingerKutsch at yahoo.com>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
> Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 5:35 AM
> Subject: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after 
> being left ontrain in Brussels
> 
> 
> >Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being left on train
> >in Brussels
> >
> >LEFT ALONE: Tom Pey, pictured here with his guide dogBy emma
> >curry reporters at sevenoaks-chronicle.co.uk
> >http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Blind-man-train-ordeal/article-3
> >231003-detail/article.html
> >
> >A BLIND man is threatening to sue Eurostar after he was abandoned
> >on a train in Brussels.
> >
> >Dr Tom Pey, chief executive of the Royal London Society for the
> >Blind (RSLB) and Dorton House in Seal, has accused the travel
> >firm of disability discrimination.
> >
> >He was travelling to the European Parliament to press for
> >improved rights for guide dog owners at a meeting of the European
> >Guide Dog Federation, of which he is president, on Wednesday,
> >February 2.
> >
> >He had left his guide dog in Seal, worried that Belgian taxi
> >drivers may not want to take him, and was taken to the station by
> >his secretary Alison Nield.
> >
> >Unable to get through the barriers, she asked a Eurostar employee
> >to help Dr Pey on to the train and the train conductor to guide
> >Mr Pey off the train in Brussels.
> >
> >But when they arrived, Mr Pey was left alone. He waited for half
> >an hour before struggling out of the station himself.
> >
> >Dr Pey said: "It's really difficult to make your way around in a
> >foreign country at the best of times, quite apart from being
> >visually impaired.
> >
> >"I was also at a real loss without my guide dog.
> >
> >"I eventually managed to stumble off the train and remembered
> >that the taxi rank was near a pizza restaurant. Only problem is
> >there are two pizza eateries at Brussels station. It was most
> >distressing."
> >
> >Ms Nield said: "I usually travel with him. Tom's quite brilliant
> >but this situation was unacceptable.
> >
> >"It was luck rather than judgement that got him off that train.
> >
> >"At this end, Eurostar knew perfectly well he needed assistance.
> >It's ridiculous."
> >
> >Tim Arnold, communications manager of the RLSB, said: "Eurostar
> >are re-defining the word 'shameful'. They have a clear
> >responsibility under the Equalities Act to make a reasonable
> >adjustment for disabled people.
> >
> >"Tom's lawyers say he has a good case for disability
> >discrimination."
> >
> >A Eurostar spokesman said: "This was obviously a distressing
> >experience for Dr Pey and we have called him to apologise
> >unreservedly.
> >
> >"Situations like these are thankfully rare, but are taken
> >extremely seriously and therefore, together with our SNCB
> >colleagues at Brussels Midi, we are investigating why this
> >happened as a matter of urgency."
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >nagdu mailing list
> >nagdu at nfbnet.org
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> >To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
> info for nagdu:
>
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/missktlab1217%40fron
tier.com 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account 
> info for nagdu:
>
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rainshadowmusic%40sha
w.ca
> 

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