[nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after beingleftontrain in Brussels

Julie J julielj at neb.rr.com
Mon Feb 21 18:18:47 UTC 2011


Wow!  That's harsh.

I'm not asking that you agree with his opinions or actions, but please do 
refrain from the personal insults.

Julie
NAGDU list moderator

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 9:23 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after 
beingleftontrain in Brussels


> Hello Everyone,
>
>    Given his track record This is classic Tom Pey. He fought against us
> when Mike Osborn and others worked with the UK Government to put 
> procedures
> in place to permit guide dogs entering the UK accompanied by their blind
> handler to do so under the Pet Travel Scheme so the dogs wouldn't need to 
> go
> in to quarantine. He also sang the song probably trumpped up by the Guide
> Dogs for the Blind Association that a guide dog should not travel in an
> aircraft cabin for no more than five hours flying time; something many of 
> us
> worked hard to debunk and were successful doing so. And so he still feels
> that taking one's guide dog out of the UK and reentering under PETS is too
> much of a bother? If you asked me he got what he deserved. He's nothing 
> but
> a big old blind Uncle tom Pey!
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Julie McGinnity" <kaybaycar at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 6:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being
> leftontrain in Brussels
>
>
> I am wondering why these articles never seem to be the whole story.
> Yes, I know that we will never know the details of any of these kinds
> of incidents, but in these articles, there always seems to be
> something that doesn't quite add up.  Does the reporter need to do
> more research?  Are the facts incorrect?  We don't know.  We are only
> given what we are given.  My first thought after reading was exactly
> the same as many of you:  Did he have a cane?  Why did they say
> stumbling?  Didn't he have proper mobility training?
>
> Although I still believe that suing may not be the answer, I cannot
> say about this particular incident.  It is true that in Europe there
> are different expectations.  If something like that happened in the
> US, they would be like, too bad too sad, you just get out of there on
> your own, which is both good and bad.  However, in Europe it is
> expected that if you are blind you will receive assistance.  Hmmmm.  I
> have mixed feelings on this one.
>
> I have to say that I like having the option of getting assistance,
> especially in airports.  I really don't like crowds.  They freak me
> out, and I usually am pleased to have someone help me to the gate.  I
> always laugh when they bring wheelchairs though.  What drives me crazy
> is how they think I can't follow them.  Then, the airport assist
> person tries to grab my arm without asking, or even worse tries to
> grab the dog's leash.  Under no circumstances is this ok in my book.
> That just makes me feel much jumpier in an environment where I'm not
> really comfortable in the first place.
>
> Really don't know about the article though.  I just remember having a
> similar discussion about the last one that was posted.  I just wish
> these articles sounded better or something.  I'm not sure what I'm
> looking for.  Sorry for the rant, that may in fact be pointless.
>
> On 2/20/11, Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hm...  Getting off a train and past all the obstacles and to the right
>> place
>> to leave the station and find a human to talk to is kind of an impressive
>> feat to be described as 'stumbling."  I would not want to try this 
>> myself,
>> and I am certain that I would indeed stumble now and then if I somehow
>> arranged to find myself in such a situation.
>>
>> In my own context, I am apparently so neurotically paranoid about finding
>> myself in that kind of situation that, in addition to my guide dog, I
>> carry
>> a back pack of emergency supplies, the stuff I actually plan to use, and 
>> 3
>> to 5 spare canes -- if not more canes than I actually own.  /lol/  This
>> will
>> surprise me when I have to dig through all the canes and other emergency
>> supplies to find something I need to actually use because I will remember
>> slipping one cane into my backpack, just in case I need it.
>>
>> Waiting for someone to come to my rescue?  Again, not my style.  /smile/
>>
>> Still, as others have pointed out, the information in the article doesn't
>> give us enough to really evaluate the ins and outs of this man's reasons
>> for
>> taking the actions he did.  It all seems pretty foreign, frankly, but 
>> when
>> I
>> remember that it was in what I consider a foreign land, it almost
>> certainly
>> is.  /smile/
>>
>> It will be interesting to see what happens here.
>>
>> Tami Smith-Kinney
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Lisa Irving
>> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 3:07 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind man Dr Tom Pey may sue Eurostar after being
>> leftontrain in Brussels
>>
>> Wow. I'm trying to put myself in this fellow's shoes. The critical side 
>> of
>> me contends he has a voice, and perhaps a cell phone. I also can't help
>> but
>> to wonder if he manipulated circumstances to slam the point home about
>> guide
>>
>> dog discrimination in Europe. I don't know. Obviously, we're not getting
>> all
>>
>> the facts.
>>
>> I have a problem with this educated man describing his exodus from the
>> train
>>
>> as, "stumbling off". I can't imagine traveling without a cane as a back
>> up.
>> I understand his concern about the possibility of being denied a cab 
>> ride.
>> Denial of Cab access is still an issue in San Diego. We have a large
>> Muslim
>> population and some of these folks drive cabs. Fortunately for those of 
>> us
>> who live in a large metropolitan city, we have options; other cab
>> companies
>> we can call. My final thought is this. Do you suppose there are 
>> quarantine
>> issues this man had to work around.
>> ----- 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 3:35 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."
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lirving1234%40cox.net
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> Julie McG
> Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
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