[nagdu] Guide dogs in taxis?

[Tami Jarvis]

Daryl,

That's what makes language and cultural barriers so difficult... How do 
I know whether to be mad or not? /lol/ If I have a glimmer of 
understanding of the culture that goes with the accent -- and can 
identify the accent at least sort of, I can have a clue. I can also 
cross the barrier better myself. Sometimes, though, I just feel at sea. 
I think the way you handled it is the best. Just muddle through calmly 
but as firmly as you need to be to get things communicated and to have 
your dog where you need her to be. Then go home and wonder whether to be 
cheesed off, amused, frustrated, amused... What? /lol/

Tami

On 07/20/2014 07:11 PM, Daryl Marie via nagdu wrote:
> Tami,
> Hard to say, There was quite a large language barrier. he simply said "Dog in back?" - which I took as a suggestion for Jenn's comfort, though it could have been interpreted as a gentle request. Either way, he didn't put up a fight at all when I said "No, I am not comfortable doing this." If his English was better I might have done more education.
> He handled it like a pro when Jenn started coughing out of nowhere. I had baggies at the ready in case she got sick.
>
> Daryl
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tami Jarvis <tami at poodlemutt.com>
> To: Daryl Marie <crazymusician at shaw.ca>, NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 20:04:54 -0600 (MDT)
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide dogs in taxis?
>
> Daryl,
>
> Hm... Was he asking if you wanted to, suggesting that you do, or trying
> to insist that you do? If it were me, the driver's tone and willingness
> to accept -- or the opposite -- my wishes would determine whether I
> thought he/she was out of line.
>
> In the Portland area where I took a lot of cabs, it's really dog
> friendly, so people are always taking their pet dogs in cabs. So I
> didn't have a problem when the driver would assume my dog would ride the
> same way. How are they to know the difference? The more experienced
> drivers did, of course, though they would mention that since they took
> pets a lot, they were fine if she rode in the seat. I would just explain
> that I was training her to do right or she was new and I wanted to keep
> her doing right and in case we travel to places where dogs aren't so
> accepted everywhere, I wanted to keep us both in good habits. It was all
> good. In a different dog culture, I might go up in flames at the very
> thought someone assumed I didn't know proper etiquette with my dog. If
> they tried to insist I put the dog where I didn't have control of her
> and couldn't put my hands on her in an instant, that would not be okay.
> If someone who doesn't know the ins and outs suggests something that
> makes sense to them for my dog's comfort, then I just do what you did
> and maybe give a little info about guide dog etiquette and let it go at
> that.
>
> Tami
>
> On 07/20/2014 06:07 PM, Daryl Marie via nagdu wrote:
>> Hi!
>> I took a taxi yesterday, and the driver asked if I wanted to put Jenny in the back. This was a completely open area primarily used to transport people in wheelchairs. She would have had plenty of room, and I had full access to her, but I said no, I didn't feel comfortable having her in the back like that. It was a full taxi (4 people), so the question didn't aggravate me like it otherwise might have.
>> My teammates didn't say much beyond "She'd have so much room back there!" so I didn't feel judged or anything, but I was wondering on your thoughts. Did the driver have the right to request this?
>> Jenny did end up sitting in the back seat with me, curled up by my feet.
>> Curious Daryl
>>
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