[nagdu] Trying to understand: denial of access bad allergies

[larry d keeler]

I'm so used to telling the cab company about my wifes chair and my dog that
it really doesn't matter much to me. I usually get timely rides. I also
don't want to have a guy show up and refuse to take me on the basis of
having a dog and have to go and wait some more. I like keepping us on record
in case something messes up. For example, one time when my wife briefly had
to be in a nursing home, I called a cab home. I have Holly on the standing
orders. Well, he picked me up and complained that he had to carry a dog the
whole way. He wasn't allergic but just didn't like dogs! Holly behaved
perfectly. I asked him why he picked me up. I also asked him if he saw the
order and the fact that I had a service dog with me. He said he did and it
said service animal. He didn't know what kind of animal though. He said for
all he knew it was a service snake! Well, I replied that it could have been
a service cobra and what would he have done then! Anyway, I explained that
if he knew that a service animal was listed, he could have bid on another
ride so, what was he complaining about! I had put her on the order and he
didn't seem to care when he bid on it so, I figured he had to live with it!
I knew that many drivers would have taken that run because it was a rather
long one. I could have gotten many a driver who knew me. 

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Debby Phillips
via nagdu
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 9:51 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users;
nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: Debby Phillips
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Trying to understand: denial of access bad allergies

Hi Louise, but then people would have to tell the dispatch person that they
have a service dog, which I personally don't have a problem with.  You know
folks, if you are calling a cab to go somewhere, it's true the law is on our
side, they're supposed to take us.  And many of you think it's a terrible
thing to disclose that you have a dog.  But wouldn't it be fairer to the cab
company to let them know so that they can send someone who does not have
allergies, or the driver is so terrified of our dog that he or she can
hardly drive for fear of the dog getting too close? 
Sometimes we need to use some common sense.  It's true I have the right not
to disclose.  But if the cab arrives and the driver is truly allergic to
dogs, I have wasted his or her time, and am wasting mine as the cab company
has to send someone else.  Or Uber, or Lyft.

I once had a doctor who had severe allergies to dogs.  The first time I saw
her, I had my dog with me.  She opened the door, saw him, and it was the one
and only time she acted in an unprofessional manner.  She rushed out
shouting, "Why is there a dog in my room?" She apologized and said that she
had to ask me not to bring the dog into her exam room again.  Having gone
through dog allergies myself, I totally understood where she was coming
from, and either left my dog home, or left him in the waiting room with my
husband or a friend for the remainder of the time she was my primary care
physician.  We have rights, but we also have a responsibility, in my
opinion, to care about other people.  Many of you don't know what it's like
to have your throat be scratchy all the time, nose running, not able to
breathe well because of an allergy to dog.  And some allergy relief meds
make people sleepy.  So maybe when calling a cab, telling them isn't such a
bad idea.  Just my opinion.

It's a different matter when you're hailing a taxi on the city street.  I do
think it's rude and inconsiderate for a taxi to just pull away.  I
personally think if they can't or won't pick someone up, they should at
least have the courtesy to pull up and 

tell the person that they're calling another cab.     Debby and 
Nova

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