[nagdu] service animals and Uber or Lyft again

[Michael Hingson]

Hi,

The difference is that wheelchairs, especially power chairs do require
special configurations and lifts. Manual chairs do not as a rule, but power
chairs do. Also, even with a manual chair, the passenger may require special
and specific assistance to enter the vehicle. There is no comparison between
the needs of a guide dog user and the needs of a person in a wheelchair. 


Best Regards,


Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: Debby Phillips [mailto:semisweetdebby at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2015 8:16 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>; nagdu at nfbnet.org
Cc: mike at michaelhingson.com
Subject: Re: [nagdu] service animals and Uber or Lyft again

So Michael, if you used a wheelchair, would you disclose? And if so, what if
they showed up with a car that your chair wouldn't fit in? Or that you
couldn't get into because of it being too low to the ground, or something?
What's the difference? The ADA says that transportation providers are
supposed to not discriminate against people with wheelchairs, too.  In that
situation, is it the fault of the person in the wheelchair if they don't
disclose and the driver shows up in a tiny sports car, and your dog won't
fit, even though the driver is willing.  Or your wheelchair doesn't fit.
I'm all for doing what is going to help strengthen the law, etc.  but I just
don't think it's always very useful, or 
helpful to anybody at times.    Debby