[NAGDU] Hello, and Uber Letdown

Thu Mar 9 21:12:51 UTC 2017

Hi Michael,
First, it was nice to meet you at the CSUN restaurant NFB gathering last 
Tues. in San Diego!

I see in your post that UBER drivers can get terminated for denying a guide 
dog.  I don't use UBER myself but have ridden it with Lisa I, our Chapter 
president.  I got to experience a denial on Christmas Eve when we were going 
to a church service.  Lisa sent an email to some UBER ADA person in Chicago 
and she emailed Tim Elder.  She did these emails after calling UBER to say 
we were denied a ride and we needed another driver.  Meanwhile, we were 
outside stuck in the rain.

What I need to know is do we still do the steps we took before emailing Tim 
Elder?  As for the driver getting canned, I have no idea.  Is UBER supposed 
to tell us if the driver got canned or is it good enough to be told that the 
issue has been taken care of.  I'm like, what does that mean???

So, if you can clarify this for me, I'd appreciate it.

Lyn and Aristotle
"Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like 
asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Hingson via NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Michael Hingson" <mike at michaelhingson.com>; "'Timothy Elder'" 
<telder at trelegal.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2017 12:17 PM
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Hello, and Uber Letdown

> Ed et al,
>
> Under the terms of the class action settlement the driver totally violated
> the new Uber requirements. The key is that the driver was specifically 
> told
> that the animal was a guide dog. The driver cannot use the excuse that he
> did not know.
>
> Under the terms of the settlement the driver's actions are grounds for
> IMMEDIATE DISMESSAL. Uber's response was wrong and inappropriate.
>
> I am copying Tim Elder on this email. Tim was the lead counsel on the Uber
> case. I just spoke with him about this and confirmed what I stated above
> before responding. If ANYONE encounters guide dog issues with Uber they
> should IMMEDIATELY notify Tim at Timothy Elder telder at trelegal.com.
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
>
> Michael Hingson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ed Rizzuto via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2017 10:56 AM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Ed Rizzuto <edrizzutolaw at gmail.com>
> Subject: [NAGDU] Hello, and Uber Letdown
>
> Hi folks,
>
>
>
> I'm new to this list, and a new guide dog user.  I returned home from
> training two weeks ago with my German Shepherd and it's going well, for 
> the
> most part. I live in Durham, North Carolina.
>
>
>
> I'm pretty sure the following situation is not a first. I'd appreciate any
> help in how to proceed.
>
>
>
> I use Uber on an almost daily basis.  Last Thursday, I requested a ride to
> my daughter's school, I confirmed the ride, it was picked up by a driver, 
> I
> waited 17 minutes, the driver arrived and pulled into my driveway.  I
> approached the car with my dog in harness.  The driver stated through the
> passenger side window: "I'm not taking the dog."  I explainted that I am
> blind and that the dog is my guide dog. I explained the law and  explained
> Uber's policy. The driver just kept repeating, "I don't care, the dog 
> can't
> ride in my car."  He locked the rear passenger door. He backed out of my
> driveway and drove off.
>
>
>
> I filled out the'service dog issue' report template on the Uber app and a
> support rep called me several days later.  The rep advised that Uber takes
> these matters seriously, that the driver would be re-notified of his
> obligations and that the driver would have to re-affirm his understanding 
> of
> the law and Uber's policy, and that he must allow service dogs to ride. 
> The
> support rep advised that the driver may face permanent termination from 
> the
> Uber program if he committed another violation.
>
>
>
> In my view, Uber's response and policy amounts to an
> 'at-least-one-free-pass' anti discrimination policy with no consequences 
> to
> the driver and no compensation for the aggrieved guide dog user.  Uber's
> software does not even allow me an opportunity to rate this driver as I 
> was
> not charged.  The driver will undoubtedly never pick up a ride request 
> from
> me or from my home address again.  He simply gets away with this and the
> Uber pool of drivers available to me is down by 1.
>
>
>
> My question to the group members is.. To the extent you've experienced
> similar discrimination, have you had any more of a positive outcome?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ed
>
>
>
>
>
> Edward Rizzuto
>
> (530) 570-7000
>
> edrizzutolaw at gmail.com
>
>
>
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