[NAGDU] guide dogs and cabs, an interesting chat

[S L Johnson]

Good Morning:

One thing I have done is to contact the owner of the cab company.  I discuss 
the law and send them printed copies so they can distribute them to their 
drivers.  Now this is no guaranty that I will never have a driver refuse to 
take me but it might help.  Also, even though I know we do not have to tell 
them in advance about our dogs, I always do and have never had a driver 
refuse to take me once they arrive to pick me up.  They know in advance 
about my dog so do not take the call if they do not want a dog in their 
cars.  I prefer to tell them in advance because I live quite a distance from 
the city where the cab companies are located and it would take a very long 
time for them to send out a second car.  I know many of you think this hurts 
the guide dog movement but it is what has worked for me over the past 42 
years.

Sandra

-----Original Message----- 
From: Cindy Ray via NAGDU
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2017 8:45 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Cc: Cindy Ray
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] guide dogs and cabs, an interesting chat

Well, some of these cabs are just independent. I think though that the
company or whoever gives them permission to drive publicly does not let them
know that they can't refuse people with service dogs. I am pretty sure Uber
and Lyft didn't do so regularly or at least have any consequences until this
agreement came about. I wonder what we could do to make cab companies
understand that this is the law. It is sure something for us to think about.

Cindy Lou Ray
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dan Weiner via
NAGDU
Sent: Friday, May 12, 2017 6:07 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Dan Weiner <dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net>
Subject: [NAGDU] guide dogs and cabs, an interesting chat

Hello, beautiful people.

Dan here.

now, whenever I see the subject i put, guide dogs and cabs, my hackles go up
because I know what's coming. This one was positive, but the driver and I
had an interesting conversation I wanted to relate.

I took Parker to the vet for some recurrent ear infection problems.  I
called a cab.  Though I didn't mention a dog I imagine it wouldn't have been
too much of a surprise as it's a vet's office with the name "....
animal hospital".

The cab driver came in, a pretty cheerful fellow from Morocco and since I
had taken an Arabic class way back when we started talking in Arabic,
English and French.

Nothing said about my dog.

But sometimes I like to get in to the subject of guide dogs during the ride
and asked if he understood why I had the dog and said I was glad he had no
issue.

Now a more or less verbatim transcript.


The Drivers name will be Adam my name is Dan--lol


Adam: "well when I heard it was a vet, I thought I wouldn't take it, but you
know someone needs a ride so I figure why not."

Dan: I understand that, but you know I'm blind and this is a guide dog, you
understand when it's ervice dogs you're required to take them it's the law.

."

Adam:  what do you mean, law?"

Dan:


"The law says if it's a blind person with a guide dog or a person with a
disability with a service yodog you're required to take them."

Adam: "I don't mind taking your dog but most people with dogs the dog smells
and the person smells"?

Dan: "you're talking about blind people with dogs or service animals"

Adam: "No, what do you mean I'm talking about dogs."

Adam, (continuing)  "and then I'd have to clean up and what about people
with allergies".


Adam" if all dogs were like yours then why not...but why cna't I refuse
if I don't want someone"?

Dan: "I think if it's a pet dog you have a choice (not sure of that
though) but a guide dog or service dog it's the law"





Anyway, suffice it to say after some more good-natured talk I realized
this guy didn't seem aware of laws,  so here's the question...are
companies just not explaining this   requirement in a way that is
comprehensible and letting the drivers know that this is a serious
thing, or  are people, drivers, deliberately or willfully ignoring it or
just don't care...



Any thoughts, guys.  If there is anything I can do to help with the cab
situation let me know, I don't use Uber or lift as I don't have an
Iphone this was just a regular cab.


Cordially,

Dan the man and Parker the non-smelly dog



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