[NAGDU] guide dogs and cabs, an interesting chat

Fri May 12 15:33:06 UTC 2017

good stuff, Sandra, you may not believe this, but I swear, that when I 
lived in Maryland, Ohio, or California I would almost always tell in 
advance about my dog and I still had access issues--lol. I know the 
theory is that if we tell they can send a driver who knows but still 
apparently it didn't always work that way.  Now  I mention it, or at 
least mention that I'm blind. I haven't had an access issue since I 
moved back to Florida in terms of cabs, but it won't surprise me if it 
happens.

On 5/12/2017 10:31 AM, S L Johnson via NAGDU wrote:
> 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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