[stylist] disability law advice

Wed Nov 24 22:03:20 UTC 2010

Hi Anita,
I've been traveling with a guide dog for 40 years, having lived in the 
Philadelphia area for most of that time. I used public transportation a 
lot, and your experience and question bring up many thoughts.

First, I've never heard of such a law and will be outraged into action, 
if I find it actually exists. The best I can come up with in trying to 
make sense of it is that there might be something about asking someone 
to move if a person has a disability which would make navigating further 
back in the bus particularly difficult. If there is, he could have 
placed his own assumptions upon it and come up with his current beliefs 
that this is necessary for all blind people.

When I was using the commuter railroads, I often encountered conductors 
who wanted me to sit in the first seat in a given car. I refused. My dog 
was trained to find me an empty seat and I was not about to allow 
someone to tell me where to sit. Additionally, the first seat had less 
floor space for the dog (heat vent, if I recall).

On the other hand, I had a friend who used a cane and who later became a 
lawyer. I found out one day that she had allowed someone to escort her 
off a bus several blocks before she had intended to get off. She said it 
happened a lot, but she just couldn't get her point across without being 
rude.

Anyone who knows me knows that I tend to be on the abraisive side. I 
understand the importance of courtesy, but it's a two-way street. I 
often had problems with people grabbing my arm to help me across the 
street. I stood my ground and had an evasive maneuver to get them off 
me. I also insisted on waiting for the next light so my dog could truly 
do his job. Grabbing a person who can't see you and hasn't had the 
benefit of hearing your voice and the courtesy of being asked if they 
want help seems like the height of rudeness and stupidity. How am I 
supposed to know in that instant if the person is seeking me harm. If 
someone was, I wouldn't have but a split second to extract myself from 
the situation.

I think we all have to make up our own minds about how to handle these 
situations. For your current question, though, I would contact the bus 
company and get the contact info for the highest up person there and 
write about what happened to you, suggesting that drivers may need a bit 
of a refresher course on dealing with people with disabilities. Again, 
if there is a law or something, we need to speak out about it. Black 
people were forced to the back of the bus, and blind people to the 
front. I don't see the difference. In both cases we are asked to accept 
less freedom and inclusion than the general society.
Best,
Donna Hill

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On 11/24/2010 4:01 PM, Anita Adkins wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> I am hoping it is okay for me to ask this on this particular list.  It is a writing list, and I prefer to write down my more serious thoughts at times.  I didn't know which list would be appropriate for it, and so please forgive me if this is not the appropriate way to ask about this.
>
> Today, I took the bus to and from another town in my area.  On the way home, I caught the Grene line.  Using my cane, I identified an individual in seat 1 behind the driver.  My other favorite choice is the first seat on the left, but this was also taken.  After this, I just remain on this side and check each seat until an empty one presents itself.  In this case, it was the very next seat, and so I sat down and buckled up.  As I was doing this, the bus driver proceeded to tell the lady who was sitting behind him that it was the law that she move and allow a blind person to have that seat.  Stubborn me immediately spoke up and said that was discriminating against the blind.  It is also probably discriminating against this lady who had every right to sit where she was sitting.  Having a sighted person move so a blind person could sit in the front seat is also offensive to the blind because it suggests they are helpless, which is not true.  I tried to tell the driver how this w
>   as discrimination, but he kept speaking about how it was the law and how it would be so dangerous if a blind person was moving back on the bus, and he had to slam on his brakes.  I let him have the last word because having the last word isn't always my goal.  Now, my sollution to this situation is to first identify is such a law does exist.  I think he said it was a federal law, but he may have said public law.  I googled a touch, but one of my weaknesses is dealing with laws and all that, and so I could not find anything.  The rest of my sollution is for us blind to purposefully choose to sit farther back on the bus if the seats in front are taken.  By farther back, I mean in the first available seat we happen to come to.  Also, I believe that training for bus drivers about blindness and somehow building their confidence in the blind is in order.  I am not angry with this particular driver because I realize he holds negative views of blindness as a result of the lesson taug
>   ht to him by society.  He was not purposefully discriminating against me, and he certainly wasn't intending to offend me and other blind people.  However, I feel he and other bus drivers need enlightened to our capabilities.  My question for you is:
> What should be done about this?
> One answer is nothing.
> Another answer is just to move back and take up a different seat, refusing to sit in front even if the person does move.  In addition, one would simply say thank you to the person.
> Another sollution would be to train bus drivers about blindness.
> Another answer might to do what I just said, but to include blindness training shades to develop confidence.
> IIn my opinion, the real answer, whether it be dealing with school teachers who will be likely to work with blind children, or public employees who will deal with blind customers, is to train them so that they develop confidence in the blind.  However, I am afraid this real sollution is impossible due to finances and for other reasons.  I think we are changing what it means to be blind over time, and I am hoepful that this attitude of blind people being helpless will decline and disappear in the future.
> Finally, the final sollution might be to make sure there is not a federal or public law stating that sighted passengers must move for a blind passenger.  And, if there is, then this law needs to be eliminated.  How do we do this?  I am extremely inexperienced in this area.  Please share your thoughts and/or expertise on any of this.  Maybe, I am overreacting to this situation, and I need to know that as well.  Also, there may be other sollutions that I have not thought of, which is why it is wonderful to have others to listen to my concerns.  Thanks.  Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Anita
> Remember, Jesus Loves You.
> Anita Adkins
> 81 E. Mechanic ST
> APT 207
> Frostburg, MD 21532
> p: 301-689-5212
> c: 301-876-8669
> aadkins7 at verizon.net
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