[stylist] disability law advice

Wed Nov 24 22:28:51 UTC 2010

Donna and all, When I lived in Buffalo long before I had problems with my 
eyes I often took the Main Street bus downtown for one reason or another. 
On Main Street there was a guild for the blind where they held classes and 
different projects for blind subscribers.  I was on the bus several times 
when the bus stopped in front of the guild and the driver approached a 
passenger to help him off the bus.  Why?  Don't know, but I'm assuming 
someone helped plan these escoerts with the driver or the bus company.  In 
all fairness, additional attention isn't always a negative statement, but if 
no attention is needed treat me like any of your other passengers.  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 5:03 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] disability law advice


> 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
>
>
> Read Donna's articles on
> Suite 101:
> www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
> Ezine Articles:
> http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=D._W._Hill
> American Chronicle:
> www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>
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>
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> Apple I-Tunes
> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>
> Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project
> Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit
> Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
> www.padnfb.org
>
>
> 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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