[Tall-Corn] Business Coalition and Equality Act

[Wade Hemmelrick]

Due to my customer experiences with a new neighborhood BP gas station,
I posted this response in the BP America Facebook fan page under the
post dealing with the Business Coalition and Equality Act. Scroll down
at least three or more posts and you will find this topic with my
comment and others. Meanwhile, this is what I had to say:

(Hopefully, after careful and thoughtful articulation, this commentary
is both listened to and acted upon.): Hello BP? So much for equality
for *all* people when blind, elderly, and disabled customers are
getting a bad rap at the local BP gas stations. And if you really
cared about what I have to say, then you will kindly pass this concern
directly to the appropriate folks instead of asking me to do all the
"passing the buck" routine. I do a lot of business with the local BP
station that recently opened at 4830 Johnson Avenue Northwest in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. As a totally blind BP customer, and a citizen of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, United States of America, I have lived across the street
from this BP location for fourteen years. As a totally blind resident,
I do as much as possible as independently, safely,  and with full
dignity as any average individual can muster. Most store personnel at
4830 Johnson Avenue NW are very helpful having no problem finding pop,
chips, candy bars, and whatever else is available in that particular
store location. Because these fine folks are courteous and helpful in
the right fashion, I have no trouble respecting their time and am more
apt to come back to do business with these same people on my next walk
to BP. Interesting issues do pop up though. I find it best and most
efficient to have the store personnel, when they are not so busy, to
just go grab the items that I am after, such as bottles of diet pop (I
am Type 2 diabetic and must drink diet pop.), and whatever flavors of
chips I like. After all, as a blind customer, it is impractical to go
to each section or shelf and feel the difference between a diet soda
and a regular one or different flavors of chips. It's both impractical
and unsanitary handling items any more than absolutely necessary.
Furthermore, items are not always placed in the exact same spots on
which shelves to be correctly found in the future. Here's another
thought (and I say this not to sound prejudice, bigoted, and
discriminatory): Poor English speaking skills is a serious barrier to
a blind customer in need of nonvisual descriptions of any desired
items. Perhaps the store should be equipped with a portable talking
bar code scanning device to benefit store personnel and customers
alike in identifying the correctly desired items to purchase. Even
store personnel with good English, these people cannot tell the
difference among sizes of pop, such as 16.9, 20, 24-ounce, 1 liter,
and 2 liter bottle sizes. Due to the fact I can identify size by
holding pop bottles, more than once I have showed certain store
personnel which bottle sizes and the desired size I choose to
purchase! Last Saturday evening, I dealt with a foreign gentleman
store person who could hardly speak English, let alone read pop bottle
sizes and potato chip varieties. He managed to find the sour cream and
cheddar chips, but I still don't know if sour cream and onion is
available *from this same foreign person.* Perhaps this same foreign
gentleman was confused that I wore a Chevy hat and Chevy automobile
T-shirt. Sorry, Charlie! I did not appear dressed with dark glasses,
tattered clothes, and tin cup in hand as a stereotypical beggar to
this guy. Also, because I do not actually tank up with gasoline or
drive, my business is both equally and dignifyably important as
everybody else walking, biking, or driving to and from BP.
Additionally, being blind does not stop me from enjoying diecast
racing, a traditionally childhood hobby that's rapidly becoming an
official sport for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. As
the very first known blind Iowan involved as a diecast racing lover, I
created Iowa Diecast Racers, an interest group on Facebook. I am also
highly active with Orange Track Racing, a Cedar Rapids based diecast
racing organization for the past three years. Orange Track Racing has
been a long standing staple for sixteen years. I envision BP
collaborating with Mattel in producing Hot Wheels and Matchbox branded
1/64 scale remote control BP trucks as an example to people of all
ages of BP's commitment to bettering the environment, another dream
unhindered by physical blindness. As a local BP customer and average
citizen that must respect and obey local, state, national, and
international laws pertaining to minorities, social justice, and the
like, (even through grace and patience) the playing field is both fair
and level from all directions. So much as respecting a variety of
store personnel and other customers, vice versa also holds true. When
encountering the foreign store worker, he seemed most indifferent and
neglectful of me in spite of my long white cane, which clearly
identifies me as a blind person. He only asked me: "How are you
doing?," as though to strike up a general friendly conversation. No
problem with that inaugural approach except I was taken aback that he
did not ask how he could help or if I needed anything. Honestly, I am
not offended by this suggested latter approach. After patiently
waiting for his assistance, even when he was not busy, I had to sort
of politely coax him into the proper fashion although he insisted on
leading  me to the pop and chips aisles. But like I said, I cannot
identify pop and chips safely by touch although I could carry stuff
back to checkout. While it is true of people not knowing any better,
it is not unreasonable to expect supposedly well trained store workers
to use their functioning eyeballs in locating and reading available
correct items the blind customer chooses to buy. From local to
national legislation affecting blind BP customers: Iowa White Cane
Laws, Section 504 and 508, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
and civil rights laws due apply to us. I strongly recommend you
contact the National Federation of the Blind (noting strongly that it
is *not for* but *of the blind* when correctly referencing our
organizational title). Go to NFB dot org; and in Iowa: NFBI dot org
(for our state affiliate, the National Federation of the Blind of
Iowa). While visiting the National Federation of the Blind Web site,
please view our "Code of Conduct" section. Notice how we deal with the
same difficult issues as any other organization or business. Also,
look at our news and press releases. Notice how the National
Federation of the Blind partners with many other businesses and
organizations in bettering our lives as average blind citizens in the
endlessly vast array of areas. There is plenty of room for BP. Please
do reach out to the National Federation of the Blind and we will also
work with you. As blind citizens, our only issue is lack of physical
eyesight. Ask our national and state organizations for assistance with
proper accessibility and "sensitivity" training and otherwise how to
deal with blind customers the same way as anybody else, especially
when coping with nonvisual barriers to equal and inclusive business
transactions at the BP 4830 Johnson Avenue store and any other BP
locations. Let us not rob Peter to pay Paul. By the way, I do know of
at least one BP store worker having ADHD. He does a very outstanding
job of serving me well and I would gladly welcome his services next
time he sees me at BP. My sincerest apologies for the lengthy and
sometimes snarky rant. I really appreciate having a new BP Store in my
neighborhood, in Cedar Rapids, a community that welcomes and includes
diversity from every direction, ability, and background. Again, thank
you for hearing me out to the full. I look forward to many more visits
to my neighborhood BP.--Wade Hemmelrick