[nagdu] Blind people say cab drivers ignore them

[Ginger Kutsch]

Blind People Say Cab Drivers Ignore Them
Cab Company Says It's Not Illegal Not To Stop
 
POSTED: Tuesday, March 16, 2010
UPDATED: 7:37 am EDT March 17,2010
Source: http://www.justnews.com/news/22856062/detail.html
 
 
MIAMI -- Getting around South Florida is nearly impossible for
blind members of our community. Some people say that instead of
stopping, cab drivers knowingly pass blind people by.
 
Video 
Miami Beach resident David New told Local 10 that, nine out of 10
times, when he is hailing a cab, the driver refuses to stop.
 
New said that cab drivers who did stop often told him, "'No dogs
in my cab.'"
 
State and federal laws say that service animals must be permitted
to accompany any individual with a disability wherever the
general public is allowed to go. It is against the Americans with
Disabilities Act for a taxicab driver to refuse to pick someone
up because of a service animal.
 
Local 10 cameras accompanied New to Collins Avenue and 13th
Street in Miami. Several empty cabs slowed down and then the
drivers looked and took off.
 
The general manager of Super Yellow Cab said drivers are not
required to stop.
 
"There is nothing illegal about not stopping," he said. "By law,
it's not mandatory for them to stop at any passenger on the
street, especially if they feel it could be a dangerous job."
 
Miami-Dade Consumer Affairs licenses cab drivers in the county. A
spokesperson said a driver who fails to pick up person because of
a guide dog could be fined or suspended.
 
"This is part of their training. It's ingrained in them during
their training. The issue is thoroughly covered. They can't claim
ignorance," said Consumer Affairs spokeswoman Sonya Perez.
 
"Hopefully people will start to understand this is really
discrimination," New said.
 
The CEO of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind recently had an
incident at Miami International Airport. Virginia Jacko said a
cab driver refused to take her and her guide dog to Coconut
Grove.
 
"The county employee who was helping me tried to tell him he had
to take me. They got into a shouting match and were screaming at
each other," Jacko said.
 
To file a complaint with Miami-Dade Consumer Services, visit the
Miami-Dade County Web site.