I think maybe because she thought he wasn't aware of ADA policy and service animals. I don't think it was a racist blow.
This is what my take was. And for this - while I'm glad everyone stood up for the man, I also think that this isn't necessarily something to blow up their FB feed and other places over. The manager was told what happened. I think contacting their head office is a good idea too - they need to understand that their employees may need more thorough training.
But if the driver wasn't from this country and may really not have understood, I'd give the company a chance to rectify the situation before vilifying them.
He was crying??!?! I would have pushed that ahole driver off the bus, locked the doors and called the rental car place to send another driver (probably not really).
Post by sapphireblue on Mar 6, 2014 8:59:21 GMT -5
I am so happy you and the other passengers banded together to help that man. I feel so badly for him.
I can only imagine how much more difficult travel is if you are blind and negotiating things like a large rental car facility and parking lot with only a service dog to help. I find those places overwhelming and I am not blind.
I hope for him hearing all of you come together to defend him helped turn the situation into a not completely negative one for him.
I really have no idea. He was obviously of middle eastern decent and refused to understand that the dog was allowed. Even when I gave him the whole ADA speech.
What does his being of middle eastern descent have to do with anything?
Sorry this was worded poorly. English was obviously not the drivers first language and he was not understanding half of what was being said to him. Either way he should have been trained on ADA compliance and what is and is not acceptable.
I can only imagine how much more difficult travel is if you are blind and negotiating things like a large rental car facility and parking lot with only a service dog to help. I find those places overwhelming and I am not blind.
I don't think it was a seeing eye dog. He was getting on a rental car shuttle bus, and sounds like he was traveling alone (so presumably would be the driver of the rental car), so I'm guessing he's not blind.
Ha! You are so right. Now I feel silly--how would he be driving if he were blind???
Although when I was a child I thought blind people could drive, they just needed someone in the passenger seat to tell them when to turn and so forth. I still remember my mother's expression as she explained to me that that would not in fact work.
I just witnessed a horrible act of discrimination. I was on the rental car bus and there was a man on with a service dog and the driver was refusing to drive the bus with the dog on. The man was soo frustrated he started to cry. The other passengers started yelling at the driver and he finally drove us to the rental facility. I was found the facilities manager when I got off and raised hell with him. I'm still livid for this poor man. Blah.. What a horrible way to end the day.
UPDATE:
When I got to my hotel I went on the website for the airport, found an email address and emailed them. I asked them to follow up with me. I doubt they will but I feel better now.
UPDATE #2:
The airport's managing company emailed me back at 7:50AM and are taking this situation very seriously. I was absolutley floored that they responded so quickly to my email. They told me they are going to work with the drivers manager and will be getting back to me. I made it clear that what I was seeking was thorough training of their employees on ADA compliance and hopefully an apology to this man if they could track him down.
I just witnessed a horrible act of discrimination. I was on the rental car bus and there was a man on with a service dog and the driver was refusing to drive the bus with the dog on. The man was soo frustrated he started to cry. The other passengers started yelling at the driver and he finally drove us to the rental facility. I was found the facilities manager when I got off and raised hell with him. I'm still livid for this poor man. Blah.. What a horrible way to end the day.
UPDATE:
When I got to my hotel I went on the website for the airport, found an email address and emailed them. I asked them to follow up with me. I doubt they will but I feel better now.
UPDATE #2:
The airport's managing company emailed me back at 7:50AM and are taking this situation very seriously. I was absolutley floored that they responded so quickly to my email. They told me they are going to work with the drivers manager and will be getting back to me. I made it clear that what I was seeking was thorough training of their employees on ADA compliance and hopefully an apology to this man if they could track him down.
I don't think it was a seeing eye dog. He was getting on a rental car shuttle bus, and sounds like he was traveling alone (so presumably would be the driver of the rental car), so I'm guessing he's not blind.
Ha! You are so right. Now I feel silly--how would he be driving if he were blind???
Although when I was a child I thought blind people could drive, they just needed someone in the passenger seat to tell them when to turn and so forth. I still remember my mother's expression as she explained to me that that would not in fact work.
Haven't you people watched Growing Up Fisher yet? It's been on two whole weeks.