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Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
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Author:  captain cab [ Sun May 22, 2016 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties for taxi refusals


Guide dog owners are calling for stronger penalties for cab drivers who refuse to carry them.

The charity Guide Dogs claims owners are being let down because the penalties issued to taxi and minicab drivers who flout the law and refuse to take assistance dogs are inadequate.

Despite illegal access refusals causing distress, the fines for drivers who refuse are no higher than those given to people who dodge train fares or evade TV licences, it says.

New research from the charity found that prosecutions were rare.

Even when fines are handed out, they are low, with some licensing authorities that responded reporting fines as low as £50 to £100.

In a bid to change the law, more than 100 guide dog owners will visit Parliament on Wednesday to call for tougher sentences for taxi and minicab drivers who turn away assistance dog owners.

James White, senior campaigns manager at Guide Dogs, said: "Imagine you were turned away by a driver. This happens to people living with sight loss with shocking regularity just because they are accompanied by a guide dog.

"It's not only illegal, it knocks people's confidence and stops them doing the everyday things that most people take for granted.

"We want tougher sentences for drivers who turn away assistance dog owners.

"We would also like to see the introduction of disability awareness training for all taxi and minicab drivers across Britain."

source: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/1450 ... _refusals/
Author:  ven2112 [ Sun May 22, 2016 11:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
i got one on Friday turned in to another argument :roll: , she was insisting it went in the back , i said no its going in the footwell in the front, she said it wasn't & it always travels in the back, i just said look, i don't want a 3 stone lab bouncing off my head if im in a shunt , the dog cant be secured so its in the front or you get another taxi, she went in the front eventually but is going to report me, once she tells the council, hopefully they will just say he was correct , luckily i had my camera on & recorded the whole incident ( well voice anyway) no nastiness or anything , i just simply explained why, i await my letter from the council though & have popped the clip on my phone :lol: once again CRAWL UP MY HOOP, I HAVE A DISABILITY !! :roll: not on my watch :wink:
Author:  edders23 [ Sun May 22, 2016 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Do you not have a screen ? I can understand wanting guide dogs to travel in the front in a saloon but i thought you had a hackney conversion Doblo in which case there is a much larger floor area in the back for the dog to lie down surely ?
Author:  bloodnock [ Sun May 22, 2016 1:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
In my Estate car Dogs go in the luggage area behind the rear seats, it's got a plastic tray so doesnt get Dog Hair entwined in the carpets., Should they not be happy then It's not my doing as I'm quite happy to take Guide dogs, People may be blind but surely it's not a big ask of them to help you keep your vehicle clean as you are just trying to run a business for all. I'll take other Dogs as well but only If they are Dry, clean, don't smell, good natured and don't have the Two bob Bits.
Author:  bloodnock [ Sun May 22, 2016 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Quote:
In a bid to change the law, more than 100 guide dog owners will visit Parliament on Wednesday to call for tougher sentences for taxi and minicab drivers who turn away assistance dog owners.


I wonder just how many or how few of that 100 have actually been refused a Taxi because of their dog or is it just a bit of Tub Thumping based on rumours and hearsay?
Author:  ven2112 [ Sun May 22, 2016 3:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
edders23 wrote:
Do you not have a screen ? I can understand wanting guide dogs to travel in the front in a saloon but i thought you had a hackney conversion Doblo in which case there is a much larger floor area in the back for the dog to lie down surely ?


no mate, its a hi top doblo that has been converted to take wheelchairs ( tracking put down in the back, ramps,) other that that just looks like a normal car with the parcel shelf in :wink:

"We would also like to see the introduction of disability awareness training for all taxi and minicab drivers across Britain."

that's just ridiculous tbh :roll:
Author:  captain cab [ Sun May 22, 2016 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Quote:
Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties for taxi refusals


immediate revocation imo for drivers found to have refused a guide dog, personally I don't want these people in the job.
Author:  Chris the Fish [ Sun May 22, 2016 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Could we get 100 drivers to pitch up at Parliament to bemoan the derisory fines to passengers that refuse to pay?

Would it make the news?

As to the slap on the wrist for attacking the Taxi Driver, what they get does not fit the crime and does not act as a deterrent.



That said, I agree with you CC, if you do not want to take assistance dogs, leave the trade and let the rest of us get on with it.
Author:  Nidge2 [ Mon May 23, 2016 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
captain cab wrote:
Quote:
Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties for taxi refusals


immediate revocation imo for drivers found to have refused a guide dog, personally I don't want these people in the job.



Me too.
Author:  Nidge2 [ Mon May 23, 2016 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
ven2112 wrote:

"We would also like to see the introduction of disability awareness training for all taxi and minicab drivers across Britain."

that's just ridiculous tbh :roll:


Why is it? Last year me and a few others did a walk with a blind lad who goes to Mansfield Town to support the football club, (see what I did there)? It was from one of the pubs in town to the football club. Half of us were blindfolded half the way then we swapped over to let the other half be blindfolded. I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.
Author:  grandad [ Mon May 23, 2016 5:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Nidge2 wrote:
Last year me and a few others did a walk to Mansfield Town football club, I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.

I can see that it would be. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Author:  edders23 [ Mon May 23, 2016 7:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Nidge2 wrote:
ven2112 wrote:

"We would also like to see the introduction of disability awareness training for all taxi and minicab drivers across Britain."

that's just ridiculous tbh :roll:


Why is it? Last year me and a few others did a walk with a blind lad who goes to Mansfield Town to support the football club, (see what I did there)? It was from one of the pubs in town to the football club. Half of us were blindfolded half the way then we swapped over to let the other half be blindfolded. I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.



well perhaps starting form a pub wasn't such a good idea if you were going to be blindfolded :badgrin:
Author:  bloodnock [ Mon May 23, 2016 9:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Nidge2 wrote:
ven2112 wrote:

"We would also like to see the introduction of disability awareness training for all taxi and minicab drivers across Britain."

that's just ridiculous tbh :roll:


Why is it? Last year me and a few others did a walk with a blind lad who goes to Mansfield Town to support the football club, (see what I did there)? It was from one of the pubs in town to the football club. Half of us were blindfolded half the way then we swapped over to let the other half be blindfolded. I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.


I'll say, be even harder to drive home from the pub like that too.
Author:  Nidge2 [ Tue May 24, 2016 4:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
grandad wrote:
Nidge2 wrote:
Last year me and a few others did a walk to Mansfield Town football club, I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.

I can see that it would be. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


Tvvat :lol: :lol: #-o #-o
Author:  grandad [ Tue May 24, 2016 4:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Guide dog owners seek tougher penalties
Nidge2 wrote:
grandad wrote:
Nidge2 wrote:
Last year me and a few others did a walk to Mansfield Town football club, I'll tell you something now it was a very daunting experience.

I can see that it would be. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


Tvvat :lol: :lol: #-o #-o

One tries. :mrgreen:
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