Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!snorkelwacker!mintaka!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!David.Andrews
From: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Emergency Exits
Message-ID: <12785@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 17 Jul 90 19:32:40 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 1:129/89.0 - BlinkLink, Pittsburgh PA
Lines: 40
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 9182

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

GP> I think that Paula's on  
 GP>  the right track when she talks about insuring that only  
 GP>  responsible people occupy those exit seats, and, like Phil, I  
 GP>  wouldn't want to be right in that row, but one behind or  
 GP>  ahead.  
 
Gary, I Agree with you here, only responsible people should sit in the exit
rows.  However, the airlines and some blind people differ on the point of who is
responsible.  The airlines assume that all blind people are not responsible,
(capable, etc.) by virtue of the fact that they are blind.  We are an easily
identifiable minority about which society has pretty low opinions.  However,
many blind people are capable of handling the3mselves in an exit row, and this
fact is independent of their blindness.  While this is not a neat and clean
issue, because of the safety overtones, we are still suffering blanket
discrimination in these situations by the assumption that all blind people are
not responsible because they are blindness.  Airlines are allowing others to sit
in the exit rows, people who are clearly not safe.  About a month ago I had a
Delta pilot tell me that we were clearly being discriminated against because we
are identifiable because of our canes and dogs.  
GP> Another thought.  What happens to someone with a guide  
 GP>  dog in the exit row.  You just can't throw the dog out the  
 GP>  door, and I sure as heck wouldn't want to jump out with a  
 GP>  50-60 pound dog in my arms. Obviously, this last doesn't have  
 GP>  much to do with airline policy, just my own wondering. ---  
 I presume that an airline would be reluctant to allow a guide dog in the exit
row because of the possibility of blocking the exit.  I would have to tend to
agree with this one as the passageway should be kept clear so people could
leave.  It would be difficult to attend to the removal of the emergency windown
and move the dog out by a single person.
David Andrews

... Your Sound Alternative

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!David.Andrews
Internet: David.Andrews@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org