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From: Susan.Goldfield@f715.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Susan Goldfield)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Questions and Answers
Message-ID: <19149@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 4 May 91 04:06:40 GMT
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Index Number: 15361

Nancy, This is turning into a regular support group! And don't we
all need them every once in awhile. In response to your story about
you and Barney on the bus...

David was told by a government official once that blind people
should not be allowed on elevators alone without an escort.Wait til
you hear this one. David and I lived in a terrible apartment
complex a few years ago. It was our first place together and we had
to rough it for a few years. The apartments had 3 elevators in the
building. They were the old fashioned kind whereas you had to open
the door then open a gate manually. They don't make too many of
those anymore so I hope you can visualize it. It pertains to the
story. Anyway, we lived on the third floor and David left to go to
work. Five minutes later he came back to the apartment so
frightened I couldn't imagine what happened. He said he called the
elevator, opened the door and all he found was an empty elevator
shaft. The elevator wasn't there. Luckily Dave has a bit of light
perception and had his cane far in front of him. We couldn't
believe this. We asked a few of our neighbors and they all had
problems with the elevators also. Dave called the Department of
Labor and Industry to simply report the problem. The man on the
phone didn't believe blind people should be in elevators alone and
I think he meant independent travel in general, but I'm not 100%
sure. Davie asked for an apology and this guy just fed him more of
the dark ages bullcrap. Supervisors were called and letters were
written by several blind organizations.

Unfortunatly, this man is still working within the system and is
just as uneducated as before. We went as far as we could. Nancy,
nice talking with you again and I hope to have some nice stories to
share with you soon. Did you read the messages in reference to
blind individuals going into the schools to do some education?
That's how you and I,our spouses,and the handicapped community at
large are going to have some positive experiences. The whole key is
early intervention. Teach them about positive role models before
they are convinced of the stereotypes. Take care.....Sue

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