More tales of SCs and the Seeing Eye Dog

[Akasa]

So today we were on the bus sitting in the seats that are specifically for the disabled. (I walk with a cane, fyi.) A lady gets on, and asks us to move. She doesn't have a disabled pass so has no right to ask us to move acts like we had better move or else. Before either of us can say anything the guy next to us lays into her and explains to us how she had no right to ask as she's not disabled or elderly and both of us are obviously disabled.
It was nice for once not having to "be the bad guy."

The Court House
I won't say where, I don't remember what we were going to the court house on that day to do, but she reminded me of the day we made a scene at the court house.
We go to the court house, there's a sign on the door saying how service animals are allowed, there's even a picture of a dog in a harness like she has in the sign. So we think "No Problem."
I go through the metal detector, she's going to release the dog to come to me on the other side and walk through because of all the metal on the harness will set off the metal detector.
Here's where we have trouble.
THE OFFICER GAURDING THE DOOR tells her he's not sure that she's allowed to bring the dog in since she "has a friend with her!"
She points to the sign and tells him how it says that service animals are allowed, there's even a picture of the harness on it. No deal.
She carries around a copy of the law with her for such times and offers it to him. He refuses to read it.
"I think I need to call my supervisor to see if you can bring your dog in."
At this point she turns to eveyone standing in line behind her and in a very loud carrying voice "I'm sorry everyone, but this idiot here doesn't know the law that says I'm allowed to take my guide dog with me where ever I go. You would THINK working in a COURT HOUSE he would know the law!"
About 10 minutes pass before the supervisor gets down to us and tells the gaurd "What are you stupid? Of course they can come in!"
There were even a couple PR people who came down. They asked what they could do to make it better.
"You could train your people so they know the law! In the mall, restraunts, grocery stores, etc. you can see the confusion. There should be NO REASON for me to have this problem AT THE COURT HOUSE!"

[One-Fang]

There should be no reason for her to have that problem anywhere.

Guide dogs are allowed ... EVERYWHERE.

There are exceptions, yes. But so few and far between that if even the slightest doubt is in your mind - you're not an exception. The exceptions know they can't let guide dogs in. Those that don't know - can.

[pacman]

What an idjit, this guard in the court house, I mean. He's frigging working there, he might have seen those signs taped on the window, he's not (?) an SC so he should be able to read. But obviously...

Lots of warm thoughts for you, your friend and her (?) dog.

[tendomentis]

As far as I know, the places that guide dogs are NOT allowed are few and far inbetween.

Places like the fuel rod room at power plants, the gunner position on a ac-130 Spectre, back seat of an F-1 vehicle, etc...you get the picture.

I'm hoping that guard got a good talkin' too later. That is not a good image to project at a courthouse.

[LewisLegion]

I dated a blind gentleman once. I loved his dog and loved being able to take her everywhere with us. I never saw anyone give him a problem.

Not to say no one ever did...quite the contrary. He's been barred from restraurants and other public places due to his dog. Sometimes they'll relent when he quotes the law, the times they didn't he sued them. He's sued about a dozen places and won every single time...and every time he donated his winnings to the Guide Dog Center.

[Emrld]

I can understand a bit of the guards confusion . . . .
Animals are limited to service animals . . .however in this case the person also had an able bodied human with them. If the guard had never before been in this situation - I could see where it could be questioned.
Now once your friend pointed out the sign and the law he should have dropped it.
I just want to point out where the guard got things twisted a bit in his head.
For all any of us know this may have been a new guard who was told he was being watched and would be tested. (If I were new to a job and saftey of others were at risk I would see me be hypervillagent in following the rules and asking questions)

[Metody]

Trying to substitute an able-bodied friend for a trained guide dog is like trying to substitute an office rolling chair for a wheelchair.

Those dogs go through a huge amount of training for their jobs. They know what kind of hazards to look for and they know the proper way to signal them. An able-bidied friend, good as their intentions might be, just isn't a good substitute. Most people never even notice the hazards that can be a problem for a blind person - like, say, a half-open door waiting to be walked into. More to the point, it wasn't her friend's <i>job</i> to help her. It's not fair to assume that the friends of blind people are going to act as substitute service animals!

..grr. What a stupid jerk.

[STEELMAN]

Everyone is coming down on the guard pretty hard, and I think it was dumb of him, but I think this situation was more out of him being afraid of getting in trouble than being malicious. It sounds like he was new to the position and afraid to make a mistake.

[spookysonata]

I don't understand why people are making excuses for the guard. Nobody here knows what was going through his head. We can only judge the OP's report of his rude, ignorant behavior. Refusing to read the copy of the law she offered him was plain boneheaded on his part.

[RedRoseSpiral]

Everyone is coming down on the guard pretty hard, and I think it was dumb of him, but I think this situation was more out of him being afraid of getting in trouble than being malicious. It sounds like he was new to the position and afraid to make a mistake.

As soon as the guard refused to read a copy of the law that states she can bring her service dog into the court house and ignore the sign on the way in his place of employment, he loses any and all excuses on why he didn't think she was allowed. It doesn't matter if he were new to his position. She had the law right there in her hand and he refused to abide by it or even look at it. By saying that she had a friend with her and didn't need her dog is insulting.

[One-Fang]

Well ... to be fair on that point ... she had a printout in her hand. I can make a printout too. I can make it say whatever I want. It's one thing to tell people you have a copy of the law, it's another for them to accept your word that it actually IS the law.

Is there a handy-dandy preprinted professional looking flyer/handout from the guide dog association or something that can be used in these instances? I don't know what the friend's copy of the law looked like, but if it's a mere print of the relevant bit - easily editable and not worth the paper it's written on.

[Akasa]

Its been years since I've seen it, I know its the whole law regarding service animals.

[Alpha Strike]

Everyone is coming down on the guard pretty hard, and I think it was dumb of him, but I think this situation was more out of him being afraid of getting in trouble than being malicious. It sounds like he was new to the position and afraid to make a mistake.

I don't understand why people are making excuses for the guard. Nobody here knows what was going through his head. We can only judge the OP's report of his rude, ignorant behavior. Refusing to read the copy of the law she offered him was plain boneheaded on his part.

As soon as the guard refused to read a copy of the law that states she can bring her service dog into the court house and ignore the sign on the way in his place of employment, he loses any and all excuses on why he didn't think she was allowed. It doesn't matter if he were new to his position. She had the law right there in her hand and he refused to abide by it or even look at it. By saying that she had a friend with her and didn't need her dog is insulting.

I actually think folks ARE coming down on the guard a bit too hard. Yes, he didn't know the law or the rules of the courthouse - that's not good and something that should be corrected as soon as possible. And he certainly made a bone-headed comment in regards to the friend replacing the dog.

But I can understand why the guard would be hesitant when faced with an unknown and strange situation - saying he had to check with his supervisor doesn't mean the guy is bad but rather concerned with making a mistake. Telling the guy to read some piece of paper probably isn't going to change his mind - he's already unsure of himself and for all he knows he's being handed a copy of The Communist Manifesto!

I'm also honestly a bit disappointed that your friend decided to publicly ridicule the guard. No doubt it was frustrating to have to wait a whole 10 minutes but given how your friend has been hassled about her service animal in the past, why not take the opportunity to educate instead of mock the guard at his job?

I'm betting the guard will look back and be bitter that he was made an ass of in front of the public and his boss instead of thinking 'Hey, I learned something and I know better next time."

[Gabrielle Proctor]

Is there a handy-dandy preprinted professional looking flyer/handout from the guide dog association or something that can be used in these instances? I don't know what the friend's copy of the law looked like, but if it's a mere print of the relevant bit - easily editable and not worth the paper it's written on.

You could always have it notorized(sp?). That would clear up confusion.

[Jory]

You could always have it notorized(sp?). That would clear up confusion.

That actually wouldn't do anything. The people who do notaries just witness that everyone involved is who they say they are when they sign a document. They don't verify the document. And I don't think it would do any good to sign the law pamphlet. ^_^;;

edit: I agree with alpha and gypsy. It sounds like the situation was blown up a bit by the friend's reaction. Embarrassing the guard doesn't really serve a purpose, unless he's been a total jackoff. As it's been said, since we weren't there, there's no way to judge.