[Blindtlk] Bus incident

[Eric Calhoun]

Diane and Kathleen, Mary Ann and list:

A couple of years ago, I ran into the same situation: I was going to a
baseball game over at California State University, Northridge.  I had just
gotten off the Metro Red Line subway, and was at the north Hollywood
station, the end of the rail line.  As I was about to board the 240 Metro
Bus, the driver instructed everyone boarding to go to the back of the bus. 
Then, he dealt with me.  He blocked the door, but I got on anyway.  As I
tried to go sit down, but he put me in a bear hug; his intent was to get
"you _off my bus!"  He didn't get far, because I told him to sit down in
his seat.  By then, he was _livid, badmouthing me.  As a footnote to this
story, I have judo and self-defense training, and was prepared to use kesa
gatame, a "mat hold" technique.

I tell you this story, because (1) thee driver was having a bad day, (2)
the temperature was 80 Degrees, Fahrenheit, and (3) he was clearly wrong; a
driver is _never to get out of his/her seat, put hands on a disabled
person, or to impede that person's right-of-way, for getting or obtaining a
disabled seat, under any circumstances.

When I reported this story to the Southern California Metropolitan
Transportation Authority's Customer Relations, I also told him, the driver,
that he was not to cause interference.  However, he had a short temper that
caused him to be reprimanded.

Two questions come to mind here: Why must a driver insist upon causing
harm to others?  And finally, is it necessary for a driver to badmouth a
person's actions, accusing that V.I. person of "being first on the bus,"
when everyone moves away from that person off to the side?

Finally, let me tell you what happened _before I called Customer
Relations, and before another bus.  I was told I could be charged for
battery, but no charges were pressed because the mta clearly tries to be on
the side of passengers.  I was also told by the driver that I was being
unruly.  But I was standing up for my rights, and at no time, was I using
my blindness as an excuse, as the driver says.

Eric
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