[Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide Problem

Ryan Smith ryansmith78 at comcast.net
Thu Jan 25 20:18:48 CST 2007 

Well, I do not live in Antioch.  I live in the Priest Lake/Donelson area.  I 
am not trying to get personal or offend anyone.  I just don't understand 
this philosophey that blind people must live somewhere strictly because it 
is on a bus line.  That is the point I am attempting to get across.

Ryan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Shaw" <jrs3147 at comcast.net>
To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide 
Problem


> I'm sorry, I am truely not trying to get personal here  but this is 
> hitting
> home for me a bit.  Do you really feel safe in Antioch AKA the new ghetto
> of Nashville? Look it up, the downtown and East Nashville areas of which 
> you
> refer as the  "inner city" are the fastest rising and hottest property
> values in the city. I just don't understand this better than thou to 
> feeling
> of entitlement  attitude among our blind community. Isn't the NFB's idea 
> to
> be like everyone else as much as possible, or is that just something nice 
> to
> say in theory?
>
> Joe Shaw
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ryan Smith" <ryansmith78 at comcast.net>
> To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 6:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
> Problem
>
>
>> You're absolutely right Mike.  One must pick one's poison, but when I am
>> thinking of raising children and having a family, do I want to live in 
>> the
>> inner city just so that I can take a bus, or do I want to inconvenience
>> myself a little?  I'd rather feel a little safer about where I live.
>> Wouldn't you?  As Domonique has already stated, Nashville's fixed route
>> service is not run very efficiently, so one tends to lose out no matter
>> what
>> poison s/he chooses.
>>
>> Ryan
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
>> To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 5:21 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
>> Problem
>>
>>
>>> Seems to me one's quality of life *already* is reduced by paratransit
>>> problems. In essence, you're just saying you're choosing a different
>>> poison!
>>> (big grin)
>>>
>>> I say take fixed routes also. I've disqualified myself from paratransit.
>>> Let
>>> those who truly need it use it.
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Ryan Smith" <ryansmith78 at comcast.net>
>>> To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 1:24 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
>>> Problem
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Peter,
>>>
>>> The fixed route service in Nashville is poor at best.  Unless one 
>>> resides
>>> in
>>> a major district or the projects, fixed route service is not readily
>>> available.  I, for one, am not going to relligate my life to living 
>>> along
>>> a
>>> bus line and reduce my quality of life if it is not necessary.
>>>
>>> Ryan
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
>>> To: "Tennessee Talk (NFB of Tennessee Discussion)" <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 4:18 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
>>> Problem
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hello Dominique and listers,
>>>>
>>>> You said nothing about using fixed route service to make this and
>>>> similar
>>>> trips. Can you tell us something about fixed route bus service in the
>>>> Nashville area which obviously serves the area where you live if Access
>>>> Ride
>>>> can pick you up from home. If this were me I'd try to use regular bus
>>>> service as much as possible. We have the same kinds of problems with
>>>> Viatrans; San Antonio's equivalent to Access Ride though service is
>>>> better
>>>> than it once was. Even still when possible Mary and I will use fixed
>>>> route
>>>> service over Viatrans any day.
>>>>
>>>>    Another thing we do is we've used several area cab drivers 
>>>> regularly.
>>>> They call customers like us personals. Rather than calling in to the
>>>> main
>>>> number we call each driver directly, they take us wherever we need to
>>>> go,
>>>> and permit us to charge fares when necessary. If you have cab drivers
>>>> you
>>>> use regularly I'd suggest trying to work out such an arrangement with
>>>> them
>>>> so you don't need to screw with outfits like Access Ride and its kin.
>>>> Hope
>>>> this helps.
>>>>
>>>> Peter Donahue
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Domonique Lawless" <dlawless86 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: <tabs at nfbnet.org>; <tn-talk at nfbnet.org>; <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 10:01 AM
>>>> Subject: [Tn-talk] For Nashville TN residents: Another AccessRide
>>>> Problem
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dear Friends,
>>>>
>>>> I have recently had another unpleasant experience with AccessRide and
>>>> am hoping to get assistance so that people outside the disabled
>>>> community will finally understand what a disreputable and unorganized
>>>> service this is.
>>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, January 10 I had a scheduled  AccessRide trip that took
>>>> me from my home near Belmont to a business in Brentwood. The
>>>> AccessRide van showed up at a decent time. This trip had no problems
>>>> and I was promptly brought to my destination. I remained at this
>>>> establishment for the designated period and was supposed to be picked
>>>> up between 3:30PM and 4:00PM. I had lost my cell phone which was my
>>>> only contact number. I called the dispatch office to give them an
>>>> alternate number. 3:30 came around and there was no sign of
>>>> AccessRide. 4:00 and 4:30 came around and there was still no sign of
>>>> AccessRide. I called the number and pressed the number four which is
>>>> designated for emergencies and late rides. I was left on hold for over
>>>> 30 minutes with no assistance. Finally my mother had to come get me to
>>>> bring me back to school so I could make it to my evening classs. I
>>>> called again on the way home and was put through to the after hours
>>>> ansering service. I filed a complaint and was given the typical
>>>> placations which just meant that they wanted me to shut up so they
>>>> could get me off the phone.
>>>>
>>>> I realize that probably nothing will be done about my complaint and
>>>> that AccessRide will continue to treat disabled people as if they are
>>>> not worthy of courtesy and respect. This is not the first time that I
>>>> have had issues with this business and I know that many of you have
>>>> had similar experiences. While I feel outraged because of my
>>>> experience with this so called business, I am horror stricken when I
>>>> think about the people who have more serious medical conditions who
>>>> are also subjected to such ill treatment.
>>>>
>>>> I am planning to take my concerns and outrage over this pitiful excuse
>>>> for Paratransit to the media so that others can see howunorganized and
>>>> inhospitable AccessRide is. I am tired of being treated like a second
>>>> class citizen because I cannot drive and need assistance with
>>>> transportation. I want the people at AccessRide to be brought to
>>>> justice.
>>>>
>>>> I am writing to you for your assistance in this matter. I know that
>>>> many of you have had similar experiences and would like to form a list
>>>> of statements and complaints so that when this matter is brought to
>>>> the media they can see that it happens to all the AccessRide clients
>>>> and not just one or two. If you could please e-mail or call me if you
>>>> are interested in joining this project I would really appreciate it. I
>>>> am looking for a collection of statements and specific instances of
>>>> the failures and mistreatment for which AccessRide is responsible. I
>>>> believe that we are stronger in numbers then as individuals and I
>>>> believe it is time that we make ourselves heard. Thank You for taking
>>>> the time to read this letter. I look forward to hearing from you.
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> Domonique Lawless
>>>> dlawless86 at gmail.com
>>>> _______________________________________________
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