Paracyclist suffers further woe as taxi driver refuses to take him and his guide dog
MARTIN Gordon, the blind Sligo barrister and paracyclist who was recently refused entry to a Dublin restaurant with his guide dog, has revealed another incident in the last week when a taxi driver
Martin Gordon. refused to allow him and his guide dog to use his taxi.
Gordon tweeted on Sunday last: “Another refusal with my guide dog today, this time by a taxi I hailed.”
He said he would be looking forward to the taxi company’s response and to being informed as to their company policy for handling such incidents of discrimination.
In a separate incident prior to Sunday’s taxi refusal, Gordon was with his wife and seven-yearold daughter and his guide dog at the time and despite telling the restaurant manager the refusal was against the law and in breach of the Equal Status Act he was told it was their policy and they could not have a seat indoors. A guide dog user for 20 years, he said the incident was “at the sharp end of the most negative experiences” he has ever had. Following the incident, he said it was “humiliating” to be refused entry at a Dublin city restaurant. He said he would “reserve his position and take advice from people who are smarter than me” on what action he may take following the restaurant incident.
However, matters took a further turn for the worst on Sunday last, Gordon dismissing a suggestion for the National Taxi Forum responding to his tweet that the taxi driver may have been allergic to dogs and that he may not have listed the fact he was travelling with a dog when he made the booking.
The National Taxi Forum tweeted reply continued: “Some drivers may be allergic to dogs so it may not be necessarily discrimination but a simple misunderstanding.” Rejecting that suggestion out of hand Gordon replied: “No misunderstanding on this occasion unfortunately I was told ‘what law?’, ‘it’s my car, my rules’ and then he [the taxi driver] laughed at me.” Comments from others who tweeted were all supportive of Martin Gordon, several saying they were shocked, one adding: “It’s discrimination, ignorance and prejudice.”