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Comment by wccrawford | Hacker News Reader

Some of it, like the taxis, you can't be sure they were being jerks. You can never be 100% sure why they didn't stop.

But the subway employees that looked right at him and then chose not to help? Ugh. Especially when they were hired especially because it's a busy time and people need extra help? Unreal.

Of course, we don't know what percentage of the time this happens, either. It's practically inevitable that you'll meet assholes in big cities, no matter what your problems are or aren't. And I'm sure he's particularly sensitive to these problems right now.

Can you really fix these people? Does reminding them to do their jobs and be nice actually correct their behavior? I have serious doubts.

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> But the subway employees that looked right at him and then chose not to help?

I was always taught not to offer help to someone disabled unless they ask, because it's demeaning otherwise to assume they can't be independent.

In the video when he calls for help they come right over.

I learned the same thing - the hard way. Getting yelled at for holding the door for a girl with spasticity. I was 9 and she was freaking angry.

I hold doors for all kinds of people as common courtesy. If I get yelled at for it, I'll just assume the source of the audible insanity is having a bad day. Or is an asshole.

I'll keep holding doors for all kinds of people.

Southerner that visited Boston as a teenager, held a door open for a 30-something woman as courtesy and got an earful about how I was sexist. I'm no longer sexist and hold doors for everyone of all genders.

I'm a Bostoner that moved away for this very reason. You had a classic "Mass-hole" encounter, not uncommon.

You weren't sexist, you were being courteous according to a harmless tradition. She would give you an ear-full even if you held the door for every gender; she doesn't know you.

"Mass-holes" live in dark little worlds of cold, anger, and self-important. We Boston gentlemen learn to be grateful when Massholes ignore us, let alone say "thank you" or God forbid look us in the eyes and smile.

Meanwhile #chivalryisnotdead. Good luck and carry on, gentlemen.

Only kind of kidding. //end story :)

I was flipped off and honked at in traffic within minutes of crossing into the Boston city limits because I slowed down too much at the EzPass toll lane. I wasn't sure how slow you had to go for the machine to work and I knew I'd get a photo-ticket if the machine didn't read so I slowed down. I wish I had a thicker skin, but I"m still kind of mad about that.

It's possible the taxi drivers refused the pickup because of the dog, not because of the disability.

There's apparently a view that dogs are unclean by some Muslim sects. So, those drivers may be passing by because of the dog. There is certainly some history: http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2005/11/muslim-taxi-drivers-...

No need to blame it on a religion -- many drivers of all faiths think dogs are too dirty to let into their car.

You would have to have a strong enough objection to risk losing your job over it. Religion is certainly a strong motivation to take that risk...more so than a opinion.

Yet it happens:

http://www.fox25boston.com/news/blind-woman-says-some-uber-d...

"I don't pick up dogs because I have leather seats"

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/uber-refuses-to-take-blind-p...

"Uber has suspended that driver’s privileges as it investigates Kristin’s complaint against him. The company does acknowledge that refusing to transport a service dog is both a clear violation of the law and of Uber policy"*

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/uber-driver-refuses-ride-blind-m...

"An Uber driver in Florida was arrested after deputies say he refused to transport a group of blind people and their service dogs...Stigile says that when Nau, 60, showed up, he said, "I don't take dogs." Stigile explained the dogs were service animals and Nau allegedly replied "I don't care."

I like dogs but I would avoid taking an unknown dog into my car. It may pee or poop somewhere. You never know. To me, it's like taking a drunk person.

In the UK they're not allowed to decline service dogs, unless they have a medical note for a dog allergy.

They're not in the US either, due to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

>Can you really fix these people? Does reminding them to do their jobs and be nice actually correct their behavior? I have serious doubts.

Everyone has a bad day occasionally. But those that are routinely bad at being nice should be encouraged to change, and failing that should be exchanged for people who will be nice and helpful. Helping customers is a skillset like any other: some are more qualified than others, and if you're bad at it there are plenty jobs for you that don't require that skillset.

> And I'm sure he's particularly sensitive to these problems right now.

Why do you believe that?

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