Two overnight developments, Angelo Dundee, world's best known boxing trainer, died at age 90. He trained such fighters as Mohammed Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, George Foreman. He had just returned from the celebration of Ali's 70th birthday. He was known as a man of honesty and integrity.
This writer has traveled the world, every continent. Perhaps the most remote areas, New Guinea. In most island nations, ferrys are used to transport people. Last night a ferry, carrying over 300, sank near Papula, New Guinea, a place I well remember. News broadcasts said they were using all their equipment to get as many from the water as possible before darkness, last count, 225. Safe in a warm bed, I could not help but think of the fright and despair of human beings in darkness, in a raging sea. It brought to my mind the fright I have experienced as a totally blind person living and contemplating a world of dishonest, non-integrity people. This involves a disabled person's efforts to get around, public transportation, particularly in a foreign county, a world of taxi cabs.
Eight trips around the world, traveled the streets of most world cities, books could be written. I give you just a few experiences.
It is bad enough in a city which you know, and one in which you are known. Each city gives a special license to a taxi. A taxi medallion in New York City now costs nearly $1 million dollars. The taxi driver not only gets a set amount for mileage, but expects a tip... regardless of service. In this town, special license. The disabled, especially those who are blind and crippled, living alone, with all the logistics involved (unable to get to a bus stop, accessing buildings, etc.) must depend on the empathy of cabs and their drivers. I endure the cost (insurance, taxes, expenses) of an automobile, paying a driver to escape the harassment of taxes: HERE IN THIS CITY.
There are exceptions. One visiting London never forgets the quality of the black, English cab, the polite, well-dressed driver. I found, in the Falkland islands, the governor used, for himself, a black London taxi.
Possibly, my worst taxi experience, I was in Italy, Genoa, attempting to get to the airport. The hotel concierge had assisted me to a taxi-van at the front, (I do not speak Italian) helping me with my fee for the trip, told the driver exactly where I was to go. Two American ladies were going to the airport, a mother and daughter. The daughter worked in the famous Filene's basement in Boston. Their ancestors were form Genoa and they had saved for years for the trip. Of course our luggage was in the trunk. We waited and waited, the driver was trying too get one more fare and all airports are far from the city. Obviously, God gave planners a prophesy to isolate airports.
Travelers know you cannot miss flights, everything is prearranged. The daughter spoke Italian, she threatened the driver about getting us to the airport. There was warfare in the taxi and, adding to the missing flight dilemma, the mother needed a pit stop... the driver refused. The daughter put her hands around his neck. The sobbing, embarrassed, mother made her stop by the car, side of the road.
When we arrived at the airport, he was expecting a tip, we had already paid for the trip. We had our bags, I was to follow mother and daughter, their voices, to the airline counter. When the driver mentioned tip to the daughter she slapped him so hard, so loud, that I believe it shook to he airline building. I am sure she used Italian that he understood. Of course we missed our flight but, the officials at the counter (sometimes an American passport helps) got us on another flight.
Money is difficult enough to a blind person, best of circumstances, almost impossible in a foreign country. I have ridden on Rickshaws, scooters, donkey carts, even elephants. In Muslim countries the drivers pester you continuously for a tip. In the Sahara, on a camel, in Jordan, trying to get through the small opening trail to Petra, horseback, the drivers never stopped begging for more money. Just imagine, having little or no sight, strange animals, strange people... much like being in strange water in a strange sea.
Positively, the world's worst cab drivers, New York City. I had prepaid the fare, afraid to take more money out of my pocket. The cab driver told me he hoped my plane would crash. I made it a point to walk to the East Side Terminal to avoid riding in a New York City taxi. One cold day, I had ridden the bus, necessary to count the stops, to 34th street for a meeting, decided to walk back to my home on E 56th street (corner of Park Avenue) At the corner of Broadway and 47th, thrown on the street and robbed, shaken. Suspecting a broken hip, I asked a cab driver to take me to my house, that the doorman would pay him. He refused, I had been robbed, did not have money. I wrote to then mayor, Ed Koch, and as usual, with politicians, no response. The doorman at my building called the police... they would only say over and over, how lucky I was that I was not killed.
A lawyer at the “Lighthouse for the Blind” (59th street, NYC) a place to which I walked, staff duties, knew everyone, told me that when she got out of a cab, nasty driver, not only did he not get a tip but she left the door open so he would have to get out of the cab and close the door. When did the people of the world start closing doors of empathy-integrity on one another?
Dr. Thomas R. Morris
Lt. Col USA Retired
Blind/Dictated
Visit my blog at http://pockets1940.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.DrThomasMorris.com
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(Dr. Morris is a totally blind 100% disabled service connected veteran, 8 around the world trips, passport stamped in 157 countries)
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