an association denounces “an increase in refusals of care” for visually impaired people with a dog

Today, refusal of pick-up is considered a “motorway offense”. The national association of guide dog handlers wants it to be recognized as “discrimination”.

“We are seeing an increase in refusals of care” by taxis or VTCs of visually impaired people accompanied by a dog, lamented Thursday May 30 on franceinfo Stéphane Rossetti, accessibility manager within the national association of guide dog handlers.

French sprinter Timothée Adolphe, blind and accompanied by his guide dog, was refused a ride by a G7 taxi in Paris at the end of May. A few days before the Paralympic Games, the athlete’s experience is rather worrying. Since the beginning of the year, “we are already at 16 censuses” refusal of support by a VTC or a taxi, specifies Stéphane Rossetti.

Ordering a taxi is always a stressful act for the visually impaired. “People don’t necessarily see the taxi arriving”, explains Stéphane Rossetti. In addition, the inability to take a photo and note the taxi or VTC number makes the situation even more complex.

“We have already noticed that taxis accelerate at the sight of the dog.”

Stéphane Rossetti, from the national association of guide dog handlers

at franceinfo

The G7 company immediately suspended the driver who refused to pick up Timothée Adolphe. She points out that she has acquired a fleet of 500 taxis equipped with access ramps for wheelchairs and that she is keen to welcome people with reduced mobility or people accompanied by guide dogs.

The G7 has produced an awareness video for its drivers. The national association of guide dog handlers participated in its design: “The problem is not necessarily so much a responsibility of the company, but rather a responsibility of the drivers themselves. Do they have access to these videos and to what extent they agree to respect or not this legal framework” , asks Stéphane Rossetti. “As far as guide dogs are concerned, the need for an adapted vehicle is absolutely not necessary,” he clarified.

There are around 1,800 active guide dogs in France. Stéphane Rossetti asks that they have a “own status” of the “birth to end of life” who could assure them “much greater open access”. In the event of refusal of care or refusal of access to an establishment open to the public, this would also allow “that the offense can be punished” and be considered as “discrimination” to be “tried in criminal court”, he said. Today she is considered “a class three offense, equivalent to a highway offense.”