Dear Scold,
I drive a taxi for a living and I have a severe allergy to dogs. Every time I have to drive a blind customer with a guide dog, I break out in hives and my eyes water like you wouldn't believe. This happens within minutes of being exposed to the animal. What's worse is that this is a safety issue. The last time the sneezing started I almost swerved into the path of a semi-truck and trailer during one sneezing fit.
I don't want to discriminate against blind folks as they've already got a hard row to hoe, but I just don't see how it's safe for me to operate a vehicle when my dog allergy is going beserk and I can barely see where I'm going. What should I do?
Sneezy in Vancouver
Dear Sneezy,
While I realize that the BCHRC makes allowances for cab drivers with allergies to refuse services to guide dog owners, my own feeling is that this is inappropriate. Public services should be available to ALL and that is the social contract that you agreed to when you started offering your services as a cab driver. If, for any reason, you cannot offer these services equitably then, in my opinion, you have no business offering them.
The blind person cannot stop being blind -- they have no choice in the matter. There's nothing stopping you from changing to a different driving job, however, such as driving a truck or delivery vehicle where you are not exposed to dogs. This solution has the advantage of not triggering your allergy while still preserving the dignity of visually impaired individuals.
Please consider changing jobs.
Ta.
The Scold
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