Jack

After reading this post, you'll probably have either a strongly positive or a strongly negative reaction. Most people are disapproving. They think Ron was "mean", but they won't say it. I'm getting that off their body language.

So. The story begins about 20 years ago in sunny San Mateo County. Ron had a business and rode the 6A to and from work. He often rode with a driver named Ted. Ron and Ted became good freinds and used to go out together after work (have a beer, talk), or Ron would ride the bus just to chat with Ted.

One day Ted called Ron. He was very upset. A blind man had fallen off the bus and broken his ankle. Jack was an alcoholic and had been very drunk at the time of the accident. He found an ambulance chaser attorney who decided to sue the bus company. The attorney was doing his best to make it sound like, in spite of the fact that my client was totally hammered, staggering, and slurring his words, in spite of the fact he almost fell while sitting down... it's your fault, isn't it?

Ted was distraught. "My best friend is blind, I didn't do anything different than I would have done for him! My friend uses his long white cane, he doesn't just carry it around for show!" But Ted couldn't say it. A sighted person couldn't tell a blind man he messed up, although he tried.

Ron was livid. I have never seen him so angry in my life. I suggested he call Ted's lawyer, or have Ted tell his lawyer, the name of a mobility expert (someone who teaches "The blind" how to get around without falling off of buses). He could be an expert witness. The expert witness could view Jack's "cane technique" and state that no bus driver could keep Jack from hurting himself if he walked around like that. Ron also offered to be a blind expert witness - to state, this is how I get around, demonstrate proper cane technique, and state for the record that no one traveling the way Jack did could keep from hurting himself.

If a sighted man couldn't critique him, a blind man could. Ron told Ted all of this. Ted called his lawyer and union rep. The bus company had offered to settle with Jack for TEN THOUSAND dollars. Jack refused. After hearing Ron's evidence, they made another call. "No deal, we're going to court!" They shared the information they had (mobility expert, cane technique, expert blind witness) and Jack's lawyer dropped the lawsuit.

I am very proud of Ron for what he did. Too many idiots are out there playing victim when they're the ones responsible for their own problems.

"The blind" have enough of a problem with being accepted as valued members of society without everyone feeling like they have to "save" them. How can anyone respect you if you don't respect yourself?

If you have a problem (blindness) deal with it. Get the tools and USE THEM. If you don't use the tools, then don't cry victim.