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December 27, 2005 Experience,

I believe that compensating for a disability should not include arguing with those who are supposed to be helping the disabled.

The Para Transit in Broward County Florida is undergoing growing pangs.  The new computer system doesn't always give the right times for pick ups to both

passengers and drivers.  Therefor I decided to try and get to the Public's Supermarket on my own located at the Coral Ridge Mall by Federal Highway and

Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale in order to avoid using the Para Transit if I could.

One rule is that if an individual can use the Public fixed route Bus;  then they are ineligible for Para Transit service.

Is this a good policy?

I don't think so.  Even if you can get on a bus;  then there are countless dangers that can be encountered along the way.  Para Transit should be tweaked

better so that the disabled can use it without unnecessary complications.  The fixed Bus should be available as back up transport;  rider beware.

I boarded the number 72 Bus at NE 34 St and A1A going to Federal Highway and Oakland Park Boulevard.

I de bused right before Federal Highway.  Crossing the first street before Federal and after de busing proved challenging.  The cars didn't allow me to

cross.  They were edging up to Oakland Park Boulevard from the North and going South.

I had to keep walking South until I was in the lane on Oakland Park Boulevard.

A driver put me back on the sidewalk.  I thanked him for getting out of his car and doing that.

Then I came to a construction hole in the sidewalk.  Lucky for me a driver yelled out to me to avoid it.

Then at Federal Highway I made a right turn.  Unfortunately I ended up in a parking lot by Wachovia Bank.  A trucker took me in his truck out of the parking

lot and into the next parking lot for Public's.

At Public's I asked for an assistant to help me shop.  I didn't realize who was coming to help me.  Apparently a passerby shopper offered to assist me.

 It was nice of her to do so.  More people should help each other.

However Public's never told me that I had a shopper helping me.  I think they should have told me that.

The nice lady should be congratulated for helping.  However it was equally challenging for me because she had a stroke recently.  Therefor I couldn't understand

most of what she was trying to say when she spoke.

Later my AAA car service van showed up.

I told them to write down that I would be on the bench in the store between the door and the service desk.  I always wait there.  I have done so for many

years shopping at this venue.

The driver showed up and passed me by.  He went to the service desk to make an announcement.  Then he was heading out but was called back by all the people;

 both customers and personnel, yelling that I was indeed there.

Then the driver takes me to drop off someone.  Then he picks up someone else.  Then he drops them off too.

The driver is supposed to take home the person who was in the van first.

All this time I am asking him to either turn off the Creole news cast on his radio or turn the station to English.

He claims that I am discriminating against him.  So I call AAA on my Cell.  They call him.  He argues with them too.  This is a strange argument because

the rules say that the driver should be listening to passenger's requests.

The lady on the van who was picked up after me starts to complain about how her morning pick up was at a time she didn't ask for.

This is why I tried to avoid my morning pick up.

Something needs to be done here.

Sanford Rosenthal

 

--

Seth Eisenberg

(954) 252-9090

 

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