[Cagdu] twice shafted

Sat Aug 25 18:36:17 PDT 2007

Good point Kristin,

Did you say safety????
, We must not forget I ( apology if misspelled) she was a hero during the 9 
11 tragedy. We really need to defend our position and insist on our assigned 
seats. One thing to remember that has helped me, is to let them know that 
you have a guide dog before  hand.

JC and M
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kristin Mathe" <mathekristin at hotmail.com>
To: <cagdu at nfbcal.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Cagdu] twice shafted

> Hi Ken and community,
>
> Beatrice and I are in Texas, but this topic speaks to me. I have been
> relocated for at best questionable reasons in event venues as well.
> Sometimes the excuse has been: "She'll be blocking access to the isle" as 
> if
> everyone's knees arent. Other times the staff seem concerned that Beatrice
> would just be better off somewhere else, or it would be easier to get to
> some seets off in a corner. It's reached the point that I've politely
> thanked the staff and proceeded to my seat that was originally assigned 
> when
> their concern is a matter of convenience. It's harder with the safety
> claims, which quite frankly I think are contrived because the dog wants to
> evacuate a burning building just as much as the other theater goers. We
> still have a ways to go in changing the custodial mindset of many people.
> So, while I don't have any sage advice, Ken is not alone in this
> frustration.
>
> KM
>
>
>>From: "Juliett Cody" <julietcody at cox.net>
>>Reply-To: cagdu at nfbcal.org
>>To: <cagdu at nfbcal.org>
>>Subject: Re: [Cagdu] twice shafted
>>Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:06:59 -0700
>>
>>Hello Ken and family,
>>Wow, I am very sorry the three of you had a bad experience. Loosing it was
>>wrong, but I understand. There are times that it happens. Please let us
>>know what happens and if anyone knows anything that can vbe  of some help
>>to Ken and Velvet an Gulliver, please post it.
>>
>>JC and M
>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>   From: Ken Volonte
>>   To: Cagdu
>>   Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:43 PM
>>   Subject: [Cagdu] twice shafted
>>
>>
>>   Hi all.  Last night, Velvet and I went to a Josh Groban concert at the
>>Stockton Arena.  We had bought tickets well in advance because Velvet 
>>can't
>>climb steps.  We had seats at floor level 1 section 9.
>>
>>       When we showed our tickets to the arena staff, we were repeatedly
>>told, "You're up front on the floor".  We walked through accompanied by an
>>usher, but when he realized who we were: a blind man with a guide dog and 
>>a
>>lady with a cane, our section magically didn't exist any more.  "I can't
>>tell if that's... see how this here is underlined... Kathie will take care
>>of you.  She's a supervisor", and off he went into the crowd.
>>
>>       Kathie instructed us to follow her back the way we'd just come. 
>> She
>>just left us standing and took off with our tickets.
>>
>>       Finally, Velvet couldn't stand any more and I was getting more
>>irritated by the minute.  There were six chairs near to where we were, and
>>we sat down.  After maybe fifteen minutes, six women approached us and
>>demanded that we move.  Kathie was with them, and she insisted that we
>>again follow her.  We were seated on the far right of the arena sitting
>>sideways to the stage.  Velvet kept insisting that this wasn't right, that
>>we had paid for floor tickets and that they had been taken from us.
>>
>>       Finally, Josh Groban's security man came up to us and demanded to
>>see our tickets.  "This is where you're supposed to be.  What's the
>>problem"?
>>
>>       Velvet explained that these were not our assigned seats, that our
>>tickets had been traded out for these seats.  The security man then
>>questioned me.  "You bought two seats?  With the dog you didn't buy 
>>three?"
>>
>>       A reasonable man would have just pulled out his law card, but to my
>>shame, I lost it.  I really lost it.  His question cast me right back to
>>the 70s.  I think that the reason it had such an effect on me was that all
>>control and hope for what should have been an orderly entrance and
>>enjoyable evening were dashed.  "If you want to enjoy the rest of the
>>show", Mr. Security went on, "then you're going to have to speak to me 
>>with
>>the respect I've shown you".
>>
>>       "I'm sorry", I said.
>>
>>       "What was that, I didn't hear you."
>>
>>       "I will enjoy the show", but the experience was just wrong.
>>
>>       Velvet and I have been to many venues and we've always had a good
>>time.  Where accommodations have had to be made, they have been undertaken
>>with grace and good will on both sides.  All we wanted was to be shown to
>>the seats to which we were assigned.  Instead, we were marginalized.  I
>>admit some responsibility for this because I lost my temper; but 
>>sometimes,
>>when you have been warn down, all you can do is yell.
>>
>>       On Monday, Velvet and I shall attempt to talk to the management of
>>the Stockton Arena.  We will present our arguments in a reasonable 
>>fashion.
>>
>>       This is not the first time something like this has happened to us 
>> at
>>this venue.  The first time, Velvet fell amid a whole scrum of people and
>>nobody helped at all.
>>
>>       Progress can be hard even when the law and common sense are on your
>>side.
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>   _______________________________________________
>>   Cagdu mailing list
>>   Cagdu at nfbcal.org
>>   https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu
>
>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Cagdu mailing list
>>Cagdu at nfbcal.org
>>https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Puzzles, trivia teasers, word scrambles and more. Play for your chance to
> win! http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=CLUB_hotmailtextlink
>
> _______________________________________________
> Cagdu mailing list
> Cagdu at nfbcal.org
> https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu 