Sunday, March 24, 2013

NYC'S MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY DISCRIMINATES.....Against the Handicapped.....

I don't think a Happy Blogger should ever Vent.....
You come here to maybe get a laugh or just smile about one
of my crazy antics....But every now and then Sue likes
to complain about one thing or another....Well...maybe more
then just now and then.....but regardless....The time has come
to Vent Big Time about the Wonderful City of New York
and it's "Mayor's Office on Disability".....
To which I have had my first and probably final encounter...
Who does this Office discriminate against your wondering???
Disabled People that's who......

 Let me be clearer....Disabled People who are not
New Yorkers......Visiting Disabled People....
Of which I am one...Have been since 1993....some of you are
aware of it most of you are not....
I am one of "Those People" that use a Handicap Tag
When I park even though I may look 100% Fine....
I am Not.....and I know there are a lot of other people
out there with the same problem....
Anyhoo....on to Mr. Bloomberg's Office on taking care
of the Disabled....

See this cute little symbol....Makes you think this Office is Actually Out to help you with that little arm around the poor "one armed" person's shoulder....
WRONG.....
So here is my story and up until today I will be sticking to it....
They only have three more days to correct the situation
and I really don't think it's in the cards for these people to
accommodate me.....Why should they...
I am not a New Yorker and as the NYC DOT put it
"What do you think your special?"
Gee I wonder if these are the people that give NYC
a Bad Name?

I will make this brief....that's not true.... so I can hold your attention.
I find the need to go to NYC in a few days to help out
the Daughter by babysitting Miss B while she is out of
School on Spring Break....
Not wanting B to sit in day care for over week while Mom
has to work....
I thought it only right for Grandma to volunteer my services...
It will be just Me and B for a whole week navigating
NYC....This is not a vacation this is a necessity...
And it was a last minute thing....
I have never been alone with just me and B and wanting this to
go as smoothly as possible I looked into getting a
Temporary "One Week Only" NYC curb side
Handicap Tag...
So if I need to take B on any appointments I won't have to 
worry about getting around with a 5 year old and a
62 year old
 who can barely walk on most good days.....
Not to mention that whole "one armed" thing...
I can just park my car on a side street and be good to go...
You would think I was asking for a 30 oz. Coke or perhaps
Salt on my Fries.....
You see I can use my Georgia Tag but only outside of the
city....In order to park on side streets in Manhattan you need a city pass...
What could possibly be the problem I asked myself....
It is simply a courtesy to an out of town visitor....
How wrong could I be....
These people are brutal...within 30 seconds of getting them
on the phone they managed to insult me three times....
"who do you think you are...your not special....Why should we
accommodate you.....are you trying to bump ahead of one of
our citizens who's been waiting their turn to get a tag".....
HELLO.....
I already have a tag....been there...done that....over 20 years now.
Have documentation that it really exists....
No need to be examined by a NYC doctor....It's real people...
So....I call the Mayor's Office on Disability and I speak to
Mathew....now this might or might not be his name..
When I kept calling his voice mail back it's hard to decipher
his mumblings when he says who your leaving a message for...

He took all sorts of personal info from me....Info that I was
happy to provide if he really was going to help me....
He promised he would do the best he could and he would call me
back....Never heard a word....After leaving three messages I gave up.
I call directly to the "Director of the Mayor's Office on
Disability" and ask for the name of the Director that I got
off their Website....It seems he's been Dead for a year an a
half so I speak to the nice Indian lady "assistant"...again
the last name gets mumbled so I have no idea who she is....
But at least she was pleasant....No insults were thrown about...
I once again explain my situation and I ask if she can't
Take the request to her Boss...."The Director" to which she
never addressed that there actually is a Director....
Maybe with all the Budget Cuts and that whole "Big Drink
Campaign" they can't afford to re-hire.....
She tells me there isn't much she can do but to instruct me to
go online and fill out the "temporary visitor tag request"
 you do not have to see a doctor....But it could take 
from 8 to 10 weeks to process...But.... she added... perhaps I
Can use it "Next Time"
I don't need it Next Time I need it This Time.....
I faxed over to the DOT Disability Office enough
paperwork to back up my request.... if I were an illegal alien
trying to get a drivers license I wouldn't have needed as much documentation.....
Haven't heard a word....Not a peep...Not a further
Insult.....Nothing..
So here sits Mayor Bloomberg signing into law
NYC's Disability policy.....
What are they all laughing about....??
"We shut our Fax machine off over at the office so when
out of towner's need assistance we can just sit and laugh"
"Mrs. A down there in Georgia.....What do you think Your
Special?"
"You can take your disability.......your car and your grandchild
and shove it......We need to keep up our reputation
as being a bunch of miserable and rude people....
That's what NYC stands for....and we're proud of it"

Thank you Mr. Mayor.......

19 comments:

Moms Musings said...

Ah, the bureaucracy. Unfortunately, no one wants to add a personal touch and actually help a visitor. Fortunately, not all New Yorkers are like that, only the "civil" servants.

NanaDiana said...

WOW! That is amazing...and disappointing....and disheartening. So, you park there anyway and take the risk of getting a daily ticket? UGH- xo Diana

Barbara F. said...

Sue, you are hilarious but this is NOT a laughing matter. I feel your frustration. But I wonder how successful I would be, if I called another state to get something on a temporary basis? I don't think I would succeed. Can your daughter call 311, the "hotline" for NYer's to get help with anything? xo

Pondside said...

Oh dear - what a hassle and how disappointing. You are all in the same country, not some Balkanized area. You'd think this would have been the easiest thing those people could have done all week.

Ellen said...

Another reason for me to dislike New York. Not that I need many!

Marigene said...

Figures doesn't it? Hope you get some satisfaction soon!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

This is just amazing to me! So politicians win again...sick!

Chatty Crone said...

I am flabbergasted and don't know what to say - which is hard for me.

Don't expect to wash you cares away with a big coke in NYC either - it's band from you too.

Hugs my friend,
sandie

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

As I told you on facebook, Sue, you are dealing with a city of over 8 million people. I can only imagine the amount of temporary disability parking tag requests the city of NY gets daily. Perhaps it was necessary to apply for the tags many months in advance or provide documentation of your disability? Parking in NYC is a rare commodity and there are so many regulations for it. It is the only way a big city like that can function. As a lifelong resident of NYC untill this year I have to tell you I always marveled that such a crowded and complex city like NY functioned as well as it did.
As I previously suggested, taking a cab to and from would have been much more convenient for you.

Sorry it didn't turn out for you as you hoped! I'm sure you still had a nice time with Miss B, and thta was worth your visit.

Sue said...

I agree with you Pat about it being a city of 8 million people but it still doesn't give people who are in jobs to help people be rude and insulting.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I'm sorry the people were rude, Sue. It seems to me that incivility is something that is becoming commonplace. I have been dealing with it lately, and it never ceases to amaze me when it happens. And the people to whom I am referring are supposed to know better, just as I assume that public servants would know better, too.

The comments about, "What do you think you are, special?" I would have answered, "Yes, I am special, very special or so my friends tell me. And you should treat me accordingly and not like gum on a shoe."

XO,

Sheila

Peg said...

Sue, surely you are not driving to NYC! Take a plane, then a taxi. Yes, they cost but honey, YOU'RE WORTH IT! Lessen the stress, girl!

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Debbie said...

So sorry that people actually treat visitors to their city in such a terrible way. I hope you are doing well, Sue.
xo

FairfieldHouse said...

Sue,
You honestly expected a logical response from Bloomberg and his Cracker Jack team of nitwits? After all, these are the same people who tell adults they can't buy an extra large soda but a child can get an abortion without parental consent. I hope it works out.
Your Friend,
Deborah

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The Quintessential Magpie said...

Sue, looks like you've been SPAMMED.

Dropping by to wish you and yours a very Happy Easter.

XO,

Sheila

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{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Oh Dear.....

I swear... we're on the very same page... well, minus the arm thing... well, on second thought, maybe that too? :-)

Bloomberg = Joke. What a loon. He is so out of control it's unimaginable... except of course, he's actually the mayor of one of the largest cities in this country. Yep, apparently what NYC needs is a few more regulations... and I can't understand why they wouldn't be willing to accommodate a "tourist"... don't they bring in a LOT of revenue? Maybe Rudy could help you... he wouldn't advertise silly, useless agencies now would he? It's all about looking good with this idiot. Ok... I've nattered on enough now... I really do feel your pain.

Fortunately you'll get to spend lots and lots of time with that adorable Miss B... what a special time.

I hope you get the whole dang mess figured out and can park that cute 'lil bug...

xoxoxox
Spencer