Being caring and understanding with regards to the individuals who are less blessed than ourselves is, as an exceptionally essential guideline, the proper activity. Tragically, we face a daily reality such that not every person likes to submit to the layouts of normal tolerability. Therefore, time and again do we know about stories wherein individuals with burdens or handicaps wind up battling significantly more than they ought to be. A visually impaired man has uncovered how he was left compelled to remain with his guide hound on an ongoing train venture, in spite of having inquired as to whether there were any seats accessible.
Completely unacceptable passenger assistance from @ScotRail to leave me and my guide dog in the doorway of the train. I asked several times if there was any spare seats and not one passenger responded. Doesn’t give me much faith in humanity @MathesonMichael pic.twitter.com/zpAGR9H2Sd
— Jon Attenborough (@JonAttenborough) November 12, 2019
Jonathan Attenborough, a disability and inclusion advocate, boarded a ScotRail service from Edinburgh to Perth on Tuesday, but had no choice but to stand in the aisle with his dog. He said he asked other passengers if there was somewhere he could sit down, but they ignored him. “Completely unacceptable passenger assistance from @ScotRail to leave me and my guide dog in the doorway of the train,” he wrote on his Twitter. “I asked several times if there was any spare seats and not one passenger responded. Doesn’t give me much faith in humanity.”
Animal rights activists leave blind man shaken after targeting his guide dog https://t.co/i2KrHKJPM8 pic.twitter.com/HcJ498NkWx
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) November 7, 2019
A member of ScotRail’s media team answered Jonathan to offer an apology. “Hi Jonathan, I wanted to get back in touch about your experience on Tuesday,” they wrote. “I’ve sought advice from our Access and Inclusion Manager and also fed back to our station and on-board teams. You should have been assisted to a suitable seat, and I’m sorry this didn’t happen. “It’s disappointing that no passengers responded when you called out, but you shouldn’t have been put in this position in the first place.“
Thank you so much #AXSChat for having me as a guest tonight! It’s been such a pleasure chatting with you all this evening. I hope everyone had enjoyed it as much as I have. A very goodnight from me and my guide dog, Sam pic.twitter.com/HqmQuzXZSs
— Jon Attenborough (@JonAttenborough) November 5, 2019
Naturally, Jonathan has been left unsettled by the incident. He accepted ScotRail’s apology, but is wary of it happening again in the future. No sooner had he posted his story than did social media respond with messages of support. Not only did commenters condemn the rail service, but also the other passengers. Indeed, surely it couldn’t have been difficult for at least one passenger to given Jonathan an answer, especially since the presence of his guide dog made obvious his condition.