Taxi Driver Refuses Paralympian With Guide Dog

The news in Greek

1. Παραολυμπιονίκης  (m.)
   αθλητής που έχει κερδίσει μετάλλιο σε Παραολυμπιακούς Αγώνες ↩︎
2. δυσάρεστος
   που προκαλεί δυσφορία ή δυσαρέσκεια ↩︎
3. εξυπηρετώ
   παρέχω υπηρεσίες σε κάποιον ↩︎
4. κανόνας  (m.)
   ρύθμιση ή οδηγία που πρέπει να τηρείται ↩︎
5. προσφέρω
   δίνω κάτι σαν δώρο ή υπηρεσία ↩︎
6. περιστατικό  (n.)
   συγκεκριμένο γεγονός ή συμβάν ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is Karolina Pelembritou?

Question 2: Why did the taxi driver refuse service to Karolina?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
Παραολυμπιονίκης  (m.)	Paralympian medallist
δυσάρεστος	unpleasant
εξυπηρετώ	to serve
κανόνας  (m.)	rules
προσφέρω	to offer
περιστατικό  (n.)	incident

Read the full story

In a regrettable display of discrimination, Paralympic gold medallist Karolina Pelendritou faced a distressing incident when a taxi driver in Greece refused her service due to her guide dog. Pelendritou, who is blind, was accompanied by her guide dog when the driver denied her entry into his vehicle. This incident, which was recorded on video, has sparked widespread condemnation and debate on social media platforms.

The driver reportedly refused service by questioning, “What will I do if the dog urinates in the car?” Despite Pelendritou’s clear explanation regarding the rights of guide dogs, the driver persisted in his refusal, claiming, “It’s my taxi, I make the rules.” These exchanges highlight a critical misunderstanding or disregard of the laws that protect individuals with disabilities.

The Greek law, specifically Law 3765/2009, ensures that guide dogs of the blind and assistance dogs for individuals with disabilities have free access to all public transportation, including taxis. Such dogs must wear identifiable harnesses, and drivers are obligated to accommodate them without additional charges.

Pelendritou, who has competed internationally and made significant contributions to para-swimming, shared her negative experience, leading to significant public discourse on the need for increased awareness and adherence to the legal rights afforded to disabled individuals.

This incident serves as a potent reminder of the importance of educating public service providers about inclusivity and respect for all passengers. It also underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of existing laws to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

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