An incident that causes a strong indignation came to light when the distinguished Paralympicist, Carolina Pelendritou, was confronted with a blatant distinction. Taxi driver In Kifissia she refused to serve her, citing the presence of her guide dog.
The video captured by the athlete herself captures not only a personal insult, but also a sad reminder that respect for the rights of people with disabilities is still a demand in Greek society. The driver, despite Mrs Pelendritou’s notes, which is blinded by birth, insisted on his refusal with the excuse “What will I do if the dog peeled in the car?”, And added “the taxi is mine and I do command”. The Paralympic replied that he had no right and that if he called the police, the driver would be arrested.
The video, after being released, was immediately viral, causing a wealth of negative comments about the driver’s behavior and highlighting the need to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
According to Law 3765/2009, blind guides or auxiliary dogs with disabilities have an absolute right of free movement with all public transport, including taxis, bus, subway, ships and airplanes. The law is clear: a taxi driver is not allowed to be refused, nor to impose additional billing. The dog may sit next to the person accompanying and not in a luggage compartment. These dogs must carry a samari or other special disgust that recognizes them as guide dogs.