[GRAPHIC/DESCRIPTION: The graphic is of a formal table setting, including
a place card

[GRAPHIC/DESCRIPTION: The graphic is of a formal table setting, including
a place card

The
Braille Monitor
June
2005
(back)
(next) (contents)
Ask Miss
Whozit

From the Editor: Just
in time for convention, here is a letter with questions and Miss Whozit's take
on convention etiquette. If you have questions for Miss Whozit, send them care
of Barbara Pierce to the National Center for the Blind, 1800 Johnson Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21230 or by email to [email protected]. Here is the letter:
Dear Miss Whozit,
I will be attending my
second convention this summer in Louisville. I am generally looking forward
to it because my experience last year was like nothing I had ever imagined,
and as a result I have grown and changed this year. But several things last
year bothered me. And since these all fall into the area of etiquette and good
manners, I thought I would list them for you in the hope that you will give
us all some pointers.
The first thing has to
do with tipping. I have not traveled much, so I am never sure whom to tip and
who is just offering to help me because it is convenient but not part of his
or her job. I know to tip a skycap who walks with me out to my gate, but what
about cabin crew members who are going my way and offer to walk with me? Unless
they mention who they are, I can't tell these folks from other passengers. I
don't want to insult people, but I also don't want people who depend on tips
to go away thinking I am cheap or an object of pity. I gather that I should
tip the skycap who checks me in at curbside, but surely not the clerk behind
the desk inside who does the same thing. And how much is enough?
At the hotel I know to
tip the bell staff whenever they do anything for me, but what about housekeeping
when they bring extra hangers or towels? How about the engineer who fixes the
dripping toilet or the air conditioning? Some people tip the staff who clean
the room at the end of a long hotel stay. Is this expected, and if so, how much
is appropriate? You get the idea.
The other big thing that
worries me at convention is the way some conventioneers act in large crowds.
I am equally shocked by the way some people use their canes--more like spears
or whips than as tools for checking whether the path ahead is clear--and the
seeming obliviousness of some dog users. I was told about a dog that snatched
a steak off a stranger's plate with the fork still in the meat, and the handler
did not do anything about the situation. My own room was covered in dog hair
after a Federationist visited me with a dog who had obviously not been groomed
properly. I know that dogs are going to have accidents under the stress that
a convention causes them, but don't users know when this happens? It seems to
me that courtesy would demand that the person stand guard over the mess until
someone can get there to clean it up.
Finally, Miss Whozit, please
talk to us about elevator etiquette. Frankly I am going to see if I can get
a room on a low floor this year so that I can walk up and down the steps rather
than risking life and limb in the elevator lobby. I talked to a man who uses
a wheelchair and who told me that someone once sat down in his lap in an elevator
without asking permission. On the other hand I have been in elevator cars in
which some people purposely stood close to the front and told people outside
that the car was full when it was not, just because they did not want to stand
close to other people and figured that the blind people outside the door wouldn't
know that they were lying.
I don't enjoy being packed
in like a sardine either, but at convention we just have to make each elevator
trip as efficient as possible. Can you set down some rules of elevator etiquette?

Mystified
at Rude Behavior

Dear
Mystified,
Miss
Whozit is glad to hear that you are planning to attend your second national
convention in Louisville. Perhaps this response will help ease the way for this
year's convention for you and others in the movement.
Knowing
what and whom to tip is an ongoing question for many people. Basic rules for
tipping should be kept in mind when traveling and eating out. Tipping gives
the customer an opportunity to reward those who provide service, and this income
is essential to the people who provide those services--waitresses, bellhops,
skycaps, and taxi drivers. Remember that your tipping habits not only reflect
your professionalism but also contribute to your receiving more attentive service,
a cleaner room, or a better table.
Tipping
does not have hard and fast rules, but there are some general guidelines: When
service is exceptional, tip more. When it is not good, tip less and explain
why, either directly to the service provider or to that person's manager.
Here are some basic guidelines
for tipping. The amount can vary by city, region, or country:

Airport:
Skycaps, $1 per bag; electric cart drivers, $1 or $2; wheelchair assistants,
$3 to $5.
Transportation:
Taxi or limousine, 15 percent of fare; tour guide, $10 for a day or 15 percent
on a longer trip.
Hotel:
Doorman, $1 or $2; parking valet, $1 to $3; bellhop, $1 or $2 per bag; maid,
$2 or $3 per night per person; room service, 15 percent of the bill (but check
first to see if it is included in the charge); concierge, $5 to $10 for exceptional
service; spa services, 15 percent to 20 percent.
Dining:
Wine steward, 15 percent to 20 percent of wine bill, in cash; wait staff,
15 percent to 20 percent; coat checks, $1 per coat; wash room attendant, 50
cents or more if extra help is provided (needle and thread for a loose button,
for example).

As important as tipping an appropriate
amount is showing respect for those who help you function more efficiently and
comfortably. Smart businesspeople know that respecting and tipping service personnel
is a reflection not only of their appreciation of the help they receive but
of their own professionalism as well.
Your dilemma concerning
the cabin crew member who is going your way and offers to walk with you to the
gate is interesting. Initially the person's role may not be clear. You may be
uncertain whether a person is merely going your way or feels compelled to extend
service beyond his responsibilities. You can determine his job by asking a few
discreet questions as you are walking to your gate or destination. The conversation
can begin with some basic introductory information. Initiate the conversation
by volunteering your first name and destination and inquiring for the same information
from him.
If, during the course of
the walk you realize that he is going out of his way to walk with you, you have
a couple of options. If you are grateful for the company and you believe your
companion is happy to take the detour, accept the assistance graciously and
part company at your gate with warm thanks. If on the other hand you are confident
of your skills, thank him and assure him that you would hate to inconvenience
him by having him go out of his way. Bid him good day and carry on in the correct
direction. It is important for the person to know that you are confident. Your
actions will underscore this message, which in turn will provide an illustration
of your statement.
Often, but not always,
this strategy works for Miss Whozit. No matter how confidently we travel or
how self-assured we are, sometimes people feel a responsibility to provide more
assistance than we either need or want. In such cases Miss Whozit suggests that
the overly helpful person be offered a monetary tip, which clearly expresses
the blind person's view of the assistance being offered. Whenever possible,
during the walk to the destination, she tries to instill a bit of education
about the abilities of blind people, and because Miss Whozit is never without
several Kernel Books, she can present would-be rescuers with a book and hope
they will read it and come to understand more fully the capabilities of blind
people. The demands of civility always require that we make reasonable efforts
not to offend a member of the public who is merely trying to be helpful, so
the way we address the issues surrounding blindness is of the utmost importance.
At the same time we must be confident in our skills and present ourselves positively.
It may help to remember that the way members of a minority population present
themselves inevitably has either a positive or negative impact on the way the
general public views other members of that group. This truth should inspire
us all to be both courteous and clear about what assistance we need.
As for maneuvering through
crowds at convention, you are correct that often people do not use their canes
appropriately. Proper cane technique is important in order to travel safely
and efficiently. If used properly, the long cane will pick up drop-offs, textural
differences, steps, openings, closed areas, and so on. The cane should be kept
in close contact with the floor. Almost never should it be more than one to
two inches off the floor, and it should never be slid along the wall to detect
openings or to find a chair or bench. Keeping the cane just above the floor
in the two-point touch or tap-and-slide techniques will provide all the information
one needs to travel safely and efficiently throughout the convention.
When standing in line or
waiting, the long cane should be held vertically in front of and close to the
user until he or she is ready to stride out. And always remember, when traveling
in a crowd, that using the pencil grip is the easiest, safest, and most courteous
way to gather appropriate information for the size steps you are taking while
not posing as a hazard to oncoming traffic. Basic cane etiquette ensures safe
travel and allows cane users to be efficient and considerate. If you are not
certain about some of these techniques, stop any good traveler at convention
and ask for a quick demonstration. We have all polished our skills by observing
others and asking their advice.
Ah, the ghost of conventions
past rears its head again to whisper the rumor of the missing steak. For many
years this has been an oft-told tale, but Miss Whozit suspects it of being an
urban legend. She has not been able to verify or deny whether the maid stole
the steak with the candelabra or whether the guide dog did it because he too
likes good meat. Either way, the trusty guide dog often receives a raw deal.
So in order to reinforce what we know to be true about good guide dog handling,
remember to follow the basic etiquette. A good guide dog handler knows that
he or she is responsible for the care and upkeep of the dog. The handler should
bathe the dog frequently, groom it daily, and make every effort to see that
a trail of dog hair is not left behind. If you receive a visit from someone
using a guide dog that leaves more than a few hairs, in the best interests of
your friend and other guide dog users you should tactfully bring the problem
to the person's attention. But if the information is presented as useful data
rather than criticism, it should be well received and Miss Whozit hopes will
serve as a reminder to groom the dog regularly.
Remaining beside an accident
is of the utmost importance. Convention goers who work their guide dogs daily
will know their dogs' movements and habits and will be prepared to take responsibility
for any accidents that occur. If the worst happens, the handler should remain
at the scene until someone from the relief area comes to clean up. Convention
goers should remember that this clean-up is not the responsibility of hotel
staff; it is the primary responsibility of the handler with the assistance of
the relief area staff. The handler must always be conscious of the relief schedule
of his or her dog. Plan your schedule so that you allow plenty of time to accommodate
the needs of the guide dog. The guide dog is doing her job, and guide dog handlers
should do their jobs by being responsive and responsible to the needs of the
dog.
Last but not least is elevator
etiquette, which is plain and simple travel etiquette. Miss Whozit understands
that, with this year's remodeling of the convention hotel, we will have escalators
as well as elevators on the lower floors to ease the flow of traffic from one
event to the next. Whether you decide to use escalators or elevators, common
courtesy must be observed. First of all, if you are boarding an elevator, the
first point of elevator etiquette is to allow the people on the elevator to
exit without having to push through those waiting to board. When the elevator
arrives, those waiting to board should step aside, allowing those exiting to
leave without fear of losing life or limb or, even worse, not being able to
exit the elevator at all. Often convention goers stand, nose to the door, waiting
to board, refusing to budge. This only delays the flow of traffic.
When boarding the elevator,
use your cane to sweep the area you are about to enter, using the pencil grip
to determine whether or not there is room. If there is, swiftly step inside,
turn to face the elevator door, press the button for the floor you wish to exit,
and wait. If a crowd has filled the elevator, step in as far as you can without
crushing the person next to you. Always make sure you turn to face the door.
If you are using a guide dog, pull your dog in as close as possible to you.
This is not the time to release the harness-- allowing your dog to sniff the
dress tails of the woman next to you.
Miss Whozit wishes
all convention attendees a wonderful and educational week in Louisville, and
she assures everyone that, if we all practice civility and good manners whenever
we are in crowds, the convention will be a more pleasant and gracious experience
for us all.
(back)
(next) (contents)