Quote:
Originally Posted by bob@redrosesegtours
Hi all,
Have any tour operators out there accommodated hearing-impaired tour participants? If so, how did you handle it?
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Hi Bob,
We do not let anyone go on a tour who fails to demonstrate an ability to safely participate. Disability or not, that's the policy for everyone.
We had a group of deaf adults (and one sign language interpreter) ask to take our tour and that's what I told them. I explained that it is mandatory that the staff be able to quickly and effectively communicate sudden safety issues (e.g., traffic, road hazards, etc.) or to correct a rider who is having problems (e.g., the speed limiter). We simply can't rely on the fact that an interpreter will be in the right place (i.e., visible to every rider at every moment) and will be able to relay that information in a timely and effective manner while the group was moving -- to say nothing of the risks to the interpreter who would have to turn to face the other riders and remove her own hands from the handlebar in order to communicate with them. I politely explained to the group leader that they would be unable to safely participate. She was disappointed but understood my reasoning.
Again, these customers were deaf. We _have_ taken "hearing impaired" (but not deaf) customers on tours if we were able to adequately address the safety issues through volume control, special earphones (e.g., over hearing aids), or external speakers. It depends on the exact nature of their disability.
Others here are much more educated about the ADA but I can't imagine that it would require me to "accommodate" customers to point of putting their safety at risk. And, frankly, if it did then I still wouldn't do it.
[After a few minutes of research, I believe that our policies are well within the safety exceptions of the ADA, as well as the limits to "reasonable accommodation," and the protection against fundamentally altering the nature of our service as outlined here:
http://www.ada.gov/qandaeng.htm#Anchor-Public-49575 ].
Last year I turned away a group of 20 Japanese tourists (only one of whom spoke English) because of similar safety concerns.