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#11
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
Kurt Ullman wrote: In article , Nonnymus wrote: The driver then refused to load us, telling me that he'd take us only if we "paid" for the scooter as another passenger. He even began removing our luggage. Before he could drive away and get others, several strangers who overheard the exchange literally blocked the cab with their luggage until he agreed to "just" take the 6 of us and the scooter. Trust me, the bas*ard never got a tip and strong letters followed to both the convention bureau and cab regulatory agency. Nobody bothered to even reply. Now that they want business, perhaps they'll work on the image their taxi system gives tourists who have a handicap. Nonny I'd have immediately gone looking for a good American with Disabilities Act lawyer to take on the driver, cab company and city regulatory authority. Might still if I have the letters. It was because of no supervision of the cabbies, a generally bad attitude and a fee structure where they got paid by the person between the pier and airport. They could knock down another $15 (as I recall) by stuffing another person into the minivan instead of a scooter. My son and I actually loaded the scooter- the driver wouldn't do anything. Remember, this happened after two separate cruises and it was not just an isolated incident with a rogue cabbie. No city is perfect. In Las Vegas there is always the issue of a cabbie long hauling visitors by taking the tunnel under the airport, then circling around to a nearby casino hotel, rather than taking surface streets. This runs up the meter. However, the airport and all casinos have cab starters who regulate the loading of passengers. We also have a fee structure by the mile, so the cabbie is fairly indifferent in how many ride at a time. In visiting Las Vegas, however, our really bad cabbie and particularly limo driver act is redirecting folks who want to take a cab to a strip club. The strip clubs compete for business by secretly tipping the cabbie or limo driver after he drops people off. He then splits the tip with the starter/bellman when he returns to the cab line at a casino. Should you ask to go to, "Moe's club," and if Moe's doesn't tip as much as "Jim's strip club," the cabbie or even the taxi starter at the casino will tell you Moe's is closed, Moe's is a bad joint or something similar, and will then recommend Jim's strip club as the best place to be. BTW, the tip to the cabbie is now around $100 for a group of 4-5 businessmen, so we're talking about some serious kickbacks. -- ---Nonnymus--- TINSTAAFL There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch |
#12
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
You are justified in being a little miffed Tom. That kind of service attitude is
inexcusable. We have never experienced any problems with taxis etc but it has always been just two or three of us. On another note, what kind of scooter does she use and what has been your experience and satisfaction level with it. Not that we need one but the questions about scooters, etc, are becoming more frequent it seems. Cal Ford Lido Deck Cruises In article , Nonnymus says... Cal, I wonder if the taxis will now take people with an electric scooter to the airport, now that tourism is down. To me, it's a sore point that really formed an attitude about NOLA well before the storm. On two separate cruises out of NOLA, my wife was denied a ride to the airport by numerous taxi drivers because they wanted to pack 7 people into their minivan, rather than 6 plus a small electric scooter. On our last and final cruise out of NOLA, we were passed up by at least a dozen cabs before we "tricked" one into stopping by hiding the scooter until after he stopped and began tossing our luggage into the van. The driver then refused to load us, telling me that he'd take us only if we "paid" for the scooter as another passenger. He even began removing our luggage. Before he could drive away and get others, several strangers who overheard the exchange literally blocked the cab with their luggage until he agreed to "just" take the 6 of us and the scooter. Trust me, the bas*ard never got a tip and strong letters followed to both the convention bureau and cab regulatory agency. Nobody bothered to even reply. Now that they want business, perhaps they'll work on the image their taxi system gives tourists who have a handicap. Nonny Cal Ford wrote: For your information, we will be in NOLA for part of Jazzfest and we are bringing a small group with us. Looking forward to a fantastic experience. In addition we are thinking seriously about promoting a tour to the 2007 "Voice of the Wetlands" festival over in Houma next October. Lastly, depending on what the Cruise Lines do we have a good prospect of a large family reunion cruise of of NOLA for mid 2008 sometime. My pitch is that is an ideal combination of travel distance and activities fior this scattered family with few similar interests. Cal Ford Lido Deck Cruises In article .com, RevDon says... Pariotourism in New Orleans As you make your vacation plans for this year, please consider coming to New Orleans. Many of the local businesses, restaurants and hotels are up and running, but due to a generally negative national media image, many are struggling to stay open. You can help reverse this catastrophic trend by coming to New Orleans. Now. It has never been easier to get a table at one of our famous world- class restaurants, or find a great deal on a room at one of our historic hotels or B&B's. Come explore the storied plantations, take a swamp tour and hear some of the greatest music on he planet. New Orleans is also proud to be the port of embarkation for three cruise ship lines. The Norwegian Sun, Carnival Fantasy and Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas are home ported here, with the Princess line right behind them, and what better city could you begin and end a cruise from? Add a few days on either end of your trip to take in the history and culture of one of the world's most romantic cities. A great place to start planning your trip is the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (http://www.neworleanscvb.com/ index.cfm). Request a Visitor's Guide, plan your itinerary, or even register to win a ride on a Mardi Gras float! Be sure to check out the events calendar to coincide your trip with one of our famous festivals. And if you have a big heart and a lot of ambition, check out the Voluntourism page. I'll be frank; many of us are fighting for our lives a second time. First we were inundated by the ineptitude of The Army Corps of Engineers, and many of us feel we were abandoned by our government. You're all we've got left. We need you, the people, to come to our rescue. In order to rescue us, you'll be required to eat, drink, dance, sing and generally pass a good time. You'll be asked to endure the hospitality and friendliness of a city famous for both. It will be expected of you, after sacrificing your hard earned dollars, to continue your patriotic duty by becoming ambassadors and preaching the Gospel of New Orleans to your fellow citizens. The Crescent City has risen! But you are its savior. We look forward to seeing you. Don't be afraid to ask for directions, how to pronounce Tchoupitoulas, or which stage to go to at Jazz Fest. We'll be more than happy to oblige, and we'll thank you for coming, friend. Rev. Donald C. Bohn www.RomanceinNewOrleans.com |
#13
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
We have an Amigo 3-wheeler and have been reasonably happy with it.
Tobie and Barb can sure jump into this discussion as well, since they have two scooters. The name brand isn't as important to me as these key issues: 1) We have a minivan at home and I load the scooter fully assembled into the van myself. Therefore, i look for an aluminum frame and as light an overall weight as possible. We could use a lift or a tailgate-type of carrier like Tobie, but I find it so convenient and quick to just pick the scooter up and toss it into the van. That is even more critical with a taxi, since we don't require a handicapped hauler for the scooter. If need be, I can remove the seat and fold down the handles so it fits entirely into even the trunk of most autos. Ermalee sure will remember getting TWO scooters into a London Taxi on several occasions. Grin I sure don't want to be stuck with something I can't maneuver myself or that requires special lifts or taxis to haul it. 2) I want a scooter that has at least 2" of ground clearance. This makes going onto and off the ships a snap, since you don't get high centered as often. The most portable scooters with NiCd batteries simply don't have that luxury. 3) I would never get a scooter with wet cell batteries. The scooter cannot travel intact on a plane with wet cell batteries, Where our gel cell batteries or the ultraportable scooters with NiCd batteries don't require that the batteries be removed, the bigger wet cell batteries have to be removed and packaged in spill-proof containers. We just drive the scooter to the gate and they put it in the belly of the plane. When we arrive somewhere, it's there and ready to go when we deplane. 4) I want batteries that can be disconnected easily. (see #3 above) Some airlines require that while a gel cell or NiCd battery might not have to be removed and packaged for air travel, most require that the battery be disconnected electrically. Our scooter's batteries plug into the scooter itself and are easily disconnected. Others can even just be lifted out and reversed to eliminate an electrical connection. 5) We sacrifice a suspension in exchange for a lighter and more portable scooter. If a scooter is to be used exclusively on long runs and especially over cobblestones or broken concrete, springs or a "springy" rump are nice. grin 6) I have a tool kit that's strapped to the inside of the scooter. . . an man oh man have I used it in hotel rooms and airports in the past. The tool kit has just the specific sizes of Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and open end wrenches for the fasteners on the scooter, 7) Buy as inexpensive as possible and be prepared for the scooter to get dinged, rubbed, scratched, banged and generally mistreated on the airplane. I honestly recommend looking at the ultraportable ones at Sam's Club and The Scooter Store, avoiding the "medical" ones sold by home care pharmacies and like. Nonny Cal Ford wrote: You are justified in being a little miffed Tom. That kind of service attitude is inexcusable. We have never experienced any problems with taxis etc but it has always been just two or three of us. On another note, what kind of scooter does she use and what has been your experience and satisfaction level with it. Not that we need one but the questions about scooters, etc, are becoming more frequent it seems. Cal Ford Lido Deck Cruises In article , Nonnymus says... Cal, I wonder if the taxis will now take people with an electric scooter to the airport, now that tourism is down. To me, it's a sore point that really formed an attitude about NOLA well before the storm. On two separate cruises out of NOLA, my wife was denied a ride to the airport by numerous taxi drivers because they wanted to pack 7 people into their minivan, rather than 6 plus a small electric scooter. On our last and final cruise out of NOLA, we were passed up by at least a dozen cabs before we "tricked" one into stopping by hiding the scooter until after he stopped and began tossing our luggage into the van. The driver then refused to load us, telling me that he'd take us only if we "paid" for the scooter as another passenger. He even began removing our luggage. Before he could drive away and get others, several strangers who overheard the exchange literally blocked the cab with their luggage until he agreed to "just" take the 6 of us and the scooter. Trust me, the bas*ard never got a tip and strong letters followed to both the convention bureau and cab regulatory agency. Nobody bothered to even reply. Now that they want business, perhaps they'll work on the image their taxi system gives tourists who have a handicap. Nonny Cal Ford wrote: For your information, we will be in NOLA for part of Jazzfest and we are bringing a small group with us. Looking forward to a fantastic experience. In addition we are thinking seriously about promoting a tour to the 2007 "Voice of the Wetlands" festival over in Houma next October. Lastly, depending on what the Cruise Lines do we have a good prospect of a large family reunion cruise of of NOLA for mid 2008 sometime. My pitch is that is an ideal combination of travel distance and activities fior this scattered family with few similar interests. Cal Ford Lido Deck Cruises In article .com, RevDon says... Pariotourism in New Orleans As you make your vacation plans for this year, please consider coming to New Orleans. Many of the local businesses, restaurants and hotels are up and running, but due to a generally negative national media image, many are struggling to stay open. You can help reverse this catastrophic trend by coming to New Orleans. Now. It has never been easier to get a table at one of our famous world- class restaurants, or find a great deal on a room at one of our historic hotels or B&B's. Come explore the storied plantations, take a swamp tour and hear some of the greatest music on he planet. New Orleans is also proud to be the port of embarkation for three cruise ship lines. The Norwegian Sun, Carnival Fantasy and Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas are home ported here, with the Princess line right behind them, and what better city could you begin and end a cruise from? Add a few days on either end of your trip to take in the history and culture of one of the world's most romantic cities. A great place to start planning your trip is the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (http://www.neworleanscvb.com/ index.cfm). Request a Visitor's Guide, plan your itinerary, or even register to win a ride on a Mardi Gras float! Be sure to check out the events calendar to coincide your trip with one of our famous festivals. And if you have a big heart and a lot of ambition, check out the Voluntourism page. I'll be frank; many of us are fighting for our lives a second time. First we were inundated by the ineptitude of The Army Corps of Engineers, and many of us feel we were abandoned by our government. You're all we've got left. We need you, the people, to come to our rescue. In order to rescue us, you'll be required to eat, drink, dance, sing and generally pass a good time. You'll be asked to endure the hospitality and friendliness of a city famous for both. It will be expected of you, after sacrificing your hard earned dollars, to continue your patriotic duty by becoming ambassadors and preaching the Gospel of New Orleans to your fellow citizens. The Crescent City has risen! But you are its savior. We look forward to seeing you. Don't be afraid to ask for directions, how to pronounce Tchoupitoulas, or which stage to go to at Jazz Fest. We'll be more than happy to oblige, and we'll thank you for coming, friend. Rev. Donald C. Bohn www.RomanceinNewOrleans.com -- ---Nonnymus--- TINSTAAFL There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch |
#14
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
Nonnymus wrote:
We have an Amigo 3-wheeler and have been reasonably happy with it. Tobie and Barb can sure jump into this discussion as well, since they have two scooters. The name brand isn't as important to me as these key issues: 1) We have a minivan at home and I load the scooter fully assembled into the van myself. Therefore, i look for an aluminum frame and as light an overall weight as possible. We could use a lift or a tailgate-type of carrier like Tobie, but I find it so convenient and quick to just pick the scooter up and toss it into the van. That is even more critical with a taxi, since we don't require a handicapped hauler for the scooter. If need be, I can remove the seat and fold down the handles so it fits entirely into even the trunk of most autos. Ermalee sure will remember getting TWO scooters into a London Taxi on several occasions. Grin I sure don't want to be stuck with something I can't maneuver myself or that requires special lifts or taxis to haul it. Yes, I do remember. Those London taxis not only carried the two scooters, but 4 passengers as well. 2) I want a scooter that has at least 2" of ground clearance. This makes going onto and off the ships a snap, since you don't get high centered as often. The most portable scooters with NiCd batteries simply don't have that luxury. 3) I would never get a scooter with wet cell batteries. The scooter cannot travel intact on a plane with wet cell batteries, Where our gel cell batteries or the ultraportable scooters with NiCd batteries don't require that the batteries be removed, the bigger wet cell batteries have to be removed and packaged in spill-proof containers. We just drive the scooter to the gate and they put it in the belly of the plane. When we arrive somewhere, it's there and ready to go when we deplane. 4) I want batteries that can be disconnected easily. (see #3 above) Some airlines require that while a gel cell or NiCd battery might not have to be removed and packaged for air travel, most require that the battery be disconnected electrically. Our scooter's batteries plug into the scooter itself and are easily disconnected. Others can even just be lifted out and reversed to eliminate an electrical connection. 5) We sacrifice a suspension in exchange for a lighter and more portable scooter. If a scooter is to be used exclusively on long runs and especially over cobblestones or broken concrete, springs or a "springy" rump are nice. grin 6) I have a tool kit that's strapped to the inside of the scooter. . . an man oh man have I used it in hotel rooms and airports in the past. The tool kit has just the specific sizes of Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and open end wrenches for the fasteners on the scooter, 7) Buy as inexpensive as possible and be prepared for the scooter to get dinged, rubbed, scratched, banged and generally mistreated on the airplane. I honestly recommend looking at the ultraportable ones at Sam's Club and The Scooter Store, avoiding the "medical" ones sold by home care pharmacies and like. I hear there's a pretty good one at Pep Boys for around 500 dollars. Ermalee Nonny Cal Ford wrote: You are justified in being a little miffed Tom. That kind of service attitude is inexcusable. We have never experienced any problems with taxis etc but it has always been just two or three of us. On another note, what kind of scooter does she use and what has been your experience and satisfaction level with it. Not that we need one but the questions about scooters, etc, are becoming more frequent it seems. Cal Ford Lido Deck Cruises |
#15
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
Nonnymus wrote:
Kurt Ullman wrote: In article , Nonnymus wrote: The driver then refused to load us, telling me that he'd take us only if we "paid" for the scooter as another passenger. He even began removing our luggage. Before he could drive away and get others, several strangers who overheard the exchange literally blocked the cab with their luggage until he agreed to "just" take the 6 of us and the scooter. Trust me, the bas*ard never got a tip and strong letters followed to both the convention bureau and cab regulatory agency. Nobody bothered to even reply. Now that they want business, perhaps they'll work on the image their taxi system gives tourists who have a handicap. Nonny I'd have immediately gone looking for a good American with Disabilities Act lawyer to take on the driver, cab company and city regulatory authority. Might still if I have the letters. It was because of no supervision of the cabbies, a generally bad attitude and a fee structure where they got paid by the person between the pier and airport. They could knock down another $15 (as I recall) by stuffing another person into the minivan instead of a scooter. My son and I actually loaded the scooter- the driver wouldn't do anything. Remember, this happened after two separate cruises and it was not just an isolated incident with a rogue cabbie. No city is perfect. In Las Vegas there is always the issue of a cabbie long hauling visitors by taking the tunnel under the airport, then circling around to a nearby casino hotel, rather than taking surface streets. This runs up the meter. However, the airport and all casinos have cab starters who regulate the loading of passengers. We also have a fee structure by the mile, so the cabbie is fairly indifferent in how many ride at a time. A lot of places in the Caribbean the price is by location per passenger so naturally they want to wait and get a full load before they start off. In visiting Las Vegas, however, our really bad cabbie and particularly limo driver act is redirecting folks who want to take a cab to a strip club. The strip clubs compete for business by secretly tipping the cabbie or limo driver after he drops people off. He then splits the tip with the starter/bellman when he returns to the cab line at a casino. Should you ask to go to, "Moe's club," and if Moe's doesn't tip as much as "Jim's strip club," the cabbie or even the taxi starter at the casino will tell you Moe's is closed, Moe's is a bad joint or something similar, and will then recommend Jim's strip club as the best place to be. BTW, the tip to the cabbie is now around $100 for a group of 4-5 businessmen, so we're talking about some serious kickbacks. When we flew into Barbados, we wanted to go to the east coast and the driver didn't want to take us there because he felt that his nice new cab would get dirty or there would be potholes in the road or something. And the dispatcher at the airport told him in no uncertain terms that he had to take us. He grumbled all the way there, and I think he jacked up the price a little. In Baltimore, we could ride TO the airport cheaper than we could ride FROM the airport, and only certain taxis were allowed to pick up at the airport. So while a non-airport taxi could take you to the airport, they couldn't get a fare from the airport. So we used to call the local cab to come and get us and pick us up at the departure area instead of the arrivals area. |
#16
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The Crescent City is Dying and No One Gives a Damn!
Nonnymus wrote: We have an Amigo 3-wheeler and have been reasonably happy with it. Tobie and Barb can sure jump into this discussion as well, since they have two scooters. The name brand isn't as important to me as these key issues: I'll be glad to add my comments. We have a Rascal scooter, with an electric lift on our car for normal use at home. We had taken it on cruises a number of times, but it was a large pain because it is so heavy. About two years ago we invested in a "Golden - Buzz Around". This is a much smaller, and lighter scooter, which we use for travelling. 1) We have a minivan at home and I load the scooter fully assembled into the van myself. Therefore, i look for an aluminum frame and as light an overall weight as possible. We could use a lift or a tailgate-type of carrier like Tobie, but I find it so convenient and quick to just pick the scooter up and toss it into the van. That is even more critical with a taxi, since we don't require a handicapped hauler for the scooter. If need be, I can remove the seat and fold down the handles so it fits entirely into even the trunk of most autos. Ermalee sure will remember getting TWO scooters into a London Taxi on several occasions. Grin I sure don't want to be stuck with something I can't maneuver myself or that requires special lifts or taxis to haul it. When we rent a car these days, we can get away with a mid-sized rental because the scooter will fit in the trunk, along with a small bag or two, and the large suitcases go in the back seat. When we traveled with the large scooter we needed a SUV in order to get the scooter and luggage in. 2) I want a scooter that has at least 2" of ground clearance. This makes going onto and off the ships a snap, since you don't get high centered as often. The most portable scooters with NiCd batteries simply don't have that luxury. That's the biggest problem with the small scooter, it sometimes hangs up even on thresholds on the ships. 3) I would never get a scooter with wet cell batteries. The scooter cannot travel intact on a plane with wet cell batteries, Where our gel cell batteries or the ultraportable scooters with NiCd batteries don't require that the batteries be removed, the bigger wet cell batteries have to be removed and packaged in spill-proof containers. We just drive the scooter to the gate and they put it in the belly of the plane. When we arrive somewhere, it's there and ready to go when we deplane. 4) I want batteries that can be disconnected easily. (see #3 above) Some airlines require that while a gel cell or NiCd battery might not have to be removed and packaged for air travel, most require that the battery be disconnected electrically. Our scooter's batteries plug into the scooter itself and are easily disconnected. Others can even just be lifted out and reversed to eliminate an electrical connection. The battery pack and charger on the "Buzz Around" easily unplug and can be removed for charging in case the scooter needs to remain in the hall if we can't get a HA cabin. If there is room in the cabin this small scooter actually will go in the door of a regular cabin (total width, 21"). It can be dis-assembled if necessary with the heaviest part weighing only 39 pounds. 5) We sacrifice a suspension in exchange for a lighter and more portable scooter. If a scooter is to be used exclusively on long runs and especially over cobblestones or broken concrete, springs or a "springy" rump are nice. grin Barb's large scooter has bigger wheels and springs, so it's much more comfortable for her for shopping, etc. 6) I have a tool kit that's strapped to the inside of the scooter. . . an man oh man have I used it in hotel rooms and airports in the past. The tool kit has just the specific sizes of Allen wrenches, screwdrivers and open end wrenches for the fasteners on the scooter. Good idea. Another thing to consider carrying is a small aerosol electric contact cleaner. We have had intermittent power problems at times, and I found that cleaning the contacts usually solves that. 7) Buy as inexpensive as possible and be prepared for the scooter to get dinged, rubbed, scratched, banged and generally mistreated on the airplane. I honestly recommend looking at the ultraportable ones at Sam's Club and The Scooter Store, avoiding the "medical" ones sold by home care pharmacies and like. Nonny We checked out the one at Pep Boys for Erm when we were in Florida. It has a little better ground clearance than our small one, and the battery charger comes as a separate unit. Not a bad idea, just don't forget to take it along with you. When we got off the Carnival Spirit in Honolulu we needed to go to the airport to pick up our rental car and the *&^$%#$ cab driver charged us extra for the scooter too, even though I loaded and removed it myself. He also charged extra for what he called excessively large bags (which I also handled for the most part). I had planned to report him to the ADA, but sometimes you just let these things slip. No sense in staying angry. BTW, he got NO tip too. Tobieon an Island in the Pacific |
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