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

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

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

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

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.

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