Legitimate or looney?

From the Boston Herald...

Donald Hayes said he’s bought coffee before by driving his motorized wheelchair up to the drive-up window at a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in the middle of a Weymouth shopping-market parking lot. 

But now, that Dunkin’ store, which has no inside seating and only serves drive-up customers, has told him he can’t use the window anymore and refused him service, citing traffic safety concerns...

A Boston lawyer who specializes in employment and discrimination law said Dunkin’ Donuts better listen to him, based on case law. 

“I think they have a problem,” said Laura Studen, a senior partner at Burns & Levinson. “It’s a public place - and it needs to be accessible.”... 

Weymouth police Chief James Thomas said Dunkin’ Donuts’ safety concerns are valid, according to The Patriot Ledger of Quincy. 

Hayes, who lives about three miles away from the shopping plaza, gets to the Dunkin’ Donuts via an MBTA van, which picks him up at his home. The van won’t go through the drive-up window to fetch coffee on behalf of riders, he said.

The reporter omitted the point that few drive-up-only places will serve people not in a car. So since the shop refuses servers to anyone not in a street-legal vehicle, is it really discrimination? Shouldn't the guy be complaining about the van driver who refuses to allow them to get stuff from the shop?

Is it a legitimate grievance or just some loony crackpot?

Posted by Danny Carlton at January 10, 2007 5:55 AM