I tried calling a local hearing aid shop, the one that I was told would be most likely to have the type of thing I was looking for in stock and not need to order it. You would think a place that sells hearing aids and assistive devices for deaf/hoh people would be receptive to a relay call. What follows shows that this isn't always the case. I was really amazed at how rude he was to the operator, and then he apparently refused to answer the calls I tried to place calling back later via relay. And the message I left was never returned.

This really upset me. I actually started crying over this call. Which seems silly, someone hug up on me, come on, grow up. But, a friend tried to help me understand that this person did more than hang up on me. I started off the conversation appologizing for not being able to use the regular phone with the t-coil, something I shouldn't have to do is defend why I'm calling via relay, with hearing aids or not. I was excited about the idea of this thing I wanted, and when he hung up it was a denial of what I was trying to do. I was crushed, and someone else validated that I had a reason to feel that way.

My question is this. If a hearing customer called and simply asked the person to slow down would they have hung up? And without even a proper ending to the conversation. Would they refuse to even answer that persons calls when they tried to call back?

503 774 3668
RINGING 1...
(M)
(INTRO CALL PLS HLD)
Hearing Resources. this is Jay. (EXPLAINING RELAY) GA

Good morning, this is Julia Case calling, I just recently got my hearing aids and I'm still not used to using the t-coil. I am calling to see if you have a product for using the hearing aids with a cdplayer or ipod Ga.

you can use a neck loop or you can use a silhouette induction coil. in either case,
(to operator: my god, can you put up with what I'm saying Q)
(CALLED PARTY HAS HUNG UP)
(ANOTHER CALL Q GA)

what was that qq

(i was asking the man to speak slowly but I guess, he was not up to it GA)

please call back Ga.

(thank you, redialing)
RINGING 1...

It's been a while since I posted about rudeness on a relay call, but this just had to go in the list.

Ugh! And this is calling to get records from a psychiatric group home that I stayed at for over a year back in 1999/2000.


RINGING 1...
2...
3...
(M)
(INTRO CALL PLS HLD)
(EXPLAINING RELAY)
no no i dont
know who im ttalking to do im not giving
you any damn information let me
put you on speakerphone so my
director can hear
(F)yes yes i have done a
relay call before its for the deaf
right okay who is the caller can you
tell us that
(side conversations and whispering) GA
that was a kind of rude introduction don't you think qq this is julia case calling, I just want a release faxed so I can get my records please GA
--REST OF CONVERSATION CUT---

Isn't it traditional when calling a place of business for them to announce who they are and ask for the identity of who is calling? Not demand it? So many times in a relay call there is this hostility about that. This sort of "Who goes first type of thing" In a normal phone call, doesn't the person being called normally say "Hello" at the very least when answering the phone to let the other person know they at least picked up the phone?

The "I'm not giving you any damn information" is just silly, no information was asked for. We hadn't even gotten to the point of saying hi yet. The operator had simply tried to explain relay for christ sake. Luckily, the director remembers me from the stay there and was able to help with the situation. But, that is rarely the case when things like this happen.

For anyone that tried to leave a message on my incoming relay number ((413)362-0054) I fixed the problem with the messages not being delivered.