It's a law that is supposed to protect the disabled, designed to help them with a simple task many of us probably take for granted, filling your car with gas. Eyewitness News went undercover to find out if our local gas stations were following the rules.

In order to get a fair perspective on the situation, we went to randomly selected gas stations in some of the busiest areas in town. We went out with two people including a man named Harvey Clowers. You may have seen him in our previous investigation on handicapped parking abuse. We visited four different stations to see who would help the handicap, and who left them waiting.

Armed with only a placard and a horn, Harvey Clowers tries to get the attention one of two clerks working in this ARCO station. And as you just saw his horn does nothing to signal the clerk. In 1979, Clowers had stroke that paralyzed him from the chin down, after years hard work and determination he gained mobility back in his upper body.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, "Gas stations must provide persons with disabilities with refueling service at the self-service price, unless only one employee is on duty." At the ARCO on 24th and F streets there were two attendants on duty, but Clowers was forced to get out of his car, into his wheel chair to look for a call button, but ends up going inside for help. The clerk ends up helping him pump gas but we went inside to ask why he didn't get help in the first place. One clerk inside told Eyewitness News that she wasn't aware of the law. The other clerk says they are trained about the law, but couldn't see Harvey because of a blind spot in the window. More than 20 minutes after we pulled into the station, Clowers gets gas. According to Clowers someone in his situation could wait 30 minutes to get gas.

Next we went to the Circle K near the busy intersection of California and Oak. Clowers pulled up to the pump honks and waves his placard. Within minutes a clerk is outside, taking his credit card and pumping his gas. Clowers was very happy with the service but tells Eyewitness News the quick service at Circle K doesn't happen everywhere. He says not every one is as mobile as he is, some disabled drivers have modifications to their cars because they cannot even use their hands.
Clowers says he believes that modern technology could come up with a better system to signal an attendant inside to assist the disabled.

There are call buttons at some stations, designed to alert staff inside that someone outside needs help. Next, we followed Jeanette Pruett to the Chevron on 24th and I streets. Pruett was paraplegic, and now has limited use of her legs. She says she is able to walk a few steps and stand for a short period of time, but after that she'll fall. To summon help Pruett has to cling to her car to reach the handicap button. At the Chevron Pruett pushed the button several times but no one responded.
We went inside the station to find out why. After the clerk inside tested the button labeled handicap, we found out it was not working. That store clerk, Donita Durham, quickly followed our news crew outside to let us know that what happened here, doesn't reflect the way they treat the disabled. She tells us, "I have a disabled man who comes in here everyday, he pulls up to the door I takes his order from him and I go in and get his soda, toilet paper and then i come out and pump his gas." Durham explains she helps at least three disabled people who come to her store on a regular basis. But what about people who aren't familiar with Durham or her store? She suggests they pull up to the door and honk.

That particular method worked from the pump at another gas station we tried on 36th and Q Streets. The attendant from the Mobil station came out almost immediately and helped Pruett fill up her tank. Shocked by the quick service, Pruett says she'll tell people in the disabled community about this particular station. But Pruett says she believes simple education on the Americans with Disabilities Act can effect change at every gas station.

Eyewitness News called the owner of the Chevron station on 24th and asked about the ineffective handicap buttons. He tells me that they are in the process of fixing it, and they also have information on their doors letting disabled customers know when two people are on duty. I also called owners of the ARCO on F street, they tell me that their location is unique, and that they have already had plans to remodel the station to make the facility more visible both inside and out.