I thought it might be fun to put forward a few New Year's resolutions for well meaning members of the public to consider. You'll understand, given my name, that I tend to favour the dog-endowed, but where I say "guide dog owner" I do of course mean any blind person (but not people with sight problems).

Members of the public, repeat after me:

1. "When a guide dog and its owner walk past me in the street I will not stop and stare." It has just occurred to me that, even though the person can't actually see me, they can nevertheless tell that I am standing stock still, holding my breath, following them with my eyes and following up the charade with, "ahhhh", (albeit in sympathy for them or relief for myself)."

2. "When a guide dog and its owner get on the tube, and there are empty seats further down the carriage, I will think to mention this to the guide dog owner so that they don't have to stand up all journey."

3. "When I am sitting on the tube and a guide dog owner gets on, I won't say "where are you getting off" and then follow up their reply with a grunt. It has just occurred to me that this isn't a particularly conclusive conversation. It has also occurred to me that - if I am a man and the guide dog owner is a woman - it might not be a particularly comforting thing for me to do. Likewise, if the guide dog owner gives me a vague answer like "Oh I'm fine thank you I'm not getting off for a while yet" I won't press it by saying "yes but I asked where you were getting off precisely"."

4. "When I have kindly offered to help a guide dog owner on to a very crowded tube train, found them a seat, or what ever, I won't proceed to bore them with my trivial conversation throughout the rest of their journey. It has occurred to me that, if I helped a non-disabled person, I would merely expect them to say "thank you" and then I would be on my way. There is no reason why, just because the person I have helped is disabled, they should be interested in my job, my hobbies, where I live, and what I had to eat last night. It has also occurred to me that still less do they wish to impart this type of information to me."

5. "and finally, when I see a guide dog sitting up on a tube, I will not fart in its face, drop my newspaper on its head, and then compound my felonies by inflicting my attentions (and thus the smell of my coffee, tobacco and last night's curry staled breath) all over it and its owner - but

6. if the dog wants to introduce itself to me (which it generally does by sticking its snout in my groin, or up my skirt), I will reciprocate with loving affection and suitably complimentary remarks about the dog's appearance, cleverness and behaviour (but without annoying the dog's owner or imparting any details of my own dog's failings in these areas)."