On the Streets Without Vision

Trust me when I tell you that this is one of the scariest things for me.  When I had enough vision to see lights, cars, and persons, it was not too bad but still a bit scary at times.  Now that my vision has been reduced to shadows and light, it is even scarier.

 

Just imagine having to cross busy streets and not always be able to tell when a speeding car is trying to zoom around the corner.  I always cross with parallel traffic; that is, I cross when the cars parallel to me start moving off but so many times there are crazy drivers who try to beat the traffic by either zooming ahead or sneaking into my way. 

 

Then there are the drunk drivers who make matters worse by even being on the streets.  It's bad enough having to deal with them when you have normal sight but think what it is like when you can't even seem them coming at you as you walk along the sidewalk.  Then there are the crazy cyclists to deal with.  Those who do not have any respect for pedestrians and they simply either ride into you or scare you out of your wits.  Ah!  A challenge for me as a blind pedestrian.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and help educate the rest of the world about what it is like to be a blind pedestrian on the streets.  Visit www.afb.org to learn more.