Category: Let's talk
On radio 4 Tuesday 10th In Touch reported on shared surfaces. Sloping tactile pavements used by the blind and wheelchair users. Certain blind people were complaining vociferously about the danger these slopes pose to them...how much would it take to train the dog to stop as the person becomes aware of the slope, which is gradual and not at all dangerous. It seems to me that blind people at least as far as this lot are concerned, are quite prepared to ignore the rights of other disabled people,in the pursuit of some blind paradise. Couldn't they at least try to adapt to a sighted world
I totally agree, and love your title.
Curb cuts are another example. Down here, at least, they are sloping areas for a wheelchair to get safely into the street. When they first came out, I hated them because I felt that they made it difficult to find the street. It just took getting used to, though, and I have no idea what wheelchair bound people did before curb cuts. Just an example of blind ethnocentrism.
Bob
In a class I am taking, we are discusing the concept of "Universal design". As I understand it, the theory behind it is that if manufacturers take design principles into acount when they develop a product, none of these issues will come up, because everyone will be able to use/have access to everything. I don't think such a thing can exist. I really think it up to the individual to adapt him/herself to the environment where possible. Things like steps and curbs are indeed a problem for people in wheelchairs. In our area, we've become a little more sophisticated in how we make them discernable with cane or feet. Coblestones or other such structures are imbeded in the concrete. Goblin, your point is well-taken.
Lou
I personally like the auditory stop signs they have in some cities in the states. but some blind people hate them. I don't know why I like them because I have a hard time hearing traffic so have difficulty knowing when to cross. Most of the time I can do it. I try to do things with a since of normalcy but what the hell is normal anyway.
I completely agree with what you're saying Goblin. Sometimes though I think that certain members in the blind community complain just for the sake of complaining. I mean when you think about it, if there wasn't a slope in that area then it logically follows, or at least it does to a currently sleep deprived me, that there would have to be a step there instead and lets face it, anybody dangerous enough to themselves that they can find peril in a slope, would surely find something as physically challenging as a step, or worse still a flight of steps, way beyond there limited capabilities!
Now I understand that sometimes there really are things that people need to make a noise about in order to get a change for the better, but this isn't one of them. In fact all this does is make the blind look selfish and ignorant.
Thanks. Dan.
i totally agree with harp, just shows how some people can be so into them self's and not think of others.
Yeah, I agree with all who have posted here. Sometimes people are far too concerned with their own plite to consider others.
Bob would carefully bump down the pavement which for someone with a spinal injury, can be extremely painful. I have asked several blind people in my area and they have agreed that the shared surfaces have to go. When I mentioned what they would replace them with silence prevailed. Jenni Edinburgh has the auditory signals but you would be hard pressed to understand them.
Error. They have complained about the shared surfaces and said they have to go.
Since they're almost always headed to the same locations, maybe the blind and paralyzed can come up with some kind of plan that would work like the carpool idea here in the US, except all the blind would be hitching a ride on the wheelchair; you can call it the wheelpool or something.