The drivers reacted much worse to two people with a white cane trying to cross the street in the center of Liepaja than last year. Was it the fault of the rain or the fact that the drivers did not come across the blind with the cane so often? In Liepāja Blind Society, it is believed that the cane is not very noticeable. But they say that society as a whole has become much more attentive to blind people, reported RUS.lsm.lv. –
… The clock is nine. Gray, rainy morning. The sun has long since risen, but it is twilight. Jūras Street. The white cane campaign took place in a small section from Kūrmājas Avenue to the concert hall “Lielais dzintars” – it is about three hundred meters. Two blind people took part in it – Māris Ceirulis, the head of the Liepāja Blind Association, and Aigars Bušs. Both – with assistants. For every occasion.
Maris raises the white cane, giving a sign – drivers, stop, let the blind cross the road! And… nothing happens. The flow of machines in both directions continues without stopping. Aigars stands on the sidewalk about a hundred meters away, and – the same story. Eventually, however, the drivers notice the blind pedestrians and stop. The blind, touching the road with the ball at the end of the white cane, cross the roadway.
Admittedly, the author of Rus.lsm.lv was a little confused, because a few days ago Māris Ceirulis said that the managers have become much more careful in recent years.
Police patrols stood on both sides of the street section where the action took place. Those who did not pay attention to the white cane were stopped. The author of Rus.lsm.lv came just at the moment when the guys in the police crews ended the conversation with a manager.
“We are trying to do something so that drivers treat people with white sticks with respect. We stand here for twenty minutes, so far those who let the blind across the street and those who do not pay attention are about the same number. There are those who are unhappy that we are being stopped, but there are also those who believe that such actions should be taken. This driver, who had just left, said that the canes simply could not be seen.
But… drivers need to be more careful. A cane is visible nearby.
And as the driver will say – you can see if you follow the road as it should. The penalty for such a violation is 15 to 70 euros, ”Rus.lsm.lv told the youngest inspector Mārtiņš Muižnieks.
At the end of the hour-long campaign, Maris Ceirulis gave the same assessment – about half of the drivers released the blind across the street: “Yes, it is worse than last year. I think today’s weather also played a role. And the white cane itself is not so visible. That is why we want to initiate a change in the international standard – so that the canes are not white but yellow, the same color as the reflective vests, then they would be much better visible. When the current international standard was approved, there were no such colors. “
“Maybe that’s why drivers don’t stop that people with white canes don’t go out on the street so often?” But on the other hand, the blind do not go out on the street because they are afraid. This is how the closed circle comes out. Drivers rarely see us, forget about this point. But the blind are afraid that they will not be released, ”said the other participant of the campaign Aigars Bušs.
The two blind people, who at times were almost deadly or, as they themselves said, stuntmen, do not usually cross the street anywhere, although traffic regulations give them that right. However, around the city with a white cane moves independently. Along the special lines on the sidewalk, which helps to orientate, you get to a traffic light or an unregulated pedestrian crossing and only then cross the road. It is safer.
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“We can’t observe distance – we don’t see! Therefore, the responsibility in this regard lies with the visible. There are blind and partially sighted people who try not to leave home at all. Someone does this with the help of an assistant, now has the opportunity to attract a certain, albeit limited, time. But the third option is to move independently, ”said Māris Ceirulis.
Photo: Lība Mellere ––
He believes that recently people have started to treat the blind much more carefully: “I often hear – do not need help? And depending on the situation, I either thank and refuse, or please Ö show Õ this or that. Society is becoming more and more normal, and people often offer help when they see that they feel insecure. I know that many will not dare to offer help, afraid to offend. But we are not offended by the offer of help, on the contrary! We are happy to tell you what and how we see it. For example, I tell people that sometimes when I cross the street, I look with my ears. Today it was difficult – in one place between the houses on Jūras Street you can hear badly… We also organize seminars, such as last week and last week for Liepaja University students studying to be social workers. We also led master classes – students with blindfolded and walking sticks moved around the Blind Society, they could feel for themselves how we are. After such walks, they really go deeper. Social rehabilitation of the blind is our common thing, ”added the head of the Liepāja Association of the Blind. –
