Unnerving Experience for visually impaired Graham from Saffron Walden paper last week!
Graham Routledge’s worrying experience in Saffron Walden last Thursday should be a reminder to the highway authorities and indeed to all who use the roads, that they must at all times consider the needs of the visually impaired. Graham, who’s sight is seriously impaired, has the help of a guide dog, Nevis a Labrador. On Thursday they were walking from Grahams home in Four Acres to the vets surgery in Radwinter Road.
The first problem was something completely obstructing the pavement: Nevis stopped as he is trained to do. When told to ‘find a way’ he led Graham along the side of the road close to the passing traffic. Their next difficulty was that the pedestrian system at Radwinter Road/ Thaxted Road junction was out of order, although it seemed to Graham that the traffic lights were working normally.
He told the Walden Local that he stood at the junction for 10 minutes but was not aware of the pedestrian light changing to green or of the associated sounds designed to help everyone cross the road safely.
“I just stood there and nobody stopped and came to help me. Eventually I took my life in my hands and ventured out into the flow of traffic.” Fortunately they made it to the other side of the road without injury but not before Graham suffered a frustrating and unnerving experience.
#SaffronWalden #Essex #SightLoss #VisuallyImpaired #Awareness
