Watch out on the roads for visually impaired pedestrians

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, November 6, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Courtesy Photo

Along with a half-dozen others I donned a blindfold, clutched a white-tipped cane and took the arm of my guide. Visionless, we then ventured into one of the crosswalks we were using to get around all four legs of the very busy and noisy intersection of Old 41 and Pine Island Road in North Fort Myers.

Crystal, my guide, herself visually impaired, was also using a white-tipped cane but I knew I was in good hands. Nonetheless, as was the case for all of my fellow blindfolded pedestrians, it was quite harrowing and an informative experience.

This exercise - part of the annual White Cane Awareness Day - was one I’ve took part in a few years ago, yet it was no less stressful or impactful this time. I’ve also participated in a similar undertaking while in a wheelchair, blindfolded and with ear plugs in (not simultaneously), all to experience firsthand what folks with certain significant limitations must deal with on a daily basis simply to get around in the public space.

Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian
advocate and traffic safety professional
who cycles, runs and walks regularly for
transportation, recreation and  fitness.
Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com
and 239-334-6417.

The latter exercise was part of an urban planning conference with the target audience being those who design our infrastructure. Teams of three or four were sent to lunch with instructions to swap positions/disabilities as they made their way around downtown. Most of the teams either got back very late or never even had time to eat lunch because our journeys were so difficult and time-consuming.

Design and construction of what’s on the ground is one thing, but the way we treat each other on our roads and pathways is even more important and is something that has an immediate affect compared to awaiting infrastructure improvements. Realizing that our society is an aging one in terms of the overall number of those over 65 means more of us will have health and cognitive issues that have us moving slower and otherwise compromises our ability to react as efficiently as had once been the case.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, “In less than two decades, the graying of America will be inescapable: Older adults are projected to outnumber kids for the first time in U.S. history.” Add to the mix very young children who don’t always make the best decisions and that equates to a lot of people out and about who are even more vulnerable than the average non-motorist. As we operate our two- to four-ton potential killing machines - otherwise known as our cars and trucks - we should always keep this in mind.

Specific to those with visual impairments, I’m reminded of the lack of awareness among drivers who encounter those with obvious visual impairments each time I teach the bike/pedestrian portion of the High Risk Driver class, a course that’s facilitated by Lee Health’s Trauma Center. When I cover the law that addresses what a driver is required to do when someone with a white-tipped cane or guide dog makes it clear they want to cross a street it’s rare that even one of the court-ordered attendees is aware of the law.

So, for everyone’s sake, here is Florida statute 316.1301(2): “Whenever a pedestrian is crossing, or attempting to cross, a public street or highway, guided by a dog guide or carrying in a raised or extended position a cane or walking stick which is white in color or white-tipped with red, the driver of every vehicle approaching the intersection or place where the pedestrian is attempting to cross shall bring his or her vehicle to a full stop before arriving at such intersection or place of crossing and, before proceeding, shall take such precautions as may be necessary to avoid injuring such pedestrian.” That’s similar to what is required of drivers when a school bus has its red lights flashing.

Bottom line: As drivers we should treat all others we share the public space with as we’d like to be treated and always keep in mind what limitations vulnerable road users may have that could compromise their abilities - even when it’s not as obvious as using a white-tipped cane or wheelchair. And remember that it will likely be you and me who are in that compromised position at some point.
 
To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦



For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.

Memory, cognitive disorders don’t have to end outdoor activities

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 3/28/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Anyone, including those with memory disorders, can benefit from taking a walk in this environment. COURTESY PHOTO

It’s no secret that remaining physically active as we reach our older years is an important aspect of quality of life. Reams of research confirm the physical and cognitive health benefits that result from regular exercise.

For many of us, our own individual experiences can back that up. Rewards are realized even for those dealing with significant health issues — and it may be even more important in such cases — so physicians commonly encourage their patients to continue whatever activities are enjoyable, possible and safe.

While it may be relatively easy to know what activities are enjoyable and possible, determining which are safe is more complicated. Sometimes it’s about staying away from activities that could worsen a specific condition, while in other cases it’s more about unintended or unexpected outcomes.

As memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias affect so many of us as we age, the challenge of remaining physically active after diagnosis is relevant. It’s also a matter I’m personally dealing with on a regular basis, and I thought it worthy of writing about it.

My work in the bike and pedestrian field includes dealing with motorists’ behavior. One direct way I do that is by providing formal driving evaluations for a local driving school. Among those I assess are folks who have been diagnosed with memory disorders and other cognitive conditions.

In the majority of cases my clients are still good-to-go because they are in the early stages of their disorder and have been encouraged by their physician or family to get their baseline for comparison as their condition progresses. An important part of the evaluation is the pre-drive interview, which includes questions and discussion about exercise and recreation. Walking and bicycling are frequently included as activities of choice. It’s always a plus in my mind when someone I’m evaluating is a regular exerciser, and I encourage them to continue doing so. But, like my recommendations related to their driving, it comes with caveats.

Some of the obvious issues to consider for driving with cognitive decline include one’s ability to make quick and accurate decisions, geographic awareness and general wayfinding and remembering one’s destinations. Each of those are just as important — perhaps even more so — for anyone on foot or bike. But there are other elements to consider when the person isn’t protected by the safety features of their motor vehicle.

Getting lost and disoriented is an all too common occurrence for those with memory disorders. When someone is beginning to lose the ability to make sound decisions, crossing the street on foot or by bike is sometimes very difficult. Being unsure about one’s whereabouts may cause them to end up crossing more streets than usual or necessary as they attempt to get back on track. Being disoriented makes things that much more difficult.

Also, when vision, balance and stability are becoming compromised, the probability of a fall increases. Traversing uneven sidewalks or having to walk on the soft shoulder when sidewalks don’t exist can create major challenges. If a fall does occur — whether the person is on foot or riding a bike — even a minor head injury can exacerbate a person’s cognitive decline, as can any incident that requires medical care, particularly if surgery that includes anesthesia becomes necessary.

So, as you can see, sticking to one’s usual exercise routine when cognitive issues are present is tricky. It’s also a moving target since, in most cases, abilities are always declining.

But the rate of change is different for each person, as are the specific abilities and skills involved. And, just as having to stop driving is very difficult for most of us, so too is being relegated to a treadmill or stationary bike for those who enjoy running, walking and bicycling outdoors and on our own terms.

While there’s no room for compromise when it’s time to stop driving, there may be ways to stick to a preferred physical activity for some time after diagnosis.

Here are some suggestions I make to my driving evaluation clients and when I address caregivers.

• Create a specific route within one’s own neighborhood with safe walking conditions. Minimize street crossings.
• Have a partner when venturing out.
• Let others know where you’ll be and when you expect to be back.
• Always carry an ID that explains one’s condition and a cell phone that includes a tracking feature.
• Finally, caregivers and the person with the condition must continually keep an eye out for signs of becoming at-risk for taking a fall, being unable to make appropriate decisions or not being able to find their way when venturing out alone.

For anyone dealing with dementia, it will eventually be necessary to undertake physical activity in a controlled and protected environment, such as the aforementioned treadmill or stationary bike. More information on this topic can be found at Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center, www.alzheimersswfl.org, and the local Alzheimer’s association chapter, www.alz.org/flgulfcoast.¦

- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.

Vision-impaired pedestrians raise awareness in North Fort Myers

Complete streets are about making the streets safe and accessible for all users--including the vision-impaired.  Kudos to the SWFL Council for the Blind for raising awareness in North Fort Myers today, National White Cane Day., and to News-Press for       covering story. 

Oct. 16, 2012  News-Press:  Written by Marisa Kendall

 Joyce Gilbert can’t see oncoming motorists when she tries to cross the street, so she has to trust they will see her and her guide dog.   But they don’t always.

“I was hit three times in my lifetime,” Gilbert said. “And I’m very lucky to be here.”
On Monday — National White Cane Day — Gilbert made sure motorists noticed her. She and about a dozen other blind, partially blind and sighted people spent a few hours walking back and forth across busy North Fort Myers intersections to raise awareness of the dangers faced by visually-impaired pedestrians.

Most used the long, white cane that symbolizes vision loss as they crossed at Business 41 and Bayshore Road, and Business 41 and Pine Island Road.


Gilbert, 79, had both eyes removed after she was hit in the face with a snowball as a teenager. Now, she gets around with help from her labradoodle, Amy. But the guide dog cannot tell her when it is safe to cross the street, so Gilbert has to listen and judge when her path sounds clear.


About 20 years ago, a car ran over Gilbert’s white cane while she was crossing Fowler Street. In 2004, a car backed into her on Whiskey Creek Drive while she was walking with her guide dog. Gilbert injured her hip in that accident, and still walks with a limp. A year later, Gilbert was taken to the hospital with a concussion after a car hit her on Whiskey Creek and Beechwood Trail.


There have been countless other close calls, Gilbert said, especially when she used to cross College Parkway to catch her bus.  “There was a lot of honking of the horns,” she said.



Gilbert’s first husband fell victim to one such accident. He was struck and killed while walking with his white cane in a Minnesota crosswalk more than two decades ago.


As cars whizzed by Monday, Doreen King, of North Fort Myers, looked skeptically at the intersection. With her limited vision, crossing alone would be a daunting task.
“I could not in any way cross that road,” King said, becoming emotional.

King, who lost most of her sight seven years ago because there wasn’t enough blood getting between her optic nerve and brain, can’t see the traffic signals. She listens to judge when it’s safe to cross — but that won’t prevent a car turning right on red from hitting her.

 
Traffic signals that make noise would help, King said. The signals where her group crossed are silent — and some don’t even cycle properly.

King first started the National White Cane Day event three years ago because she was appalled by how many people don’t yield to visually-impaired pedestrians. As a member of the Southwest Florida Council for the Blind, she helps raise money for local, blind students and raise awareness for issues affecting the blind community.


“I just discovered that there are so many people who do not know what a white cane means,” King said.  Florida statute says vehicles must yield to pedestrians with obvious impaired mobility (including pedestrians walking with guide dogs).

Pedestrians with other physical handicaps also came out Monday to support National White Cane Day. Wilma Peterson, who had both her legs amputated, joined the group in her electric scooter. Peterson, 58, of North Fort Myers, was hit by a car and knocked off her scooter in a crosswalk last year.

“It’s like they don’t see you,” Peterson said. “It does scare me sometimes, but (I’ve) got to get over the scare because this is the only way I have of getting around.”

Linda Moody, 51, of North Fort Myers, has her vision but participated with her eyes closed because she wanted to see what being blind is like.

“Your equilibrium’s off when you do that, so you tend to go either left or right when you’re walking straight,” Moody said. “It’s scary.”