[Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

Tue Jan 31 13:17:41 UTC 2012

First, thank you for reminding me of Muzzy. As far as snow, in this case, I must agree with Steve. Not only at bus stops, which sometimes, do get cleared, but at crosswalks as well, which often do not. In addition to the fact that, if using a mobility device, in many areas you can't cross the street, having a two or three foot snow bank to climb over can and does mess up street crossings. Then, looking for the sidewalk on the other side. The frustration is only heighten when some helpful Henry or Henrietta (yes I know they're just trying to help) hollers out their car window to let you know that you're in the street. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 9:50 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

Humberto:

What do you do? You do the same thing that every other pedestrian must do.
You suck it up and power your way through the snow, occasionally falling and cursing and getting back up again and going on. You wear boots perhaps and devices like Yaktracks (I don't like them much). You take soundings through the snow with your cane held vertically. You get your feet wet and curse Mother Nature.

Remember, it's your *eyes* that don't work, not your feet/legs/balance!

Muzzy Marcelino once said that snow was blind man's fog. But remember, he was from the Bay Area so wasn't much used to snow.

Look upon all this as an adventure!

Mike Freeman

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Humberto Avila
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 6:24 PM
To: blindtlk at nfbNet.org; nabs-l at nfbNet.org
Cc: blackburn.minkina at yakimaschools.org; tarinkendrick at msn.com
Subject: [Blindtlk] cleaning up the snow within bus stops

Hello all,

I am running into a problem that has been bothering me to a point where I want to try out my advocacy skills, and I would like to share it with you.

Well. here is the story.  a couple of weeks ago a major winter storm was upon us here in Central Washington State, and it really affected my city, Yakima. We had a snowfall that left about up to 5 inches of snow throughout the city, and the first two days that happened it went nonstop for more than
24 hours. this left people unable to go to work and school for about two days, and public as well as school routes for buses were reduced or limited those days. this storm left me unable to ride the city bus to and from school, making my Dad take me to and from school for the rest of next week.
today that still continued; My dad still drove me to school and back home. 

While the roads and all highways are clean, many sidewalks including sidewalks where there are bus stops and benches are still soaked into so much snow and ice from two weeks ago. And you know what is worse? the people or machines who clean the snow in the mornings or nights deposit all that snow there, leaving the piles and trails of snow into those very places I mentioned, especially at the bus stops. Now in fact, that snow has turned into ice, and the sidewalks with bus stops are even more slippery and hard to walk or step on. 

With all this mess, how is a blind person going to walk to take their desired public transportation? How am I supposed to step on all those mountains of slippery ice waiting for the bus? 
for once, this is driving me crazy and is putting my independence at risk of going down the drain. Like I said, my parent has to drive me to and from, every day, and if this continues to happen, I fear that I will lose practice of traveling on the city bus. 

what it's making things more bothersome is that, quite frankly, I feel embarrassed by my Dad to pick me up at the college, right in front of the main class building, and take me there because, well, about 99.2% of all the college students can DRIVE and do DRIVE their own cars, and I don't know what they think of me when my Dad has to do that. I am very disappointed with them not being able to also clean up the snow and ice from the bus stops and their sidewalks. I am also angry because they don't even think about people, especially blind or disabled, depending on buses to take them everywhere since they have to use those bus stops.

What should I do? Where should I start from in trying to put someone to clear up those paths and sidewalks where there are bus stop so that I can travel safely and independently once again? who should I tell about this?
which authority should know this? 

I wonder how sighted people are getting off and on those buses with all this sleek. I'm sure Ice can try out on those sidewalks and stops, however, it is very cold and I doubt this will happen soon enough for me to ride the bus.
do you have any recommendations for me on this situation? Any ideas?
suggestions? tips?

your help and advice is welcome please. I'm tired of my dad having to drive here and there every morning and spend his gas, and embarrassed that I am one of those very few, or the only one, whose parents take them to college.
I'm sure no college student wants that since we are now adults.

Sincerely,
Humberto
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