[nabs-l] Winter weather travel

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Steve,

I completely agree with you.  The way cities and towns push snow up
against curbs and sidewalks is ridiculous for everyone.

The ice is the worse.  Sheets of ice can be found with a cane, or when
you step on it, you know right away, but when ice covers the piles of
snows, it creates a mountainous type terrain.  When there is no clear
path, I hate having to step over icy snow mounds.

Driveways are a good way to cross streets when sidewalks are not clear.
When I stop by my husband's officeI have to have the bus driver drop me
off in a nearby driveway instead of the usual drop off since the usual
corner is always covered in snow.  Plus, where he works, there are not
true sidewalks.  Through the years, the city has widened the streets
taking away the sidewalks.  When snow covers these sorry excuses for
sidewalks, it is not safe to walk in the street since it is one of the
busiest streets in our area.

True, I have not changed my cane tip in almost 3 months.  Interesting.
I would think they would come off in the snow and ice, but not usually,
for me!  LOL

Bridgit

, Message: 15  
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:36:41 -0600
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Winter weather travel
Message-ID: <auto-000000152955 at mailback3.g2host.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Bridgit,

You have described well many of the things that I do as well.  I think
it is worth mentioning that high mounds of snow 
are not particularly convenient for sighted people, either.  It
sometimes bugs me a little at the extent to which society is 
willing to pay to keep roads clear but not to clear sidewalks, but of
course I do see that there is a difference, too.  
<smile>  We were joking here just the other night how much longer cane
tips last during the winter.  Another think 
worth mentioning is that often there is a nice path cleared from the
sidewalk to the street, but it might not be aimed at 
the street you wish to cross.  People will sometimes just shovel out one
direction.  Therefore, when looking for a way 
to get from the sidewalk to the street or from the street to the
sidewalk, it is worth cheching around the corner to see if 
there is an opening before climging over a large pile of snow.  Also,
one should not overlook driveways as a way to 
get from sidewalk to street if you know a corner has not been shoveled
out.  Frankly, sometimes even if all the 
openings are present and the street is not too busy, it is easier to
walk on the street because they are often cleared 
better than the sidewalk.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson