[nagdu] Walking in new territory

[Cindy Ray]

I used to walk around on a walkless highway with no real shoulder for part
of it. Crossing I nearly got hit several times. I'm just glad Lori has
decided that she is not going to take the love to walk route but, rather the
call a cab or let's go paratransit route.
Cindy


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tami Jarvis via
nagdu
Sent: Monday, August 3, 2015 12:06 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Tami Jarvis <tami at poodlemutt.com>
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Walking in new territory

Lori,

Yikes! That sounds just crazy dangerous, even before you add in the freeway
entrance. Are you walking on the shoulder of the road, or on a trail off to
the side? Even when there's a nice, wide shoulder, I don't like those old
routes and highways and all, since drivers use the shoulders for passing
lanes and who knows what else.

The way I'm picturing what you describe, I'd vote for the call a cab option
if you can manage that. A trainer might be able to look at conditions on the
ground there and give you better feedback. It really doesn't sound
pedestrian friendly, though.

Good luck.

Tami

On 08/02/2015 07:01 PM, Lori Dent via nagdu wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Rick and I were talking about Gipp and me  walking from my grandmother's
house to Wal Mart. When I leave my grandmother's house in her allotment it's
about a four block walk with no sidewalks to get to  the closest main
street, route 43.  When I come out to route 43 there's no safe way to cross
the street.  Traffic from my left is just coming over a hill. I would have
to turn right and walk , with traffic, for about a half mile to get to the
first major intersection  which is route 18.  In fact that's the first
street.
>
> Once  I come up to route 18 and  route 43 it's a light controlled
intersection. I would need to turn left to cross over route 43. Once Gipp
and I cross over route 43 we  will be walking down route 18 against traffic
without any sidewalks for about a mile and a half, maybe 2 miles.
>
> About a quarter mile  before I get to Wal Mart it starts to get
interesting. I first have to cross an exit from interstate 76.  luckily it's
light controlled. A little further on we have an entrance to interstate 76 .
Again light controlled. The last little bit I have to cross  is a business
area that has a bunch of small shops and three or four graveled entrances.
Then I come up  to the entrance to the Wall Mart lot. Then I turn left. Not
one sidewalk the entire time.
>
> Walking back to my grandmother's house from Wal Mart   I will have to walk
with traffic on route 18. Rick explained to me why it would be extremely
unsafe to cross  route 18  and walk against traffic. First it would be
crossing route 18 in front of Wal Mart. Even though there's a light there
are no markings  to cross. But that's not the hard part. About a quarter
mile up I would have to cross an exit from interstate 76 and Mogadore Road.
Traffic coming off of Mogadore Road and I-76 will enter route 18 at about a
45 degree angle.  Traffic moves very fast there, there's no markings to
cross and no light. It's extremely unsafe and Rick said he wouldn't try to
cross it and he's sighted.
>
> Rick says there might be a way to cross. This is going to be hard to
explain so bare with me. I could stay on the exit from I-76 facing traffic,
for about 200 feet. There is a traffic light at that point. It would be very
difficult to work with traffic .  Whether or not traffic from I-76 has a red
light traffic from Mogadore Road is making continuous right hand turns.  The
drivers are watching the I-76 traffic to see if they can beat somebody out.
They never look to the right.
>
> Providing   I can cross  at this light I would walk about 50 feet, with
traffic, so that I can cross at the next light. Traffic coming through this
light is either coming straight from Mogadore Road or making a left turn
from I-76. Turning traffic could be coming down the ramp at least 40 miles
per hour and would not be able to see me until they made the turn  with no
time to stop.
>
> Because of this one area Rick thinks it would be safer to walk home with
traffic.
>
> I've talked to Rick about maybe having a trainer come out and look at this
area  to see what he or she thinks. do you think I should ask for a trainer
to come out or go by what Rick suggested?
>
> Lori and the Gipper
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