[Nfbmo] Nearly blind St. Charles runner changes route due to neighbor concerns

[Matt Sievert]

As a pedestrian, you should be on the side of the road traveling against the flow of traffic. If a sidewalk is available, you should be on the sidewalk.  Crossing the street at marked crossings if available. 

I walk to and from work everyday at a distance of 1.5 miles through a suburban environment.

I travel wearing a regulation military Physical Training reflective belt as a sash. A blinking red LED bike light on the back and another one on the front shoulder strap of my backpack. I also wear bright jackets and carry a white cane. 

Cars of course still don't yield to me.

So I have resorted to wearing a GoPro Hero 2 personal wide-angle video camera. I then post the more exciting videos on YouTube and send the links to the local police department. Who respond by placing a patrol car in the area to monitor the intersection in the video.

It has worked well. People drive a lot better when a camera is pointed at them.

Not even sighted people should be running down the center of a public street unless the street is being monitored for a special event.

Matt Sievert 
-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Carmack <randycarmack at gmail.com>
Sender: "Nfbmo" <nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org>
Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2012 14:19:12 
To: NFB Listserv<nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Reply-To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfbmo] Nearly blind St. Charles runner changes route due to
	neighbor concerns

Group,

I heard this story on the radio and am shocked of the ignorance of
people in this day and age.  Although a story like this coming out of
St. Charles does not really surprise me.  I believe that the NFB
should do some things in St. Charles towards community education.
Maybe a big group of us could walk down the middle of some of their
busiest streets.  I know, not very feasible, just venting.

I provide the story and link below.

Thanks,
Randy Carmack

http://www.kmov.com/home/Nearly-blind-Missouri-man-compromises-on-route-173110531.html

Nearly blind St. Charles runner changes route due to neighbor concerns

by Associated Press
KMOV.com
Posted on October 8, 2012 at 8:26 AM
Updated today at 12:27 PM

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) -- A nearly blind suburban St. Louis marathon
runner has agreed to tweak his route because neighbors feared
colliding with him.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says that Dennis Atkins, 57, can only see
shadows of objects and differentiate between light and dark.

He used to run down the middle of streets in a St. Charles
subdivision, guiding himself by focusing on black-line expansion
joints.

Now he's agreed to instead stay close to street sides where parking
already was prohibited. He'll focus on where the grass meets the curb.

Atkins also promised to wear bright-colored clothing and to stick to
less traveled streets.

Meanwhile, the city will post a sign or signs alerting drivers to
watch out for a visually impaired person. There's also talk of
reducing the speed limit.

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