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

Mon Oct 8 20:53:48 UTC 2012

My "favorite" part of the article is the part about the community
putting up signs alerting drivers that there is a blind person
running.  If someone put up a sign telling the world to watch out for
a blind person, and they meant me, I would be highly offended.  If
they are serious about these signs, I think some work might need to be
done in that community.

I also don't like the term "nearly blind."  It's unnecessary.  But,
IMO, these articles rarely deal with blindness terms well.

On 10/8/12, Randy Carmack <randycarmack at gmail.com> wrote:
> Plenty of marathon runners run down the middle of quiet neighborhood
> streets.  It is the way that marathon runners run.  I agree, nobody
> should run down the middle of a street but that is not the issue.  I
> think that this community would not have a problem with him running
> down the middle of the street if he was not blind.  I think they are
> too focused on his blindness and not the fact that nobody should run
> down the middle of the street.  They should not just stop this guy
> simply because he is blind.  I know a normal sighted jogger that runs
> down the middle of quiet neighborhood streets in St. Charles and
> nobody has said anything to him.  The issue is, they have targeted
> this guy simply because he is blind.
>
> Thanks,
> Randy Carmack
>
> On Mon, Oct 8, 2012 at 2:51 PM,  <DanFlasar at aol.com> wrote:
>> I'm with the neighbors here.  No one, blind, visually impaired or not,
>> has
>> the right to walk, run, jog or bike down the middle of the street!   It's
>> against the law, simple as that.  I applaud this persons ambition to  run
>> marathons and to maintain fitness but his perceptual deficits do not give
>> him
>> the right to violate traffic laws.
>>     In effect, he is outsourcing his safety to drivers who  now must
>> watch
>> out for someone who may or may not be able to see their car as  they
>> drive
>> along.   Pedestrians may have the right of way but they,  too, have laws
>> regarding their use of the public roadways.
>>     Further, anyone, whatever their ability to see, knows  it's really
>> smart to wear bright-colored,clothing with reflective strips - and
>> lights, if
>> out and about after dark.  There are way too many deaths to  runners and
>> bikers who, even when following all safety and visibility rules, are  hit
>> by
>> distracted, drunk or just plain negligent drivers. To give him  possible
>> credit, perhaps Mr. Atkins tried to find some way to coordinate  his
>> running with
>> the subdivision or police and got nowhere.  As they say,  it's always
>> easier
>> to apologize than to get permission.  I hope he has now  achieved a
>> fuller
>> understanding of the rules of the road and gets in plenty of  miles so
>> that,
>> one day, he becomes the first blind winner of the Boston  Marathon.
>> Dan
>>
>>
>>
>> In a message dated 10/8/2012 2:20:20 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
>> randycarmack at gmail.com writes:
>>
>> 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-1731
>> 10531.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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-- 
Julie McG
 Lindbergh High School class of 2009, National Federation of the Blind
of Missouri recording secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and proud graduate of Guiding Eyes for the Blind

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16