08/11/2023
Poppi and I had a near miss today narrowly avoiding getting hit by a car.
It happened at a roundabout which is problematic. Roundabouts do not give pedestrian right of way, they also assume peopel can stop in the middle of the road. I am unable to identify the middle of the road and nor can Poppi. With roundabouts all through suburban areas they are unavoidable.
Additionally, today was very windy. I use my hearing to cross the road as I have no useful vision and with Charles Bonnet Syndrome run the risk of thinking something is not there when it is. With winds I can not easily hear traffic.
Now we can add in electric cars. These silent vehicles are near impossible for me to detect.
So imagine my horror when I suddenly heard a loud horn and a car breaking at the last second as I was partially in front of it. I screamed truly thinking Poppi was about to be hit and me shortly after.
I get a sense the person would have seen me and chosen not to slow thinking I would stop for them. I was on the far side of the road, not stepping of the gutter. I heard a man yell out to the driver he should watch out and give way to me.
Please know that road crossings are very complex for the blind / vision impaired and slowing down and being more cautious around us is appreciated.
I wish this was an actual crossing as it enters a commuity park however my council as refused to put any crossings in this area so I’m reliant on the forward thinking, empathy and thought of drivers to help me to keep getting out in the community safely.
Thank you.
Picture of Poppi at the roundablout, taken when I had to go back out again and make the same crossing for a medical appointment.