[blindza] IOL article: blackouts a danger to the blind
- From: "Jacob Kruger" <jacobk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "BlindZA" <blindza@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:34:51 +0200
Here's alink to the actual article, but FWIW, that URL they have at the bottom which is supposed to be the one for the league of friends of the blind seems to actually just be some or other marketing thing:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=79&art_id=vn20080413080631785C238588&newslett=1&em=169772a6a20080413ah Apart from that, the main text portion of the article is below. Stay well Jacob Kruger Blind Biker Skype: BlindZA '...Fate had broken his body, but not his spirit...' ---article text--- Blackouts a danger to the blind April 13 2008 at 11:24AM By Bronwynne JoosteWhen Eskom cuts our power blind people are not left groping around for candles - but loadshedding is creating a stream of problems for them.
Heidi Volkwijn and Philip Bam of The League of the Friends of the Blind in Grassy Park said the most dangerous problem was that during a power cut traffic lights no longer beeped to tell blind people the light was red.
These signals let blind people know when it is safe to cross the road.
Volkwijn added that since the first of load shedding, the signals had
remained faulty, even when the electricity came back on.
In the home there were more dangers. People could cook on gas, but Volkwijn warned that lighting gas with matches was tricky for the blind.
Even in the workplace, Bam said, blind people were being forced to step back. Partially-sighted people were dependent on good lighting.
"They need different intensities of light, whether it's bright lighting or low lighting, to use their residual vision. But when the lights go out, there's little they can do."
Volkwijn said many partially sighted people were employed in administrative positions, dealing with filing, faxing and scanning.
Even in her own job as the organisation's public relations officer, Volkwijn struggled to be productive during blackouts.
"We need the speech output on a computer to do any kind of work or research. And blind people have walked a long road to have this kind of access."
Lofob is one of Cape Town's leading pro-blind organisations. To celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, it is encouraging people to participate in its Blind Buddy project.
It is calling on sighted people to wear a blindfold, dark glasses or put the lights off for the day, with the aim of trying to understand the challenges facing blind people.
"We don't want people to have sympathy, but rather empathy. People will never fully understand what it's like to be blind, but they can begin to get a better picture of the position they find themselves in," said Volkwijn.
Bam argued that infrastructure should suit those most disabled. For example, many lifts were not blind-friendly because they did not have braille on the floor buttons.
Volkwijn raised the subject of kettles.
"With the plastic kettles, you will not burn yourself if you touch the
appliance. But with stainless steel, you can burn yourself really badly.
People need to start developing safer appliances for the blind."
a.. Those wanting to participate in Blind Buddy day, May 30, can purchase stickers from Lofob or visit its website www.lofob.co.za
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