[guidedogchat] Re: Traffic
- From: Vincent Thacker <vince@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: guidedogchat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 12:33:18 +0100 (CET)
Louise,
The traffic in my city, Leicester, is certainly busy enough. On the mercifully
rare occasions when I've been to London, I've concluded that, much as I dislike
the place, it's no worse for getting around than Leicester is. There's just
more of it, and at least here, although I have the main A6 trunk road one side
of me, if I go in the other direction, there are some safe paths along the
river, and some rather rickety ones along the canal, and there are plenty of
trees and open spaces.
When Guide Dogs started looking at the routes I wanted to cover, they quickly
concluded that I'd need a bomb-proof dog to cope with the traffic. The main
road is often full of lorries, car transporters, emergency vehicles with sirens
and even old bangers, one of which actually went bang a few feet from my dog
one day, and although he jumped, he wasn't put off working. He's emotionally
sensitive, for sure, but not very sensitive to noises.
The nearest corner of the main A6 to me has a betting shop on it, and it's a
notorious place for people turning this way and that without signalling, and
even if someone does signal left, you never know whether they're going left on
to the side road or left to mount the pavement outside the betting shop. I
believe one or two pedestrians have been killed on this corner, and so
generally I'll take a longer but safer route. Further down the road, there is
another junction with filter lanes, which not only confuses me, but seems to
have a maddening effect on the drivers as well, and I just won't go there. If I
really must go to B&Q, I'll take a very long detour to get there. Both these
junctions are supposedly controlled by lights, but for some people, the lights
are just minor inconveniences for other people, not them, and at times you
can't get a clue about what's going on because there never seems to be a time
when the traffic stops and you can cross. I keep to the old adage from the
Highway Code, if in doubt, hold back. This doesn't stop us getting around,
though. I might take some places slowly, but better late in this life than
early in the next.
Junctions have their hazards, but I've had more dodgy moments crossing
side-streets where there are no lights, and it's hard to know what some people
are going to do next, especially after I came across someone reversing into the
main road from one of these. I've been glad that we've done far traffic
training and all that, becuase we've needed it in practice, and I've been glad
that my dog has put the anchors down and disobeyed me when I've tried to cross
at the wrong time.
I first moved here in the 80s, and the difference now is that the traffic
doesn't quieten down at 6pm as it once did. It's thundering along the main
roads 24 hours a day. I've stood outdside my house at 4 in the morning, and
wondered who all those people were and what did they want? There is always a
none-too-distant roar of traffic.
And of course we have our share of pillocks who mess about in all the wrong
places while they gab on their phones, or read the paper while they're driving.
One unexpected hazard is the intentionally helpful person who stops to let us
across. Quite often, there's only one vehicle in the queue, but they stop and
apparently expect us to cross. All I know at the time is that there's a vehicle
with its engine running, and for all I know, it might start moving any second.
Seems some of these drivers have even waved at us to cross, which is a slight
bit daft, now, isn't it. On one occasion, someone told me that it was OK, the
stationary motorist was reading a map. Mind you, with some people, I know
they're quite capable of reading the map while absent-mindedly driving.
We're pretty well provided for pelican crossings and bits of tactile pavement,
but of course, you still need to keep your senses peeled to know what's really
happening. It's not enough to know what should happen!
Vince.
========================================
Message Received: Jan 17 2014, 07:12 AM
From: "Louise Johnson"
To: guidedogchat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:
Subject: [guidedogchat] Re: Traffic
Hi it has been quiet in the last few days.
So I am going to work a question in this email and maybe it will pick up.
The word traffic gave me an idea. Where you use your guide dog are you in a
city with busy streets with lots of traffic? I live in a big city and I
find the traffic very busy and in a hurry to get where they need to get to
and I find that they just want to get there and it doesn't matter who is
around and what is around them.
I find drivers very inconsiderate to what is around them when they are
driving.
So please write or a story about I traffic and what you enjoy when you are
out in it.
I hate right hand turners.
Thanks for posting your stories and I look forward to reading them and I
will post my story when I get a moment.
From Louise and hawk
-----Original Message-----
From: guidedogchat-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:guidedogchat-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf of Nadine Lattimore
Sent: January 16, 2014 8:36 AM
To: guidedogchat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [guidedogchat] Traffic
Has list been very quiet or am I just not receiving?
Nadine Lattimore
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