Hello,
I know I'm very late with my February post. The truth is I've been quite busy with life and there hasn't been much to write about. So today I thought I'd do a quick post about the snow. Yes it is snowing in the UK in February and March.
I haven't had much experience navigating in the snow. Bit as a visually impaired person I think the sight of snow can be both pretty and petrifying. Here's a few reasons why:
1. Everything is white: yes I know London being covered in snow makes it look pretty and like a winter wonderland. I love that and I have posted a few pics and videos of it myself. But the thing is if the ground is all white then how are you supposed to know where there's a gap on the pavement, when your appoaching a road not a big pathway? It's not easy to know. This makes it quite easy to slip and trip. Oh and let's not forget how snow can mske you have no depth perception. Meaning steps and kurbs can be hard to find. Below are some pictures of the snow:
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| The picture of the ground my brother took to show me how much snow there was. |
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| Image of how the snow in my garden. I can't tell how much there is. All I see is white on the ground |
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| The sight of snow from the window at work on Tuesday |
Maybe I'm over thinking it and it all just takes practice? What do you think?
2. Silence: Aside from the wind everything else is muffled in thee snow. Be it the sound of people walking, or cars coming on the road. I tend to travel independently and listen before I look. By this I mean I use my ears to hear for the sound of approaching vheicles and then my eyes to check if anything is coming. After all it's better to be safe than sorry. You never know when a bike is on its way for a surprise attack. People tend to move slower in the snow, for obvious reasons. No one wants an accident. But this makes the sounds a lot quieter. So imagine what listening for a car is like when you want to cross the road in this weather. It's mostly quiet and then all of a sudden a car comes when you're about to cross. Difficult I know. I don't have a guide-dog but I think the difference in sound can make it tricky for them too?
3. Transport: yes I know transport delays are a pain for us all. You know with the whole waiting in the bitter cold for a train to come. Or even having to get out of bed much earlier just in case the delays mean you're late for work. It's probably like rush hour times 10. Also driving in it must be difficult because you have to de-ice your car every morning, drive slowly and possibly encounter traffic. I've managed to avoid these struggles because it doesn't snow much in the UK. Oh and I haven't been out and about these past few days. But being visually impaired means the process is a lot harder. Because again getting to the station or bus stop itself takes time. With the addition of snow it can be more challenging and time consuming. Not to mention the challenge of moving your long-cane on the white covered ground. So you have to be slower than usual.
These are just my thoughts on travelling in the snow. Like I said I haven't had much experiece navigating in it myself, but these are the problems I have a feeling I could come accross. I know when I enter the real world hibernation isn't an option, so I'll have to face it some day. But for now thanks to my cancelled classes I'll just see the snow from the safety of my own home. For more information check out the RNIB's website
For those of you out in the snow stay safe. Good luck.
Nanjiba
Nanjiba