The Perils of Crossing Streets

Yesterday it was reported on the guide dog users' forum that a blind woman in Ashdod and her guide dog had been hit by a car while crossing a busy intersection. Evidently the woman had been crossing the street when the light changed and had gotten caught in the middle of the road. She and her dog were rtaken to the hospital. Ironically it seems that until some tragedy happens, no one is willing to take action, but the Knesset has ruled that all municipalities and regional authorities have to install beeping stoplights by the end of this year.

Crossing streets with a guide dog is easier from the tandpoint that the dog stops at the curb, but it is up to us, the dog's owner, to command the dog to cross the street. Contrary to what many people belive, the dog does not know when the light turns green. Learning about this incident in Ashdod reminded me of many things we were told NOT to do on the course:

Never listen to a pedestrian coming towards you at an intersection who sets foot on the curb after crossing the road and encourages you to cross ("Geveret, yarok!") They have already crossed the road and if you set out, you are liable to end up in the middle of the road when the light changes to red. The same thing goes for drivers who call out to you from their car. They have no way of knowing how long the light will remain green. I've been accosted by people standing at the corner nudging me to cross and have ignored them. They think I have all the time in the world to waste. Actually, I don't, but I just want to stay safe.

The hospital crossing still continues to rile me to no end. Even if I step into the road and start walking towards the traffic island as soon as I hear the first car start up and start across the intersection or the first car stop next to me, I still can't make it across the road in the 3 seconds the light remains green. It's a scary place. When they finally do install beeping stoplights there, I hope the invite Suki and me to the ribbon-cutting ceremony!