Wheelie Bins

Battle of the Bins
By Alan Bruce

If the weather is nice I like to take a trip to my local post office on a fortnightly basis. I must admit I’m a fair-weather person because there’s nothing worse than sitting around getting wet in my power chair - knowing the amount of trouble involved getting me changed and dry afterwards.

My wife likes to take our little pug for walks when time allows and so I also get to go for a “walk” with her, this is also a fair weather event. So I exit the drive turn onto the pavement and immediately I see a least 3 cars parked down the road on the pavement and clearly blocking any access to my path.I know the road is narrow but I really can’t see why the pavement should be used instead of parking in the road. Local Transport Minister Norman Baker Said. "Parking on the pavement can be selfish and dangerous, putting pedestrians - especially those with disabilities or using pushchairs - in danger.

If a vehicle is blocking the pavement then people often have no choice but to walk in the road where they are at much greater risk of being involved in an accident.”

I totally agree with his statement, although I do realize that sometimes ‘pavement parking’ simply can’t be helped, but generally there is no real need for it.

As my journey begins I use the dropped curbside to cross the road to the opposite side while avoiding the cars parked on the pavement. Luckily there are driveways along most of the road which accommodate me. I arrive at the end of my road and, having done this trip many times, I have my easiest route ahead well planed.

On this particular trip I forgot that it was Tuesday and that the refuge men had done their round, leaving the bins all along the pavement, not in drive ways, and not against the wall, but just discarded wherever they drop them after emptying. I have to maneuver, like a dodgem car moving in and out of the chicane of large empty bins - one handed and pushing them out of my way along the entire route.

When I get to the end of my road I have to cross a very busy road again, but guess what! no drop curb to help me this time and I resort to the driveways that almost match my crossing path back into the chicane of bins onto the next driveway while crossing the side road -still with no drop curbs to help. This route involves 4 roads to cross and just so I can get to the post office.

I could change my day for the post office, but why should I?, and besides - I can’t change the lack of drop curbs or the parked cars or vans who’s owners obviously think that parking on pavement helps the traffic flow and therefore is more important than a wheelchair users safe keeping.

I feel very vulnerable riding along the road with all the traffic around, however, I like to get out, in fact I have to get out of the house when possible for practical reasons, apart from the fact that I also enjoy the banter with the staff at the post office and saying hello to people I meet along the journey. I almost feel “normal” when I am able to escape the confines of my house but the experience is spoilt when I know I have to face the same road dangers and obstacles on the homeward journey.

I sometimes feel like I am a contestant in an obstacle game show.

So, if you are a driver of a vehicle, please spare a thought for the unseen pedestrian using the pavement in a wheelchair.