Day 22

We did this crazy traffic light outside of Wal-mart today. It was actuated (meaning traffic had to trigger it to change) but it also was the road coming out of the store where most people just turned right, and the other direction coming toward us was from a hospital, so not a lot of traffic there either. So we were waiting there for a car to set off the sensor for quite awhile. Once the car was moving (my cue to start my crossing) the light changed right away since it was only one car! I had to cross 5 lanes of traffic in about 10 seconds, and since you are discouraged from running with your cane, I had to walk as fast as I could. Richard Simmons would have been proud.

Listening for invisible traffic.

I knew I had to cross slow because I could hear the 18 wheeler and didn't want to run right into his trailer. After it passed I had to hustle.

Listening for traffic so I can cross back.

Crossing using the Richard Simmons method.

After that we went to practice some rural skills. We found a road kind of off the beaten path and traveled it for awhile. To make sure you are traveling on the side of the road you use the same technique that is used on railroad crossings, "touch and drag". You touch the roadway, then drag the tip of your cane over the side of the road where it meets the dirt to make sure you are not wandering in the middle of the street.
There are not many landmarks, so if I have a consumer that needs rural O&M instruction, I might suggest putting out some landmarks. For instance, if someone needs to get down their driveway and to a mailbox, they could put out some flower boxes or bushes at an area they need to mark.

As I was crossing the street I walked right into my own car. I trailed around it to the back to find the side of the road.

Fire ants. Hard to avoid when you can't see.