Deth

One of the things that irritates me the most about being visually impaired and living in Mount Joy is how much keeping sidewalks clear is an afterthought. I understand that sometimes things happen. For example, an electric pole needs to be replaced, and they place the new one next to it.

On Marietta Ave which they just redid the signs are in seemingly random spots on the sidewalk. There are areas where the “No Parking” signs are on the edge, like you’d typically expect. Other signs are directly in the middle. On more than one occasion, I have bumped them, but luckily saw it at the last second. I was able to put my hand up, stop, and just tap the sign.

Walking home from Joy’s in a thunderstorm last night, I went face-first into the edge of a sign. Due to the rain, we were walking fast. At the train station, they apparently installed a sign at the end of the sidewalk in the middle of it. I never even saw it, as it was on my side with the bad eye. Considering the fact that I felt loopy afterward and had a headache the next day, I think I had a concussion. We don’t normally walk there so I didn’t realize it was there.

The sidewalks are poorly maintained in many areas, too. I could understand cutting some slack in the neighborhoods, but there are places on Main Street where I trip regularly due to the sidewalk being pushed up. In front of the baton is one example. Tree branches hang at eye level, too. Let’s not forget the stupid flags that so many places on Main Street have. There are plenty of plces that have seating and signs out in the sidewalk in a way that a person in a wheelchair could have trouble getting through too.