Accessibility

Today I was walking on a sidewalk when a guy in a motorized wheelchair passed me going the same direction. As I continued to follow I observed how he slowed to negotiate the uneven sections of the sidewalk where tree roots have heaved the concrete. Obviously he was more practiced at it than the city is attentive at correcting the problems.

We arrived in a construction zone. By then I was several yards behind him. He was making much better time than I was, but he hit a snag. There was a sign ahead blocking the sidewalk stating “Sidewalk Closed”. He could not maneuver around it. Neither could he use the busy street to obviate the obstacle or cross the street safely to get past the construction zone. However, the sidewalk was not the part under repair, but some project to dig out a drainage ditch several feet away from the sidewalk.

I hurried along intent on moving the sign out of his way but before I could get there a guy who was waiting in his car at the intersection stepped out and moved the sign for the other guy to pass. When finally I reached the intersection the guy who moved the sign was just returning to his car. I gave him a thumbs-up.

There are unsung heroes in the world if you bother to look.

#accessibility #heroes #wheelchairs