Leading a blind person through a human obstacle course.
Been there. Got the (virtual) T-shirt.
I have a good friend and radio colleague who is severely visually impaired. When we do our broadcast together, I collect her from the taxi and walk her up the steps to the arts centre, then down to the radio studio. Afterwards we walk to the bar, and have a companionable beer while doing a post-mortem on the show. These walks are fairly relaxed and straightforward. I tell her when we’re coming to steps, how many there are, and when we’ve reached the top or the bottom.
I now realise how lucky we are - to have very few people around as we walk. Recently we went to an author talk event together, and had to navigate a busy high street. Boy, did I learn how different that is from our usual trips. Like being attacked by a swarm of angry bees.
Despite her holding my arm, and me very clearly leading her because she’s blind, no-one gave a shit. Not one person. We might as well have been invisible. People came at us from every angle - forcing us to try and dodge them, rather than getting any consideration whatsoever. A woman with a pushchair nearly collided with us. A man staring at his phone nearly walked straight into us without apology or acknowledgement. A group of teenagers seemed to actively enjoy making us navigate around them.
I made a point of passively aggressively guiding her round people who were happy to stand solidly in our way and not budge. I made loud comments like ‘we need to walk round this person who’s apparently rooted to the spot’, and ‘excuse me, we’re trying to get past here’ and ‘I’m guiding a blind person, could you possibly move?’ My voice dripping with sarcasm each time.
Did anyone take the hint? Did anyone suddenly realize that maybe they should step aside for someone who clearly couldn’t see them coming? Of course not. They either ignored me completely or gave me a dirty look for daring to suggest they should consider someone other than themselves.
It’s bad enough having to navigate oneself around people looking at phones, standing in doorways, weaving unpredictably across pavements - but having to guide someone who can’t see any of this coming is doubly bad. I’m trying to keep my friend safe while also dodging obstacles she has no way of anticipating. I’m doing a running commentary: ‘person on the left, person on the right, steps ahead, cyclist coming through, woman with a massive handbag swinging at head height’.
It’s exhausting. And infuriating. Because the vast majority of people simply don’t notice, or don’t care, that they’re making the journey more difficult and more dangerous for someone who’s already navigating the world without sight.
Do I need a T-shirt saying ‘leading a blind person - have some fucking consideration’? Because apparently, the fact that my friend is holding my arm, that she’s clearly not looking around, that she’s moving carefully and deliberately in a way that screams ‘I can’t see’ - apparently none of this registers as ‘maybe I should step aside’.
What is it with people? When did basic human consideration become optional? When did it become acceptable to force someone who can’t see to navigate around you instead of taking two steps to the side yourself?
I’ve written before about phone zombies and people who don’t look where they’re going, but at least they’re only affecting me. When you’re inconsiderate to someone who’s visually impaired, you’re actively making their life harder as well. You’re creating unnecessary obstacles in their path. You’re forcing them to take risks they shouldn’t have to take.
The worst part is the complete lack of awareness. Most of these people genuinely didn’t realize they were being inconsiderate. They were just doing their thing - standing in the way, staring at their phones, moving unpredictably - without any thought to the fact that someone else might need them to be aware of their surroundings.
But that’s the state of modern society, isn’t it? Everyone’s in their own bubble, focused entirely on their own needs and desires. Someone who’s blind and needs to hold onto your arm to navigate the street safely? Not their problem. Not their concern. Just another obstacle to be navigated around while they go about their day.
My friend handled it with remarkable patience. She’s clearly used to this level of inconsideration. But I was furious on her behalf. Furious at the selfishness, the lack of awareness, the complete absence of basic human decency.
All it would have taken was for a few people to step aside. To notice that she was blind and help rather than hinder her progress. To show the tiniest bit of consideration for someone who genuinely couldn’t see them coming.
But apparently, that’s too much to ask.
So yes, maybe I do need that T-shirt.
Because clearly, the visual evidence isn’t enough.
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Jonathan is a publisher at Winter & Drew Publishing.
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