Alan's on the road to getting safer streets

11:30am Friday 21st November 2008

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By Sarah Hilley »

AFTER blind Alan Fletcher walked into the back of a lorry, his faithful guide dog Joy sat extra close, never leaving his side.

He sensed the black labrador blamed herself for the accident, but Joy was not responsible. She had been leading Alan around a car parked on a drive backing on to the road.

There was a B&Q lorry parked on the same side of the road immediately after, which Alan banged into.

Joy must have thought there was enough room to get through.

Alan was left with a 2cm scar above his right eye and needed stitches after the incident in Stratton last year.

“When I was in the ambulance, Joy sat closer to my feet than normal and seemed to be trying to ask me ‘Are you okay?’,” said Alan.

Now the 60-year-old is determined to stop other blind and partially sighted pedestrians getting hurt on the streets.

Alan – who is the chairman of the Swindon and district branch of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association – is hoping to rid the town of dangerous obstacles on pavements.

Overhanging greenery, cars, bikes and wheelie bins on paths all put blind people at risk.

Alan and Joy walk a short route from his home in Stratton to the shop for a paper every day, but even that is rife with dangers.

Guide dogs are taught to go in straight lines and left and right, but aren’t aware of the perils of leading their owners on to the road.

“To avoid obstacles, Joy has to take me on to the road, which is dangerous,” said Alan.

“I want to make people aware of the problems we have. What I am asking is for people to stop parking on the paths.

“People don’t realise how it can affect others. Also, I brushed against a couple of wheelie bins recently and said: ‘sorry’, thinking they were people. The council were leaving wheelie bins all over the pavement.”

He urges garden owners to cut back overgrown shrubbery blocking paths and urges children not to leave bikes on pavements. Swindon Council has helped arrange for shrubbery to be chopped at his request. He is also asking the authority to stay away from introducing dropped kerbs, as guide dogs rely on kerbs for direction.

l THE Cricklade Bloomers are hosting a charity and supper race night to raise money for Guide Dogs for the Blind next Friday. The event will take place in Cricklade Town Hall at 7.30pm.

Contact Bob on 01793 750773 if you would like more information.