Excuse me, that's In my way


Windstorm or trimming.
Scooting led me to coin the term 'BS sidewalk' (my friends know I don't abbreviate).  That's where a sidewalk provides disabled access at the entrance and then ends abruptly without warning.  I usually know the BS sidewalks to avoid at home, but often don't when traveling.  I scoot behind Earl, my trusty scout for just that reason.  When I see him turn around with a troubled expression on his face, I know there's an obstruction of some sort ahead.  Most often, I can go over, go around, or plow through.  Occasionally however, I need to turn around if there's room or back up if there's not.
BS sidewalk–LO
BS sidewalk–Maui
Construction stuff
Trash can in walkway
Sometimes, people just don't think about it.  But when they spot a person on a mobility scooter going around their obstruction, they're usually mortified and don't forget again.  For years, bicyclists have dealt with parked vehicles, branches, and trash cans in the biking lane.  It's time people with mobility devices to take their turn.  I suspect that access will get better over time as more baby boomers age and people use that lane to navigate using all types of conveyances. 

Newspapers–really?
It's often not people, but rather Mother Nature, that creates the impediment.  I have learned through trial and error, what depth of rain puddle is a fun lark or a potential hazard.  A fallen twig may look benign until it gets caught in the scooter wheels.  Autumn leaves are beautiful, but can cover the road/walkway.  Before I know it, I'm off the walkway and in the dirt. Shallow gravel is OK; deep gravel is a quagmire.  If wrong and alone, it could be a long day.  Snow and ice?  If I don't have the good sense to stay inside on snowy days, I deserve whatever befalls me.

Markets are fun; crowds are not
It's not, nor should it be, a "disabled" world out there.  The USA is usually very accommodating for persons with impaired mobility.  Despite the blog post that poked fun You've Got Mail post at our local post office, most people, streets, sidewalks, and restaurants keep disabled access on the radar.  Just as a person with a mobility device can bring traffic to a screeching halt, a person with a mobility device posing a question about the location of handicapped access, sends people scrambling for an answer.  It may not be a "disabled" world out there, but it's still pretty good.

The Lesson: Go around it, go over it, and have good backup skills just in case.

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