Liberal Democrat
Disability Association

'Control scooter-riding children', pleads visually impaired woman

22 Sep 2011

BLIND and visually-impaired residents are calling on parents to control their scooter-riding children. Armed with her 5ft reflective cane, Lesley "Fred" Power, 40, of Stockton Road, South Park, told the Mirror she was growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of thought from the younger generation.

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  2. ​She told the Mirror: "It's disorientating in places like Priory Park in Reigate. It's bad enough not be able to see what is going on. When you have all this noise from all directions, herds of kids on scooters, and something is hurtling towards you, you can't see it. It's moving too quickly. I've got a 5ft white cane with a little reflective whatsit. Have you seen the amount of digs out of that? That is because I keep walking into things, and I have kids riding into me."

She added there were further problems caused by children leaving their scooters on the ground on pathways and around cafes. "If you have a child, please ask them to put their scooter up out of the way, put their bike out of the way. Just give us the chance to get past," she said.

Joan Ingram, 64, of Hartswood Avenue, Reigate, is blind and relies on her guide dog, Terry, to get around. She said: "There are particular problems around the post office in Woodhatch. Children just drop their scooters. And it's not just the children. Some members of the public haven't got a clue what guide dogs do - I don't let people stroke my dog when he is working - but the parents cannot control their children. I don't use parks like Priory Park on my own. Please, control your children, and don't disturb working guide dogs. The council can only do so much."

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