Accessibility is meant to be for everybody, but after some recent negative experiences, a Surrey man is speaking out.
Sheldon Guy, a 黑马磁力 high school basketball coach , certainly misses being able to see.
"I miss colours. I miss seeing people鈥檚 facial expressions. I met my girlfriend, and I don鈥檛 know what she looks like," he said.
"I miss driving in my car with my windows down and listen to my music ... I miss looking at the guide on the TV see what I want to watch. I think instead of getting mad, it鈥檚 more of an education."
That hasn't stopped him from coaching, however, or from touring local schools and other venues to speak about his experience, and how he has transitioned, or pivoted, into a more positive outlook on life.
He also helps others understand how to interact with blind people, as many simply don't know how or what is expected. Guy often posts on his social media accounts about different ways seeing people can help a blind person.
"If you see me on the street, say something 鈥� that goes a long way," Guy said. "I can鈥檛 see your facial expressions. I can鈥檛 see a smile, I can鈥檛 see a wave. Say you're walking on the pier and you鈥檙e going north, and I鈥檓 going south. Say 'Hello! I鈥檓 just on your left.'"
Blind people don't necessarily need people grabbing their arm, unannounced, he noted, but just letting someone who has a cane and is obviously sight-impaired know you're nearby is a huge help, Guy said.
White Rock Pier encounters highlighted struggle
After some recent negative experiences in Surrey, White Rock and throughout the Lower Mainland, he's highlighting the need for better communication with those who cannot see.
"I go down to White Rock 鈥� it was a nice day 鈥� I go for a walk, have lunch and treat myself to fish and chips walking with a friend. And then two guys bump me and they want to fight me because they鈥檙e on the (pier accessibility) mat and I鈥檓 on the mat ... I don鈥檛 wear sunglasses, but I鈥檝e got a stick 鈥� I鈥檓 touching the guide rail of the pier 鈥� do I need to walk around with a flashing sign above my saying I鈥檓 blind? What more do you need, bro?"
Guy said the stranger seemingly wanted to fight him, because he said his friend with autism also needed the accessibility, then a woman told him she needed the mat because she was stressed out.
"I鈥檓 like, 'But do you have to walk on a mat?'" Guy said.
Guy has had some horrible experiences in White Rock, he shared, from being spit on to having his walking cane kicked out of his hands "all the way down to the West Beach parking lot."
"I got spit on at the beach. They walked by and said, 'Hey can you see this (makes a spitting noise) ... and I was just standing there, off to the side on the grass."
In New Westminster, he said, he was beaten up for his backpack a few months ago, and in his own Surrey neighbourhood, he gets called names and racial slurs.
"Why do you think out of 100 people, 25 people that lose their vision commit suicide? This is why 鈥� we鈥檙e not accepted out there. I don鈥檛 feel safe. I鈥檓 not a small dude, I鈥檓 6 feet, I鈥檓 230, I go to the gym, ... but I just don鈥檛 feel safe."
Making change: Advocacy changed airline system
Guy said he focuses on education and awareness about the issue instead.
From Air Canada to Telus to BC Lions, Ticketmaster and BC Hydro, Guy has helped make things easier for sight-impaired people and is now often able to use voice prompts, or a voice-activated system, to book flights and other services, thanks to his advocating for change.
"See something, say something," Guy said. "I called Air Canada and said, 'Listen, I鈥檓 a blind person and I鈥檓 trying to book a flight. I can鈥檛 do it online and your telephone access system 鈥� you don鈥檛 have one.' They flew me out to Montreal and I met with the VP of operations and I showed him on my iPad how difficult it is to do it ... and they changed their voice system. So now, you can call and do voice-activated."
Perhaps more signage is also needed, he suggested.
"They should paint 'accessibility mat,' 'accessibility mat,' every five feet ... right at beginning of the pier there should be a sign saying, 'This mat is prioritized for mobility accessibility needs, please.'"
And it also never hurts to simply be nice.
"Be kind. Be courteous. You don鈥檛 see a lot of blind people out, and that鈥檚 why 鈥� they鈥檙e scared to go out. I鈥檓 scared to go out."
