Disabled pedestrians forced to wear “signs” identifying them
Red May 30th, 2009 6 Comments
Horrifying news coming out of Indonesia. From the NZ Herald:
New traffic laws passed in Indonesia require disabled pedestrians to wear signs identifying them as handicapped.
AFP reports that amendments to local Traffic and Transport Law says “handicapped pedestrians must wear special and clear signs which can be easily recognised by other road users.”
Politician Ahman Muqowam told the news agency that the laws were designed to protect disabled people.
“This is a humanistic act. It’s for their safety on the streets,” he told AFP.
What are your feelings on this?
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Difficult to know what to think–this is only half a story. It doesn’t tell me what the streets are like in Indonesia (though it does make it sound as if people and cars share the same space) or which “disabled pedestrians” are affected. IF we’re talking about little roads where cars are infrequent and people need to get out of the way when they do come along, then I suppose I can see a case made for “protecting” people who cannot see or hear a car coming from being run over by a driver who doesn’t realise. A white cane, after all, is designed to be a visible symbol to sighted people, and we don’t hear many objections to that–though of course people with visual impairments aren’t required by law to use white canes. This is another example of the dire state of journalism these days, IMHO; some overseas agency has done this tiny little stub of an article and our Herald has reprinted it without bothering to flesh it out.
I am not sure if the blind and vision impaired in Indonesia have white canes!.
What next, soon they will be requiring us to yell "I am Disabled" as we walk the streets.
that does suck… but seriously crossing a road in indonesia is dangerous as.. even for the non disabled.
No, Cassi. Some disabled people are mute.
LOL.
Have you guys ever seen the roads in Indonesia? Crazy drivers and nobody slows down or stops for pedestrians. My slow speed is stopped, normal speed is slow walk and my fast speed is normal walk speed but my arms just move more. Even crossing the streets in Auckland I have to be particularly careful to leave myself time and sometimes have to wait for a long time for a break in traffic. Occasionally I have been crossing and a person has pulled out of a side street and speed up because they think I am playing chicken with them, I have to do some "special" body language and accentuate my limp so they will realise I can't get out of their way. As for the vests, they could be good or bad and people could perhaps start collecting the vests as some sort of war trophy. Seriously though, it could perhaps make some drivers aware in advance that the person who just stepped out may not be able to dive out of their way like the average Indonesian. As for me, I'm not wearing a "gimp suit" of any description out in public Thanks. I'd prefer to take my chances than endure the inevitable taunts from 18 year old morons driving past.
We can't change the world. Where I live, mopeds are taking over. They are causing many injuries to pedestrians. The government doesn't want to controle or eleminate most of illegal mopeds for iconomical reasons of the poor. Nobody heared of the handicapped in my country. Governments run the show as pleased; Love it, or leave it! I am an author of Defensive Driving subjects, I find difficulties quoting public-safety regulations, so I invent them because I can't use other countries' rules. I am tormented with the unwritten general rule, which states: We can't see individuals for the sake of the country.
Mohssen
I’m reminded of a certain Star of David law……