Avoidable Falls

For me, falling is like dropping in free fall and trying desperately to recover so I don't fall. While I often joke around that I am really good at falling, this past week I took three tumbles that showed me falling is still scary no matter how good you are at it.

While a lot of my falls are unavoidable due to my vision and balance, a fall this weekend could have been avoided if a mail truck driver would have used common sense and followed ADA regulations about parking. I was walking out a different exit in my apartment building than I normally do and I did not see a step in front of me. There was a mail truck parked in front of the cutout where I would normally exit the curb. Therefore, I did not realize there was a curb in front of me until I was falling down it. 

After I pointed this violation out to my Aunt, she went into a nearby store to tell them about the truck being there. They said to her that they are probably just delivering the mail. My aunt then told them how I fell down the step and the truck should not be parked in front of the cutout. 

When you do not have a physical disability you do not have to think about little things like stepping down a curb. However, please be aware that others do and where you park can mean the difference between someone staying on their feet and being on their bottom. 

Written by 
Sydney Breslow 




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