I captured this image on Sauchiehall Street at its intersection with Renfield Street. Although Sauchiehall is pedestrian friendly, it still requires people to deal with vehicular traffic at intersections. Here, a visually challenged person waits to cross Renfield Street while a sign on the adjacent post states: “Think Before You Step Out.”
This is reminiscent of signage in my hometown, Toronto, where a spate of cycling deaths prompted the ironically named Vision Zero program. The city developed an advertising campaign directed at cyclists to take more care on busy urban streets. It has a lot in common with “blame the victim” rhetoric. It tries to persuade the most vulnerable people on the street that it’s their responsibility to take precautions for their own safety. Meanwhile, infrastructure continues to favour the least vulnerable people on the street i.e. the people driving vehicles.
But when a sign asks a blind person who cannot see the sign to think before they step off the curb, as if thinking has anything to do with it, we note the absurdity of the rhetoric. Drivers have responsibilities too, and maybe those responsibilities should be in proportion to the harm they can do.
Cop26 gives us an opportunity to rethink the role of vehicular traffic, especially in densely populated areas. Maybe we can rethink the rhetoric, too.
