There is a "soliloquy" that saves lives

There is a life-saving "soliloquy" March 31 14:16

"Was because to cross" So I turned to Will you muttered to himself? "Ah signal is blue, you can cross the signal with confidence"

visual to post to the failing of the people SNS is, echoed I'm out.

The "soliloquy" you dare to say may save your life.

Why don't you give yourself a little courage without being shy?

(Network News Department Reporter Kayoko Tamaki Yasuyo Mabuchi Yu Suzuki Naoya Saito)

Guide dogs don't know the signal?

The opening post was by Junko Asai (47) from Osaka City.

I had a corneal illness at the age of 30, and then I lost my eyesight.

I have been living with the guide dog Vivid for 5 years.

Even with Vivid's support, he feels uneasy when crossing a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights.

Why.

Junko Asai

"The guide dog stops in front of the pedestrian crossing and tells me. But I don't know the color of the traffic light. I judge whether the traffic light is red or blue."

Dogs have very few color-sensitive eye cells compared to humans, making it difficult to distinguish the color of the signal.

Mr. Asai listens to the signal that makes a sound when crossing a pedestrian crossing, and if not, he relies on the sound of a car, the footsteps of a walking person, and the faint movement of air when a person passes by. I'm judging whether it's red or blue.

The difficulty comes when you cross a pedestrian crossing with a sparse number of people and cars.

It is said that the sound that is the basis of the judgment is reduced and it becomes difficult to feel the movement of the air, so it makes me uneasy as to whether I can cross now.

In fact, it has been at risk many times.

In many cases, pedestrians who ignore the red light try to cross.

The voices of the people around me help me in such a case.

"Now, the traffic light is red!"

"The car is coming, it's dangerous!"

I had the experience of not being hit by a car.

That's why I posted this post with the feeling that it would be nice to have a tweet like "soliloquy".

Junko Asai

"You can use a casual voice like'Hey, I'm crossing from the traffic light blue'. A little word will help you to confirm your safety, so please feel free to raise your voice."

The platform of the station is also dangerous

By calling out, there may be lives saved not only on the pedestrian crossing but also on the platform of the station.

There is no end to accidents where visually impaired people fall from their homes or come into contact with trains.

Even in the 10 years up to the first year of Reiwa, about 60 to 90 cases occur every year nationwide.

Platform doors are also being installed, but according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, more than half of the stations installed by March are 285 stations with more than 100,000 passengers a day. It stays at 154 stations.

When I asked the Japan Guide Dog Association while the installation of platform doors was not progressing, it was said that there were cases where the accident could be prevented by actually calling out.

For example, a man who was on the platform with a guide dog, while avoiding the crowds, unknowingly approached the edge of the platform and heard a "dangerous!" Voice from a nearby person who was about to fall. I was able to notice.

What should I do?

It's easy to see how important it is to speak out, and groups of the visually impaired have long been calling for "call out" with these examples.

However, when it comes to actually calling out, some people may think, "Isn't it annoying?" Or "I'm embarrassed."

I asked Mayu Oshino, a staff member of the Japan Guide Dog Association, who lives with the support of guide dogs.

Mayu Oshino

"I don't think it

's a

nuisance. Rather, I'm wondering if anyone can talk to me internally. There are countless situations where I want support, and if I think I need it, don't hesitate. I want you to call me. "

Mr. Oshino also says that even a voice like "soliloquy" can help.

However, if possible, I would be even more grateful if you could be aware of the following points.

3 points

First, ask if you need help.

The most effective word at that time is "Would you like to help?"

It's easier to ask for help, as it's easier to see that it's an offer of support than a word that sounds like "Are you okay?"

Second, I would like you to be specific about what kind of support you need.

There are different problems, such as whether you want to be taken to your destination or if you only need to be told the direction, so I would like you to start by communicating without prejudice.

It will be easier to understand if you say "I'm sorry here" when you finish the support.

The important thing is not to pull your arm suddenly.

Suddenly, if you are pulled or hit on your shoulder, you may be surprised and lose track of the direction of travel, which is rather troublesome.

However, when the danger is imminent, the response may be different.

That is the third point.

When calling out, it is necessary to specifically indicate "the person's characteristics" and "what is dangerous", and for those who are likely to cross the red light, "the person with the guide dog there, now It's red. "

Of course, it is also necessary to grab your body and stop when you are about to fall off the platform of the station.

These points are common to people with guide dogs, people using white squirrels, etc., when supporting visually impaired people.

Don't talk to guide dogs

However, in the case of guide dogs, there is one more thing to watch out for.

It may be a little surprising, but it is said that some people talk to guide dogs asking them if they have any problems, such as "Are you okay?"

Mr. Oshino says, "I think there are people who misunderstand that guide dogs judge everything."

Mayu Oshino

"The guide dog only supports people, and it is the person who judges the situation. Please speak to the person, not the guide dog. Also, let the guide dog concentrate on his mission. Don't talk, don't give food, don't keep staring at your eyes. "

Corona wreck, here too

Nowadays, visually impaired people are calling for more positive voice than ever before.

Since the number of people who go out by refraining from going out has decreased, it is difficult to understand the signs and sounds of people, which are important when making a decision to cross the road.

In addition, there are voices such as "It has become difficult to ask for support from others" and "The number of people calling out has decreased" because of the call to secure social distance.

Takashi Miyake of the Japan Association of Visually Impaired Persons complains that it is time to speak to him.

Takashi Miyake

"The number of people going out and cars is decreasing, making it difficult to grasp the surrounding situation. I also feel that some people hesitate to call out to prevent the spread of infection. When lining up at a store It would be helpful if you could tell me how to take the social distance and the location of the disinfectant. Please do not hesitate to contact me. "

When it comes to saving lives, some people may be prepared.

However, as in Mr. Asai's post at the beginning, all the interviewees said that a tweet like "soliloquy" would be enough to help.

Don't be shy, take a little courage and call out even from "soliloquy".