 |
| Photo: Chris Kliks and Brian Higgins walk at the event [Photo via Bookshare] |
The 2013 White Cane Awareness Walk hosted by WBRC on
October 16, 2013 was a huge success with over 60 marchers! WBRC Students and Staff members were joined
by participants from Bookshare, the VISTA Center, and the Palo Alto Host Lions
Club on a stroll across El Camino Real and along South California Ave in Palo
Alto, CA. This event, designed to celebrate
the ability of persons with vision impairment to lead full and independent
lives, also included public education of the White Cane Law.
The White Cane Law states that pedestrians who use a white cane or dog guide have certain rights. Only persons who are legally blind are lawfully allowed to carry a white cane. Legal Blindness is defined as someone who has best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye; or a visual field limitation of 20 degrees or less. Some people with vision loss do not fall under the legal blindness definition but can still benefit from use of a long cane in a different color, such as yellow.
The California Vehicle
Code 21963 states that a person carrying a predominantly white cane or using a
dog guide shall have the right-of-way, that the driver of any vehicle
approaching this person who fails to yield, or take all reasonable precautions
to avoid injuring this pedestrian is guilty of a misdemeanor. This is punishable by imprisonment for up to
six months, a $500 to $1,000 fine, or both.
Bookshare and VISTA center (both located along the route)
hosted meet and greets for the group which involved education about services and community resources. WBRC
would like to thank everyone who planned, volunteered, hosted, and marched in
this event.
No comments:
Post a Comment